The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-12

a nv TINE was TWO uuulh ihiGF. ANupoit
Winter was sitting on one Of the stone
benches of the colonnade about the
patio The court was suffused with
the golden glow presaging sunset.
Warm afternoon shadows lay along
the mage; waving silhouettes Of leaf.
age OF plant; blurred reflections from
the bold bnsTeliefs Of spanish war
riors and Spanish priests sculptured
between the spandrels of the arches
Winters dull eyes hardly noted them;
the exotic luxurlancc OF foliage, the
Spanish armor and Spanish cowis
were ail too common 10 a denlzen Of
Spanish colony in the tropics to dis.
tract his thoughts from his own ugly
problem He had been having Il out
With himself, az he phrased Il. And
there had been moments during those
two hours. when he had ground his
teeth and clenched his fists because
az the futile and furious pain In him
When he recognized Janet Smith,
by that same illuminating flash he
recognized that this woman who had
been tricklng him was the woman that
he loved He believed that he had
said his last word to love. but love, aft
er seeming 10 accept the curt dis
missal, was lightly riding his heart
again. Fooled second time" he
thought with Inexpressible bitterness,
recalling hla unhappy married life
and the pretty. weak creature who had
caused him SIGH humiliation. Yet with
her there mad been no real wrong
doing. onls absolute lack Of discretion
and childish craving for gayety and
adulation. Poor child what woe
fnl ending for II ALL The baby, the
little boy who was their only living
child. to die Of sudden access o. an
apparently trliing attack Of Group
while the mother was dancing ut q
post BALI TFe was east, linking his
examination for promotion The fran.
tic drive home. 10 the chill Of the dawn
had given her a cold which her shock
and grief left her no strength 10 re-
sist- she was always frail little crea,
ture, poor butterfly -~and She followed
her baby inside Of a a0uth Had she
lived. her husband might have found
1t hard TO forgive her for already Q
sore heart was turning TO the child for
comfort but she was dead and ne did
not let bis thoughts misuse her mem
ory Now here was another. SO diff
lefeng, but just as false, Then, be
brought himself up with Jerk he
would be fair he would look al things
as they were; many man had been
fooled by the dummy, He would not
lump at conclusions because they were
cruei. any More than he would because
they we're kind, There was such
thing. he knew we'll. as credulous sus.
picinn: It did more harm tfan eredui
Ions trust. Meanwhile, he had his de
tall He was 10 find Archie, therefore
he waited. They were ii the hnuse
fl we're only folly 10 give up their ad.
vantage under the stress Of any Of
Mefcer's plausible lurIngs to the out
side.
Moreover, by degrees, he became
convinced that Mercer. certainly to
some exsent, was sincere in bis pro.
fessEon Of belief IN Archie's absence
and safety. This, In spite Of hearing
several times that Archie was nit re-
turned. Mefcer did all the speaking.
has ne allowed DirdsalI to hold the re-
celver and take the message from Mrs.
Winter
the telephone was In an adjoining
room. but BY shifting his position
number Of times the colonel was able
10 catch a murmur Of tho conyersa.
tidon. lie heard MERGERS voice dis.
tlnctIy. He had turned away aud was
following the detective ont Of the
room. II don't understand It any
more than you DO. Mr.. Hirdspllr he
said you won't believe me. sub. but I
an right worried"
eOf course | believe you" purred
the detective. 50 aoftlY TINT the colo
nel knew he did ntt halieve any more
than Mercer anapeeNed at1f course
believe you; but don't know what TO
du. Il nGnst on the map | guesa It's
up Ia v0u ID throw d little light I've
calIed the boys oE twlee already and
told I'm to whit "a hour 81 3 half
hnlsr longer. got ID see the roInnel Z
Il can trust mY EntnlIlnna. oF can
a. s.f..y4z*sss ts3Mss{4sf axsE.ta4ss4sk n