tted close to
her lithe, nervous figure, and augmenting in a marked degree her
dangerous, dark beauty.

"You know where I am going--or should!" she replied, facing Venner, with
an odd smile on her red lips.

"Not to the diamond plant?" cried he, with a start.

"To the diamond plant--yes!"

"Impossible!"

"You will find it's not impossible, Rufe," she retorted. "I generally go
where I wish, and do what I undertake. I have already sent my own jewels
and other valuables there by Pylotte. He was here this morning."

"But consider, Sanetta," protested Venner, with a darker frown. "Think
of what chances you are taking."

"Of what?"

"Suppose Nick Carter suspects you, and has a shadow on your movements--"

"Bah!" interrupted Cervera, with a snap and flash of her black eyes. "I
care nothing for Nick Carter. _Caramba!_ do you think I fear him? I will
fool and foil Nick Carter as I have fooled and foiled his betters. I
shall go to the plant to-morrow, and that settles it."

"Stop a bit," insisted Venner, almost angrily. "Do you forget that
Kilgore and all his gang are there? Do you forget that we are just
about launching our gigantic enterprise? We now have nearly a million
dollars' worth of diamonds manufactured, or in the process of making,
and I already have begun to distribute them on the market at a fabulous
profit."

"Well, I know all that. What has it to do with my going there?"

"Such a move on your part may give Carter a clew to our location,"
declared Venner.

"Oh, no, it won't," sneered Cervera, scornfully. "I'll look out for
that."

"Discovery would ruin all, and possibly land the whole gang behind
prison bars."

"Faugh! I'm as well at the plant as here, and there I am going. You let
me alone to evade the Carters."

"But why in thunder are you so determined to make this change?" demanded
Venner.

An amorous fire came stealing into the woman's resolute eyes, and she
shrugged her shapely shoulders significantly.

"You should know why without asking," she slowly answered, with her gaze
fixed upon his changing countenance. "It is because I love you, Rufe,
and wish to be where you spend so much of your time."

"So much of my time?" echoed Venner, inquiringly.

"So at least you tell me."

"Do you doubt it?"

"I know that five days and nights have passed since you came here to see
me," cried Cervera, bitterly. "I have only your own word in explanation
of your neglect."

"That should be enough