Mexico Missouri message., 1906-03-01


pTomaep. me woman accepted - dol
lar for the heathOn." Thomas took
away all he could well carry.
As the reporter approached the place
where he had left Stella North, he be-
gan to have some fears that she had
but no. There she was, still sitting
against the tree, as he had left her.
No, not as he had left her. Complete
ly exhausted, she had fallen asleep.
Thomas placed his bundles upon the
ground and softly arranged the repast
he had secured from the farm house
upon light robe he had taken from
the carriage. From the bowl of fresh
milk to the golden-brown custard pie
1t was genuine and wholesome; and
though he would fain have had
Young's chief cook at his command
for an hour or two, still he hoped that
she could not fail to find the display at
tractive and appetlEing.
But he hesitated to wake her The
poor child slept as only one utterly
worn out can sleep. He looked at her
Grated its pulsations.
3What a pity" he thought, that she
should be SO compromisingly mixed up
in such an affair as this! Young and
charming as she is, If the police knew
what know they would not hesitate
minute to arrest her."
The thought clouded his breast. He
looked at mis- watch. u was getting
late. Unless he proposed to turn her
over to the police, in truth, time
pressed.
"Ahem!" he exclaimed Miss
North"
But her sleep was too deep to be
disturbed by such an expedient. He
placed his hand gently upon her Shout
der, and a thrill ran through him at
the contact. She started up and stared
wildly about her. Gradually the truth
came to her. She awoke from a happy
oblivion to the horror of the past few
days. The sudden frightened look in
her face proclaimed this fact. And
then her eyes wandered from the re-
porter's face to the collation. spread ct
! her feet.
! "For mel" she exclaimed. "Oh!-''
7 But nothing but tears bespoke her
thanks. She was evidently ashamed
to betray herself so; but she was too
weak to prevent 1t. She covered her
face with her hands and sank down
at the foot Of the tree.
you think me foolish, l know" she
stammered.
mot bit of it," said Thomas. 81
think your nerves are quite unstrung
because you haven't taken flourish
ment enough. Eat something, Miss
North, l beg Of you; and, my word
for it, you'll feel better"
By dint Of much persuasion and
adroit management he treasured her
SO that she actually smiled the very
ghost Of a smile, but it betrayed the
presence of a merry dimple in heI
cheek, which Thomas thought quite
charming.
How can thank your" she muir.
INJURED.
by eating all you can," he returned
And she did endeavor to show hel
gratitude in that way. From time u
time she looked at him with a glanct
Of dread and apprehension.
'You are not afraid of me, Mis-!
North, hope?" he said at last, pleas
antly. He was smiling now, as he sa
on a rock near by watching her eat
which she did with that ravenous ap
petite that comes of absolute starva
ton.
Excuse me-" she said, after an evi
dent effort, "but you are the same
gentleman who called at our house
who used to know my father?"
Thomas flushed little and his eyes
fell.
Miss North" he said, IT don't in
tend to deceive you. am a newspaper
reporter"
She uttered a slight scream anC
dropped her knife and fork into hel
plate. At another time Thomas would
most certainly have laughed aloud a
the unmistakable CONSERVATION pro
duced by the announcement of his pro
fession. AS it was, he repressed MI
tendency to smile when he saw hel
lips whiten under the cruel apprehen
sion that had sprung to life within
her.
"You mistrust me, Miss North" h,
said, gravely.
"oh, no." she returned, in a voic,
barely audible. And added immediate
ly: For PHYS sake, sir, do you In
tend to print what told you when
was so crazy awhile ago?"
do l, Miss North? It depends
upon whether or not you go on will
your dinner"
"Oh, how can you joke about a thinl
like this?"
Miss North, am not joking.
never was more serious in my life.
is absolutely imperative that you eat.
. rrhs u,rn,. LII AuIna a.. .....-lLt-.- n l.