The Ordway new era., 1907-07-12

fney-Croft
\ By
PH BROWN COOKE
IN, ,gr. by s,or,-rrsss corporasion'

kpTER xvi.-Contlnueo.
aned forward weeping bitter
said nothing until she began
nj herself once more and
ovn her sobs in an effort to
,alp. Then said gently:
say anything more about 1t
IS Weston. | am sure you will
Is best, and though l am ut
loss to know what you
am, OF course. willing to wait
able time until you are able to
/ will trust you without
and In every way. but you
erstand that we both owe II
Carney to do away with all
I,ery as soon as we can. 1t Is
her pleasure in life and ruin
property. too. and. as her
we must not let 1t continue
IN possibly put a stop to it."
les, | know" she said. but we
stop II now. It's too soon. Mr..
md II Florence should learn
Ii now It would break her
what do you mean?" / eX-
"You surely do not expect
Ielleye that this affair could
liss Carney in any way, do
she moaned. rocking back and
her seat and speaking with
1T would affect her and all
re, but me. most OF all, Mr..
BE-. most OF all. When the time
will be easier for everybody.
hing can be done now. or
rill be even worse than they
b. do wish | could tell you
lle know about II. Mr.. Ware.
bnot, and | know that you will
for few days anyway"
ted slowly with her back to
bse, and. when dinner time
ID she sent down her excuses.
that no one In the house was
bat she had been ont during
carney looked pale and care
said that she had spent the
OF the afternoon lying down
Fing a severe headache. Mrs.
b seemed reticent and de-
and the meal passed on slow
without incident.
We rose from the table I had
ed a plan which. Thought,
flieve the situation somewhat
Rrising no one of my purpose, |
10 the direction of the Widow
cottage. 1t was my intention
De matter squarely before her
her. not necessarily an ex-
, oil affairs. but a friendly CO.
with me in putting an end
hnoyances she had been caus-
not formed a bad opinion of
pan from her appearance, and
|tnrn things had taken made me
u she, like Miss Weston, might
been drawn into this business
Ely and In all innocence. More
Pas convinced that matters
from being as tragic as Miss
III her hysterical emotion,
Pve me believe. for I could not
now a staid, respectable place
|ney'croft could, by any pos
De drawn into an affair that
|ot be satisfactorily explained
'ay or another.
word, ! had no doubt that a
ood'natured talk with Mrs.
'ouid accomplish all that /
'sn' and | was prepared to of.
money or any other induce.
,at she might name IL she
J the matter drop. l confess
curiosity was greatly excited.
IS willing to forego all knowl.
the underlying facts in the
NC Bruce woman and the rest
would only depart and leave
oaehed the cottage from the
n,ng down by q short cut
.ne fields, and as I turned
u OF the house by the open
om windows 1 heard a wom-
e sob out: a
must! ! must, Mrs. Bruce! 1
We unless I dol"
'ruee made some reply in q
tone Of wonderful
:, ;, and then she emerged from
=. the cottage with her arm
..e'y around the waist Of
es.on, who was weeping az II
,so nou,d break. The two passed
,ne little gravel walk toward
mnile Mrs. Bruce continued
,o,os OF comfort into the ear
u.lea ~. girl; ana / turned and
n. steps to the house that III
mere before A1ins Weston m