Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1910-10-01
CHAPTER x.-contlnued.

He was more buoyant than she had
seen him, and she liked the note of
affection that crept into his tone as
he spoke OF his friend.
"Ardmore Is the most remarkable
person alive" Griswold continued.
You remember spoke OF him this
morning. lie likes to play the in
scrutable idiot. and he carries II of
pretty well; but underneath he's real
ly clever. The most amazing Ideas
take hold OF him. You never could
imagine what he's doing now! met
him accidentally in Atlanta the other
day. and he was in pursuit OF face
a girls face that he had seen from n
car window for only an instant on a
siding somewhere. lie declared to me
most solemnly that the girl winked at
himl"
Griswold was aware that Miss Os-
borne's interest In Ardmore cooled
perceptibly.
OH" she said. with that delight
ful intonation with which a woman
utterly extinguishes sister.
Il shouldn't have told you that"
said Griswold. guiltily aware of falling
temperature. "IIe is capable OF fol.
lowing a winking eye at a perfectly
respectful distance for hundred
years, and of being entertained all
the time by the Joy of pursuit"
1T seems very unusual" said Bar.
bara. with cold flnality.
Griswold remembered this tall; as,
the next day. aboard the train bound
for Turner Court House, the seat of
Mingo county, South Carolina, he pom
dered a telegram he had received
from Ardmore. He read and re.read
this message, chewing cigars and
scowllng at the landscape. and the
cause of his perturbation of spirit
may be roughly summarized in these
words:
On leaving the executive mansion
the night before, he had studied maps
In his room at the Saluda house, and
carefully planned his campaign. He
had talked by telephone with the
prosecuting attorney of Mlngo coun.
~, and found that official politely re-
sponsive. So much had gone well.
Then the juxtaposition of Ardmore's
estate to the border. and the possible
use OF the house as headquarters,
struck In upon him. He would, after
all, generously take Ardmore into the
game, and they would uphold the
honor and dignity of the great com
monwealth of South Carolina togeth.
er. The keys Of all Ardmore's
houses were, so TO speak, in Girls
wold's pocket. and invitations were
unnecessary between them; yet, at At
lanta Ardmore had made n point OF
asking Griswold down TO help while
away the tedium of Mrs. Atchisons 3
house party, and as a matter of form
Griswold wired from Columbia, ad
vising Ardmore OF his unexpected de,
scent.
Even in case Ardmore should still
be abroad in pursuit OF the winking
eye, the doors OF the huge house
would be open TO Griswold, who had
entered there so often as the owners
familiar friend These things he
pondered deeply as he read and re
read Ardmure's reply TO his message
a reply which was plainly enough
dated at Ardsley. but which, he could
not know. had really been written in
caboose 0lS6 as it lay on siding In
the southeastern yards at Raleigh
and thence dispatched TO the manager
at Ardsley. with instructions to for.
ward II as new message to Girls.
void at Columbia. The chilling words
thus flung at him were:
Prof. Henry Maine Griswold.
Saluda House, Columbia, 3. c.:
/ am very sorry, old man, but 1 can not
take you In just now. Scarlet fever is
epidemic among my tenants, and | could
not think of exposing you TO danger AS
soon as the accursod plague passes !
want TO have you down
An epidemic that closed the gates
OF Ardsley would assume the proper.
tions OF IA national diGaster; for even
If the great house itself were quar-
antined. there were lodges and bunEa'