The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-20

too vivid aD imagination for mel"
Seems to have acQuIesced the
colonel,
Il think. you know"~-Tracy made an
effort to be iust-"l think Atkins waa
rather soured Some Of the fellows
made fun Of tho 'Ague Busters; he
had a notion that the reason Il was
such up hill work for him In ,he school
was his fathers trade No doubt he
did get nasty licka at FIRST; and he'B
revengful. He hasn't got on ID society
outside, elther-this he lays TO his not
being a university man You see hts
father lost some Of his money and put
him to work instead OF Ia college. He
was willing enough at the time--I
think he wanted to get married--but
afterward, when he was getting a good
salary and plling up money on his tips,
ne began to think that he had lost
more than he had bargalned for Al
together. he's soured Now. what he
wants is 10 make a laundering big
strike and 10 pull ont Of Wall street,
buy what he calls a seat on the
James and set up for a southern gen.
tleman He's trying 10 marry q south
ern girl, they say who Is Kin to the
Carriers and the Byrds and The Lees
and the Carys-why. you know heg,
she's Mrs. Winters secretary"
Does does she care for hlmT Tho
colonel suddenly felt his mouth
parched: he was sayagely conscious og
his mounting color What a ilendlsh
trick OF fatel he had never dreamed
Of thisl Well whether she cared for
him or not, the man was brute he
shouldn't set her That was one GER
tainty In the colonePs mind
Why. Cary VOWS she doesn't that
II was only glrlish bit Of nonsense
up IN Virginia that time ne was proa-
pecting YOU know. But don't feel 50
safe She's too nice for such eur.
hut you know what women arN tbs
incest Of them seem to be awfully
queer about men. There's no. betting
on them"
I'm afraid not remarked the colo
mel. lightly But he put HIS fingers IN
side his collar and loosened II, as II
he felt ahoked.
Because he had dozen questions
quarreling for precedence IN bis head.
he asked not one. He only inquired
regarding the situation: discovering
that both Mercer and Tracy we're
equally In the dark with himself as 70
Atkins plans, Atkins store Of lnfor-
nation. Atkins resources How he
could have waylaid Tracy and the boy
without knowing whence they came
was puzzlIng u Was quite as puzzlnE
however assuming that he did know
their whereabouts, TO decide why he
was SO keen TO lnterrogate the boy II
fact II was, as Tracy said, too much
like Prof Santa Annaa description
Of a German definition Of metaphysics.
"A blind man hunting IN q dark room
for a black cat that isn't there
I'm any event, you would better keep
away FROM me was the eolonel's sum
ming up Of the situation; u don't want
TO be inhospitable, but the sooner you
are of, and out OF the hotel, the safeE
for your speculation"
Friends will please accept the in.
tlmatlon. said Tracy good.humoredly.
Very well, IT'S % for me I'm looping
you'll see your way clear 10 run oves
as soon as the old man has surren.
dered: I'm going 10 Invite him TO make
US q proper visit, then. and SEQ tho
country. I'm always for letting tho
conquered keep their aide.arms"
He went away smiling his flashing
emile. and turned II up at the hotel &c
walked OUT the colonel made no sign
Of recognition from the wlndow
whence he observed him. Instead he
drew back quickly. frownIng; il might
be & mere accident that only hands
breadth Of space from the young
Harvard man was dapper little
shape IN evening clothes, man still
young. with a reund black head; II
50, It was an accident not 10 the colo
nela liking.
Damn youle whispered Rupert
Winter very softly. what Is your lit
tie gameg"
Al once he descended. having tele.
pboned Haley TO meet him at the
court When he entered and sent his
glance rapidly among the little tables,
by this time filled with diners. he ex
perlenced a dlsagfeeahle surprise. lt
did not come from the sight Of Sergt-
Haley IN bis suaday civilian clothes,
Rtolldly reading the Calf Il came from
vision of Atkins standing, howingi
anlmatedly talking WITH janet Smith.
InAlead Of approaching Haley Win.
ter fell back and scrubbed a few words
on page Of his notebook. while
safely shielded By a great palm. The
note he dispatched 70 Haley. who
promptly Joined him While they
stood. talking on apparently indIffer
ent subjects, Miss Smith passed them
Whether because he was become aus.
plclous d Because she had come upon
him suddenly. she colored slightly, But
she smiled al nhc salnted him aud
spoke In her usual tranquil tone You
are going to dine with ~, aren't y0n
colonelg" suid She n think dinner Is
just about 10 be served.
The coionu would be with them q
reetly
Haley's eyes followed her; he had