Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-02-28

to take advantage of your weakness We
will admit him, and hear what he has to
say"
ORourke was shown into the room. He
was pale, but his manner was under
perfect control. He made no attempt
to approach Mrs. Spry, but, having closed
the door, bowed, and, advancing to the
center Of the room, laid both hands on
the rail of a chair, which he held firmly.
He looked then at Angela, and his brows
contracted ever so little as if in inquiry.
He was playing to look as If he asked
himself what had induced her to adopt
role so extraordinary as the one she
had taken up, and his trained sense of
humbug came so to his aid that he asked
himself that question unfalteringly. Next
he looked at the widow, and his glance
was full of appeal. Neither of the women
spoke word, but Angela, with her eyes
fixed upon O'Rourke, reached out hand
sideways, and took her friend by the
wrist, sliding her hand downward until
the fingers of both were interlaced.
Il have received a letter from you,
Julia" O'Rourke began, Containing an
Enclosure in the handwriting of bitter
enemy Of mine, political rival, who is
| GHIdBtu Ut Ills OWu WANT VI bucCtSS'
am here to tell you that that letter con-
tains one innuendo which is based on
truth, and only one. am indebted
to your friend, Mr. Maskelyne. Apart
from that one truth l deny every state
ment the letter contains"
Then he paused, looking from one to
the other of his auditors. Mrs. Spry
drew her hand from her companions, and
half arose, but Angela checked her.
II begin to see, sir, that have made
mistake" she said II fancied you
would not dare to come here. l have
read the letter you speak Of" She could
go no further.
II supposed" returned O'Rourke,
from the note which accompanied it
that you had done so. l supposed, also,
that you support It's statements. l do
not know how you have allowed yourself
to be persuaded of the truth of those
statements, but l declare them, on the
faith of an honest man, to be without
foundation"
Angela ~ cried Mrs. Spry, "I knew
: 1t. l was sure of it. It's all a mis-
, takew
, THANK you, Julia ~ cried the patriot
thank you"
At this Angela took unexpected fire,
and rising to her feet in sudden self
possession faced the patriot with flushed
cheeks and gIittering eyes.
! II do not rely upon much from you,
Mr.. O'Rourke, upon which l might count
+, with safety from most men. But l will
5 ask you a question or two, If you will be
SO kind as to answer them"
e II will answer any question you may
' ask me, Miss Butler" he answered, in
r clining his head with grave courtesy.
r Forgive me If hurt you,r DEAR" said
Angela, swiftly turning to her friend
i, "You did not know, Mr.. O'Rourke, that
4 my friend Mrs. Spry was wealthy unit
), she herself told you soT'
: II knew that she was well-to-do," re
a turned O'Rourke, "but l did not know
4 that she was wealthy. You will remem
7 Der, Julia, that your statement took me
by surprise"
"You did not suppose her fortune t
! be greater than it really ISL"
= IL certainly did not" said O'Rourke
: He actually smiled at this, as if tn,
thought amused him.
;, Angela rang the bell and sent for Mas
!, kelyne, who was In the hotel. When h.
!, came Angelo told him of what had occur
: red, and he at once told of his converse
! ton with O'Rourke about Mrs. Spry'
= riches.
q TITS a lie," said O'Rourke, Erase
r and have quarreled, and he has invent
d ed this story to damage me with you an
e with my friends"
d The widow suddenly fell on her knee
n and threw up her head with shrek Of
I, shrek of laughter. Maskeyne raise
n her. and rang the bell for assistance.
N O'Rourke stood staring at the pair, a
o. much lost for the moment as If the Who'll
r world had tumbled in ruins about hi
n ears A waiter knocked at the door an
is entered.
m "Send a female servant here, and ru
lie for a Doctor" Angela called to him. Mr.:
e, Spry's wild laughter ran through tn
m house. chambermaid looked la at til
open door and-ran to her assistance.
re- dozen people were in the corridor, stal
1t ing with frightened faces.
ID O'Rourke still retained a grain of hi
,e customary selfgovernment. He wake
to down the corridor and oUt of the hote
10 His cabman hailed him, and he threw hfl
m half a crown and STROBE toward his chan
ee bers, desperate, and half beside himse
ID with rage His chambers reached.
* entered his bedroom without a word, an
st locking the door, sat down to think. HI
IN thoughts were too terrible to be endure
without emotion, and in a little time
80 began to pace wildly up and down. No
-, and then he groaned aleud.
~ 1t was dark, and 0'RoNrke was sti
= raging up and down his bedroom, whe
20 the maid brought up a note and kROckt
at the door.
ed whats the matterT' he asked, u
nd locking the door aud thrVsting a pa
ed face into the light of the adjoining rooI
NJ "A note, SIR" said the girl. "HaFk'
d. Immediate"
n He took It and tore 1t open with a pa
rs. sionAte eagerness. 1t was from Do
I'm roski, and asked him to call upoa Il
morrow. He cursed Dobreski. for
usual suavity and self-coatrSi bad alt
gether deserted him. Then, ciinchil
to- the note in his hand. he slammed t
ed door and locked it, and fen to pacing I
he and down again.