CHAPTER II.
THE EMBEZZLERS "I came here to hide, to vanish forever from those who know me." The young man paused a moment to watch the effect of his revelation of himself to Constance Dunlap.

There was a certain cynical bitterness in his tone which made her shudder.
"If you were to be discovered--what then ?" she hazarded.
Murray Dodge looked at her significantly, but said nothing.

Instead, he turned and gazed silently at the ruffled waters of Woodlake.

There was no mistaking the utter hopelessness and grim determination of the man.
"Why--why have you told so much to me, an absolute stranger ?" she asked, searching his face.

"Might I not hand you over to the detectives who, you say, will soon be looking for you ?" "You might," he answered quickly, "but you won't." There was a note of appeal in his voice as he pursued slowly, not as if seeking protection, but as if hungry for friendship and most of all her friendship, "Mrs.Dunlap, I have heard what the people at the hotel say is your story.