Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-09-22
CHAPTER x.-contlnued.

'Then isn't 1t for us to show them
that we are more than usually civil
lied? I can't run away from him like
"a frightened little native"
"Of course; but that is where !
come in; it's what I'm Ifor-to get rid
of such things for you"
Clara had risen, and stood consid-
ering a moment with that same sweet,
tmpersonal eye which Flora found 1t
hardest to comprehend.
what I mean" she explicitly
stated, lis that if he should undertake
to carry out his preposterous sugges-
ton, and call this afternoon, am
quite ready, if you wish, to take him
off your hands,"
This last took Flora's breath away.
1t had not occurred to her that Clara
mad overheard. 1t shocked her, fright
ened her; and yet Clara's way Of
stating the fact, as If it were the
most natural thing In the world, made
Flora feel that she herself was in the
wrong to feel this.
you're very kind" she managed to
get out; and that seemed to leave her
committed to hand Kerr over, tied
hand and foot, when she wasn't sure
at all she wanted to.
"Then shall / tell Mrs. Herrick that
you will consider the house?" said
Clara, already in the act of departure.
'tShe is to call today to go into 1t
with me more thoroughly. Thus far
we've only played about the edges"
Her eyes strayed toward the dress
ing table as she passed 1t, and as she
reached the door she glanced over the
pchiffonier. 1t was on the tip Of Flora's
tongue to ask IL she had mislaid some
thing, when Clara turned and smiled
her small, t%ight-curled smile, as II she
were offering it as a symbol Of mutua
understanding. Curiously enough, i
checked Flora's query about the stray
ing glances, and made her wonder
that this was the first time In theil
relation that she had thought Clara
sweet.
But there was another quality II
Clara she did not lose sight of, ant
she waited for the closing Of a doc
further down the hall before she drew
the sapphire from under her pillow.
With the knocking at the door he
first act had been to thrust 1t there
The feeling that 1t was going to b
hard to hide was still her strongest II
stinct about 1t; but the morning ha
d~issipated the element OF the supel
natural and the horrid that 1t ha
shown her the night before. It SCENE
to have a clearer and a simpler bea,
ty; and the hope revived in her tina
Its beauty. after all, was the only r,
markable thing about It.
Her conviction Of the night befor
had sunk to a shadowy hypothesi
She knew nothing-nothing that woul
Justify her in taking any step; an
her only chance of knowing more Ia
in what she would get out Of Kerr
for that he knew more about her rir
than she, she was convinced. She WI
afraid OF him, yet, In spite Of her fea
she had no intention Of handing hi
over to Clara. For on reflection 81
knew that Clara's offer must have
deeper motive than mere kindnes
and she had a most unreasonable fet
ing that it would not be safe.
Yet Clara would do a kindness IL
did not Inconvenience her, and sure
this morning she had been kind. st
Flora felt she didn't want to reye
anything until she was a little sur
of her own position. When she kne
better where she stood she wou
know what she could conflde to Clal
Meanwhile, II there was any n
whom she could turn o 1t wou
surely be Harry.
Yet. IL she did, what a lot Of aN
ward explanations! She could not
turn the sapphire without giving
reason, and what a thing to explain
that she had not only worn It, but,
d freak, shown 1t to the n OF
people he most objected to.
Nevertheless the most sensible thi
clearly was to 60 through with IT a
confess to Harry. Then she mi
communicate with him at once. Nc
she would wait until after breakfa
There was plenty Of time. Kerr wol
not come until the afternoon. ]
after breakfast, she wondered IL
wouldn't be as well to ring him up
luncheon time? Then she would
sure OF finding him at the club,
Meanwhile she dared not let
nAssea@ssaAeseaA