The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-06-10

gone before DR.. Lambert could reply.
For half a minute DR.. Lambert sat
quite still nursing his resentment
against the departed one, then softly
breathed:
Cur"
But he could not dismiss the matter
from his mind. He should have been
| thinking OF dozen other very impor.
tant things. Butt may have been
the weather, he decided II must be
that-he was very much on edge,
Poor little girl" he murmured;
and again, Poor little grill"
Although he had said to Winton
that he would be laying himself liable
to rebuke should he breach so delicate
subject to the lady in question, he
knew well enough that such was not
the case But what to do, that was
the question.
TIL the great. glowing, copper'col-
ored disk OF tho sun had slowly set.
tied into the notch between the Twin
Peaks he thought OF It, and needed
not the rising breeze of the evening,
which blew his papers all about. He
was angry that Winton had come to
him with the story, and glad. after all.
that he knew it. Suddenly he snapped
his watch and unconsciously mused
aloud:
six o'clock. am going out there.
The great point ls that after her suspi.
cions have been allayed she shall not
guess that | was aware of them. The
only way can see out of it ts to take
| the blame upon myself. Without
doubt the letters are rather silly. but
it is fortunate that they have not his
name on them"
A half hour later Mrs. Winton met
him at the door. If he had ever
doubted the propriety of lying, her
face convinced him that there were
circumstances under which It was
justifable
She was one of those diminutiye
women with great, soulful eyes, the
! kind of women made to be loved and
petted.
He must have shown in his greet.
ing an unusual warmth, which he i'm.
mediately regretted. for had he not
frozen a little she would have been
telling him the whole story, and he
had a dread Of scenes, because they
played havoc with his sympathieB.
Has Mr.. Winton come home YETI"
he asked, hastily.
NO, he sent word that he would
be late" she answered.
81 am glad Of that. Mrs. Winton.
There was a favor wanted to ask
you, and | didn't Now, how shall
get at it," He hesitated with we'll
simulated embarrassment We'll,
didn't exactly want your husband to
see them. you know. If he has not al.
ready"
See what" she queried. n little
curiously. They were seated facing
each other.
DO you happen to know whether
Mr.. Winton 10 wearing the same coat
today that he had on yesterday" he
asked, irrelevanty.
lie certainly is not | am quite
positive of that" she said. Why do
you ask?"
Dr. Lambert gave utterance to a
moderate sigh Of relief before answer.
ing
81 will tell you. | have two mis-.
chlevous young nieces who are always
| gtlI tn, 70 hA
taken here and there and every place
else. Well" he twisted In his chair.
AS though uncertain how to state the
case-"we were all down to the club
last night, Mr.. Winton and some 9th
ers, playing hand.ball, think It was,
and, of course, we had our coats OFF.
| spilled those letters, and thinking It
over to-day, | am almost certain that
put them in Mr. Winton's pocket In.
stead of my own. His was the only
coat mat looked like mine. Chances
are he will read them, and the laugh
will be on me; no one will believe
There, even you are laughing, Mrs.
Winton."
Yes. she was laughing. immoderate.
Ily, Historically. with more than half
cry in it--such n laugh as made DIR.
Lamberts heart ache-but he af.
lected not TO see that part OF It, and
continued:
III | remember Alright, there were
no envelopes on them. and-would II
be too much trouble for you to see,
Mrs. Winton?"
She had stopped laughing now. and
made one or two Btle, gaspy at.
tempts to speak, then dabbed her
handkerchief to her eyes. DR.. Lam
bert held his breath. anxiously waiting
to see whether she would rise to the
occasion, or whether she would be
weak enough to tell him all the little
things she had thought. Her pride
won. The light of love and conf
dence swept over her face in great
wave. and she laughed again--a
merry, care.free laugh.
How unusual" she said. why. GER
tainly. will see this minute. II they
are there. you shall have them, and
, Mr.. Winton shall be deprived of the
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