The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-12
CHAPTER XII.
The Gold Bag.

have always smiled at those eases
of spontaneous combustion which, like
| fusng the component parts of scid-
| litZ powder, unite two people IN bub-
bling and ephemeral ecstasy. But sure
| " there is possible, with hut single
meeting, an attraction so great, n com
| mnitv of mind and interest so strong,
that between that first meeting and the
next the bond may grow into some
| thing stronger. This is especially true.
| fancy, of people with temperament,
The modern substitute for imagination.
1t is a nice question whether lovers
begin TO love when they are together,
or when they are apart.
Not that ! followed any such line of
reasoning at the time. ] would not
even admit my folly TO myself. But
during the restless hours of that first
night after the accident, when my back
ached with lying on it, and any other
position was torture, found my
thoughts constantly going back to All
dream of touching her fingers again TO
comfort her, and awoke TO find ] had
patted a teaspoonful Of medicine out
of Mrs. Klopton Is indignant hand.
What was it Mcknight had said about
making an egregious ass of myself!
And that brought me back 10 Rlchey.
And ] fancy ] groaned. There is no
tween two men who have gone togeth,
er through college, have quarrcled and
made mp. fused together over politics
and debated creods for years: men do
not need to be told. and women cannot
understand. Nevertheless, ] groaned.
If it had been anyone but Rich!
Some things were mine, however, and
| would hold them: the halcyon break
fast, the queer hat the pebble III her
small shoe, the gold bag with the
broken chain-the bagl Why, it was
in my pocket at that moment.
!, got up painfully and found my
coat Yes, there was the purse, bulging
with an opulent suggestion of wealth
inside. | went back to bed again,
touch of the trinSet, SO lately hers.
held it mp by its broken chain and
noated over IT, BY careful attention
10 orders. | ought to be out in day
or so. Then-I could return it TO her.
really ought 10 do that. II was valu,
able, and [ wouldn't care to trust II
to the mail. ] could run down TO Rich
mond and see her once-there was no
disloyalty to Rich in that.
| had no intention Of opening the
little bag. I put it under my pillow
which was my reason for refusing
to have tho linen slips changed, to
Mrs. Klopton s dismay. And sometimes
during the morning. while | lay an
der a virgin field Of white, ornament
ed with strange flowers, my cigarettes
hidden beyond discovery, and "Science
and Health on n table by my elbow,
rs if by the merest accident, ] slid my
hand under my pillow and touched II
reverently.
Mcknight came in about eleven. l
heard his car at the curb, followed al.
most Immediately by his slam at the
| front door, and his usual clamor on the
stairs He had n bottle under his arm,
rightly surmisinG that / had been for:
| hidden stimulant, and large box OF
cigarettes in his pocket, suspccting my
!'Well.r he said. chccrfully "How
did you sleep after keeping me mp half
the night?p
I slid my hand around; the purse was
well covered.
"Have it now. or wait till I get
the cork out?'' he ratified on,
81 don Il want anything ! pro
tested. 81 wish you wouldn't be so
darned cheerful Richey." He stopped
whisiling TO stare AT me.
Il am saddest when ] sing!'' - he
quoted unctuously. OTIS pure reac.
tion, Lollie. Yesterday the sky was
low: I was digging for my best friend.
| Today-hc lies before me, his peevish
| sell. tAltIuhN L lHDuGuI lHt lfl'S
were burned: today look forward to
n good cross.country chase, and with
luck we will draw His voice sud.
denly changed "Yesterday-she was
in Seal Harbor Today-she is here.
"Here in Washington" asked, as
naturally as ] could.
eyes. Going to stay week or
two"
''Oh, ! had a little hen and she had
Urn
And nearly every morning she used to
lay an egg
"Will you stop thai racket, Rich
II s the real thing, this time, | sup
pose?'
"Sho's the best little chicken that we
have on the farm
And another little drink won do us
any harm
he finished. twisting out the corkscrew
Then he came over and sat down on
the bed.
"Wcll," he said. iudicially, ''sincc
you drag it from me, ] think perhaps
il is, You-you re such n confirmed
woman hater that | hardly knew how
you would take it,
" Nothing of the Sort I denied tes
tily. "Because man reaches the age
of thirty without making maudlin love
to every
81 We taken to long country rides,
he went on refectively, without listen,
ing to me, "and yesterday / ran over
sheep: nearly went into the ditch
But there's a Providence that watches
over fools and lovers, and just now
| know darned well that IN one, and
| have n sneaking idea IN both. 4"
"You are BOTH / said with dis
gust, of you can be rational for ono
moment, ! wish you would tell me why
that. man Sullivan called me over the
telephone yesterday morning.
Probably badn' yet discovered the
Bronson notes-,proyiding you hold tt
your theory that the theft was Incl
dental TO the murder. May have want
ed his own clothes again, OF to thank
you for yours. Search me: can'i
think of anything else" The doctor
came in Just then.
AS | said before, ] think lot OF
my doctor-when / am i'll, He is 2
young man, with an air OF breezy self
confidence and good humor. He looked
directly past the bottle, which is a very
valuable accomplishment and shook
hands with Mcknight until could put
the cigarettes under the bedclothes. H.
| bnd infpr1iptpJ tobacco Then ho cal