Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-08-26
w,thour attempting concealmenr

QIobbs. he knew. was eavesdropp'ug
r,und the corner of the door kirk
God purchased at the ticket window
assages on the Dunkerque train. Mr..
Hobbs promptly fiattered him by bnl-
ia ton. and so jealous Of his luck was
Kirkwood by this time grown through
continual disappointment that he did
not even let the girl into his plans I'M
til they were aboard the 500 in COM
partment all to themselves. Then, nav
ing with his own eyes seen Mr.. Hobbs
dodge into the third compartment in
the rear of the same carriage, Kirk
wood astonished the girl by requesting
her to follow, him, and together they
left by the door opposite that by which
they had entered
The engine was running up and
down scale of staccato SnortS IN
preparation for the race and the cars
were on the edge of moving coup
lings clanking. wheels a-groan, ere Mr.
Hobbs condescended to join them be-
tween the tracks.
YEARLY. disheartened, Kirkwood re-
opened the door. flung the bags IN ana
helped the girl back into their despised
compartment. The quicker route to
England via Ostend was now out OF
the question. AS for himself, he wait
ed for brace of seconds. eying wick
eddy the ubiquitous Hobbs. who had
popped back into his compartment, but
stood ready to pop out again on the
least announcement In the meantime
he was pleased to shake q friendly foot
at Mr.. Kirkwood. thrusting that mem
Der out through the half open door
Only the timely departure of the
train, compelling him to rejon Doro-
thy at once If at all prevented the
American from adding murder to the
already noteworthy catalogue of his
high crimes and misdemeanors.
Their simple meal. consumed to the
ultimate drop and crumb while the
DunkerQue train meandered sereneiy
through a sunny smiling Flemish
countryside, somewhat revived their
jaded spirits.
For time they laughed and chat
tered, pretending that the present held
no cares or troubles, but soon the girl
Nesting her head in a corner Of the
dingy cushions. was smiling ever more
drowsily on Kirkwood. And presently
| she slept in good earnest, the warm
blood ebbing and flowing beneath the
exquisite texture Of her cheeks. the
ghost Of an unconscious smile culver
ing about the sensitive scarlet mouth
the breeze through the open window
at her side wantoning at will in the
sunlit witchery Of her hair. And Kirk
wood, worn with sleepless watching
dwelt in longing upon the dear. limo
cent allure of her until the ache II
his heart had grown well nigh insup
portable, then instinctively turned bill
gaze upward. searching his heart
reading the faith and desire Of 1t. ~
that at length knowledge and under
standing came to him of his weakness
and strength and the clean love tina
he bore for her. and. gladdened, he sa
dreaming in waking the same clea
dreams that modelled her unconsciou
lips secretly for laughter and the 10
of living.
When Dunkerque halted their pros
ress they were obliged to alight an
change cars, Hobbs discreetly SIMS
ter shadow at the end of the platform
BY schedule they were to arrive
Calais about the middle of the for'
noon, with a wait Of three hours to b
bridged before the departure Of tn
, Dover packet That would be an AM
: ious time. The prospect Of 1t rendere
both Dorothy and KirkwOod doubl
anxious throughout this final stage {
their flight In three hours anythin
i. could happen or be brought abou
: Neither could forget that it was quit
within the bounds Of possibilities Il
!. Calendar to be awaiting them in CT
lais. Presenting that Hobbs had bee
: acute enough to guess their plans an
advise his employer by telegraph. Il
latter could readily have anticipate
: their arrival, whether by sea In II
brigantine or by land, taking the dire
route via Brussels and Lille. II sue
proved to be the case 1t were scarce
!. sensible to count upon the arch a
venturer contenting himself with
e waiting role like Hobbs
q With such unhappy Apprehension
e man and the girl contrived a max
e shift counter stratagem, or it we
Il more accurate to say that Kirkwot
a proposed 1t, while Dorothy rejecte
disputed and at length accepted 1t, q
q belt with sad misgivings, for it
volved a separation that might n
e prove temporary.
Together they could never escaDe Il
l. surveillance Of Mr.. Hobbs; parted
& would be obliged to follow one or I
3 other. The task of misleading the A
thea's mate Kirkwood undertook, de
eating to the girl the duty Of esca
ing when he could provide her the q
n portunity, Of keeping under cover U
n til the hour of sailing and then pl
n. ceeding to England with the gladsto
n bag alone II Kirkwood was unable
N~m A~tcn