Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1908-03-07
CHAPTHR xxi

envelope and uttered little cry.
He is here" she said, TREMENDOUSLY.
HE is waiting" Her shaking hand
pressed the card upon Angela.
Il will wait until you are ready to
see me-" she lead. II have right to
clear myself. 1t will be best to speak in
Miss Buffers presence"
'Oh, he is innocent p cried the widow.
Julia said Angela, with tender anx-
iety, he is not innocent. He has come
to take advantage of your weakness. We
will admit him, and hear what he has to
say"
O'Rourke 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 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 il he asked
himself what had induced her to adopt
a 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 interIaced.
Il have received a letter from you,
julia" O'Rourke began, containing an
N ~, T.. 4
enemy of mine, a political rival who is
enraged at his own want of success. I
am here to tell you that that letter con-
tains one innuendo which is based on
truth, and only one. l 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.
Il begin to see, sir, that 1 have made
mistake" she said. II fancied you
would not dare to come here. 1 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 its statements 1 do
not know how you have allowed yourself
to be persuaded of the truth of those
statements, but 1 declare them, on the
faith of an honest man, to be without
foundation"
Angela p cried Mrs. Spry, 81 knew
it. was sure of it. It's all mis-
take !"
Thank you, Julia p 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 glittering eyes.
II do not rely upon much from you,
Mr.. O'Rourke, upon which might count
with safety from most men,. But l will
ask you question or two, II you will be
so kind as to answer them"
II will answer any question you may
ask me, Miss Butler" he answered, in
clining his head with grave courtesy.
Forgive me If l hurt you, dear" said
Angela, swiftly turning to her friend.
you did not know, Mr.. O'Rourke, that
my friend Mrs Spry was wealthy until
she herself told you so?"
II knew that she was well-to-do," re-
turned O'Rourke, but did not know
that she was wealthy. You will remem-
Der, Julia, that your statement took me
by surprise"
you did not suppose her fortune to
be greater than it really ISL"
II certainly did not" said O'Rourke.
He actually smiled at this, as if the
thought amused him.
Angela rang the bell and sent for Mas
kelyne, who was In the hotel. When he
came Angelo told him of what had occur
red, and he at once told of his conversa-
ton with O'Rourke about Mrs. Spry's
riches.
Its lie" said O'Rourke, Fraser
and have quarreled, and he has invent
ed this story to damage me with you and
with my friends"
The widow suddenly fell on her knees
and threw up her head with shrek on
shrek of laughter. Maskelyne raised
her, and rang the bell for assistance.
>O'Rourke stood staring at the pair, as
much lost for the moment as if the whole
world had tumbled in ruins about his
ears. A waiter knocked at the door and
entered.
Send female servant here, and run
for DOCTOR" Angela called to him. Mrs.
Spry's wild laughter ran through the
house. A chambermaid looked in at the
open door and ran to her assistance A
dozen people we're in the corridor, star
ing with frightened faces.
O'Rourke still retained grain of his
customary self-government. He walked
down the corridor and out of the hotel.
His cabman hailed him, and he threw him
half crown and strobe toward his cham
bers, desperate, and half beside himself
Oh