Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-09-01

shorter" She was nettled that he
should be obliyious of his lapse.
Pm sorry" he said, arriving at last
at his apology. Il couldn't help be-
ing late. I've had a day of it." He
drew his hand across his forehead,
and she noticed that he was in his
morning clothes and looked as rum
pied and furried as a man Just from
the office.
She relented. "Poor dear! You do
look tiredi Don't take that chair. It's
more Louis Quinze than comfortable.
Come into the library. And remem
ber," she added, when Shima had set
the decanter and glasses beside him,
you are to stay just 20 minutes"
He took a sip of his drink and
looked at her over the top of his
glass. II may have to stay longer if
you want to hear about it."
"Oh, Harry, you really know some
thing? All the evening I've heard
nothing but the widest rumors. Some
say Maj. Purdie couldn't speak be-
cause some one way up knows more
than she should about it. And some
body else said 1t wasn't the real ring
at all that was taken, only a paste
copy, and that is why they're not do
ing more about getting it back"
"Not doing more about getting it
back?" Harry laughed. us that the
idea that generally prevails? Why,
Flora" He stopped, waited a mo
ment while she leaned forward ex-
pectant. Flora" he began again,
ARE you mum?"
She nodded, breathless.
mot a word to Clara"
ooh, of course not"
well" He twisted around in his
chair the better to face her. "To-mor-
row there will be published a reward
of 100000 for the return of the Crew
Idol, and no questions asked"
"Oh!" she said, And again, ooh,
is that ALL" She was disappointed.
II don't see why you and the major
should have been so mysterious about
that"
You don't, Ell? Suppose you had
taken the ring-wouldn't it make a diff
ference to you if you knew "a hours
ahead that a reward of $780, 900 would
be published? Wouldn't you expect
every mans hand to be against you
at that price? If you had a pal,
wouldn't you be afraid he'd sell you
up?"
Flora leaned forward with knitted
brows. Eyes, I can see that, but still,
just among ourselves, this morning"
Harry smiled. you've lost sight of
the fact that it is just among our
selves the thing has happened"
ooh, oh! Now you're ridiculous!"
81 might be, if the thing had hap
pened any where but in this town;
but think a moment. How much do
we know of the people we meet,
where they were, who they were, be-
fore they came here? There's a case
in point. 1t was not quite among our
selves this morning"
Harry, how horrid of you!" She
was on the point Of declaring that she
knew Kerr very well indeed; but she
remembered this might not be the
thing to say to Harry.
my dear girl, I'm not saying any
thing against him. / only remarked
that we did not know him"
Don't you, Harry"
+ He gave her a quick look. Why
what put that into your head?"
"I-I don't know. I thought you
looked at him very hard last night in
the picture gallery. And afterward
, at supper, don't you remember, you
did not want me to mention your con
} nection with something or other he
: was talking about?"
Something or other he was talking
about?" Harry inquired with a frown
3 ing smile.
8 81 think 1t was about that embassy
ball"
IT didn't want you to mention The
t embassy ball?" he repeated, and nov
he was only smiling. my dear child
surely you are dreaming"
She looked at him with the bewild
cred feeling that he was fatty con
e tradicting himself. And yet she coul'
remember he had not shaken his heat
at her. He had only nodded. Coul,
l. it be that her cherished imagination
O had played her a trick at last? Blu
the next moment 1t occurred to he
e that somehow she had been led ava,
G from her first question.
"Then have you seen him, Harry?
e she insisted.
mol" He jerked it out so sharpl
II that it startled her, but she stuck t
her subject.
"And you wouldn't have minded m
telling him you had been at tina
It ball?"
There was a pause while Harr
: looked at the fire. Then LOO
here" he burst out, did he ask 20
g about it?"
ooh, no" she protested. 81 only jus
@ happened to wonder"
l. He stared at her as If he woul
r. have liked to shake her. But the
k he rose from his frowning attitude BIZ
fore the fire, came ove to her, sa
It on the arm of her chair, and, with tn
RI tip of one finger under her CHR
lifted her face; but she did not Iii
It her y 9 She heard only his voice
very low, with a caressing note tina
she hardly knew as Harry's.
IL ut isn't that | car what you sa
It to him. The fact is, Flora, I suppos
l was a little jealous, but I NATURAL
don't like the suggestion that 20
would discuss me with a stranger"
She raised her eyes,. Certainly