Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-08-15
Chapter MI,

seen her comfortably tucked ava! III
one first-class carriage, with his own
travelling rug for pillow, sought another.
Mrs. Spry was heavyeyed when she
aWoke, and yawned behind her little
gloved hand as she stood upon the plat
form watching the assiduous O'Rourke,
who hustled hither and thither in her
behalf in his own brightest and most
cheerful manner.
Il suppose your friends expect you at
Il forget the name of the place. ia
uenne? Is it Janenne?" He glanced at
her quickly and with so evident surprise
that she added: "Mr. Maskelyne told
me you were going there. Is that the
name of the place."
There is a little place of that name
said O'Rourke. "Maskelyne and | were
there together few days ago. l may
&C on. or | may not. | shall probably
have a day or two in Brussels in any
case"
When the hotel was reached, O'Rourke
secured rooms for his delightful compan-
ion and ordered for her at her request
a cup of warm milk and biscuit. This
modest rejection was conveyed to her bed
chamber. and she retired, purring an ac-
acknowledgement of obligation.
If Mrs. Spry had been charming the
night before, she was still more delight
full next morning. O'Rourke made guess
as to her age, and set her down as being
between three and four and twenty, in
which he hattered her. Bearing in mind
all the while how time was flying, and
how it behooved him to make the most OF
chances which were likely to be limited,
he turned the conversation to the lady's
probable movements. Did she intend to
stay long in Brussels? he asked.
well. no. she answered, with a be-
coming little blush. There's only one
thing brings me here. There's an old
lady living here-a little hard up, I'm
afraid, Mr.. O'Rourke. She's a relative
of my poor dear late husbands-a distant
relative, but the only one he had. and he
left her out in the cold. I'm afraid she's
not very likely to be very good friends
with me, but | want to make it up with
her if she'll let me-" O'Rourke's atten-
tive and sympathetic face was worth
volume of commonplace answers to this
statement. And then" said the widow,
I've got a friend to see, and then I've
done with Belgium. | shall go and see
Paris again, and l shall try to persuade
my friend to go with me. | haven't seen
her for two years, but she's the dearest
girl in the world"
That" said ORourke, sis a f1attering
description. Is your friend i2 Brussels?'
mo. From what | can learn, she's
gone and buried herself alive in some
dreadful quiet place; miles and miles
away from everywhere. I've looked it
up on the map, and l make out Namoor
to be the nearest city. It's little place
called Houfoy."
Il have been there" returned O'Rourke,
with admirable naturalness. There is
only one English family residing there,
i have the pleasure to know them"
oh" said the lady, rapidly and enthu-
siastically "do you know Angela Butler?
Oh, now, really! l say, what a little
place the world is, to be sure! Well,
now, | do wonder that young George
nIaskelyne never told me that you knew
Angela Butler"
Il only know them very slightly said
O'Rourke. Il only met them fortnight
ago. No; three weeks since
oh" purred the widow, making her
best and most expressive eyes at her
companion. Il adore Angela Butler
Don't you adore her, Mr.. O'Rourke? Oh,
I'm sure you do
II think her a very charming girl
Frank, clever, English-thoroughly Eng
lish."
"Oh, so very English" said Mrs. Spry.
"And you are going to Houfoy to see
Miss Butler?" asked O'Rourke. THAT
is delightful news indeed to me. We
shall be neighbors. | am going to ia
nenne to see some old friends of mine,
and Janenne is the nearest village to
Houfoy."
THAT will be pleasant" said Mrs.
Spry. When she had said this she low
cred her head away suddenly, and sec
ond or two later shot a most vanquishing
glance at O'Rourke.
She discharged her one little bit of
actual business, and she set out on
bright afternoon in early June, with the
constant O'Rourke in attendance, for
Houfoy. having previously advised An
gela of her coming by wire.
Let me see. now," said Mrs. Spry,
holding her head on one side and looking
up at O'Rourke thoughtfully. How long
will it take this train to reach Houfoy?"
at does not go on to Houfoy," return
ed O'Rourke. 1T reaches Janenne in
four hours and FIVE minutes"
II think you know everything Mr..
O'Rourke," said the lady, admiringly
Then. clasping her hands with a soft fer
vor, Twill you do me favor, Mr..
O'Rourke?"
"Try me-" said O'Rourke. with his
own admirable mixture of jest and earn
est.
will you go to the telegraph bureau
and write a telegram? In French, or
these dreadful foreigners'll bungle it.
From Mrs. Spry, Brussels, to Miss Angela
Butler, the Chateau, Houfoy. To say
that | shall be at-what's the name of
the station? ?-at-when does the train get
there?-and to ask her to meet me there.
Because she might forget"
May | look at your booksT he said.
Certainly" she answered, taking up
q loose handful and handing them over
to him. As she did SO his eyes met hers,
and be drew them away with a sad
reluctance. Mrs. Spry blushed, and
opened one of the paper-bound volumes.
"Ahr cried O'Rourke, brightly, a mo
nent later, you have bought 'Fireaies,
Il see"