Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-12
Ironsted at Father Paddocks settlement

IronSteu at atHeT PADDOCK ) settlement
there"
Walsh bent closer, as though he had
not understood. and when she repeated
her last sentence he drew his hand slow
ly down his cheek.
"Um. Is Wayne going in for that kind
Of business? L hadn't heard Of. it,
He was out there one night when
Father Paddock had an entertainment.
Mr.. Craighil brought me and a. friend
Of mine home in his motor"
Walsh found handkerchief and blew
his nose vigorously. When he had set
tied his pudgy frame back in his chair
he asked. abruptly:
What do you think of him.
"Why-I don't Think said the girl, and
her laugh reached Wayne-her light laugh
of real mirth that had the case Of a
swallows flight.
"Are you afraid of him.
mo. I'm not afraid of him. We're
hardly acquainted. I've only seen him
| three or four times"
"Oh! The meeting at Paddock's place
wasn't the first?'
time at the institute; you know I'm
| studying there"
He didn't hesitate to speak to you
without an introduction, did he?" per-
sisted Walsh, though with a good-humor-
| ed twinkle in his little eyes.
mo. Mr.. Walsh, he did speak to me.
but it was all right. The circumstances
| made it all right"
He was amused by her readiness to de-
fend Wayne. who was just then chatting
Wingfield about something for Mrs.
Craighill's edification. wholly unconscious
that he was being discussed.
"They always do said Walsh.
He turned round in his chair SO that
he looked directly into the girls face.
There was no insolence in his gaze; it
was merely his direct, blunt way of look
ing at anything he wanted to see. His
eyes were not satisfied with surface OBJ
servations; they bored in like gimlets.
Jean met his scrutiny for a moment and
on her head, then he glanced toward
Wayne then back to Jean again. He
seemed satisfied with this inspection and
asked her how she was getting on with
her studies. When she had answered. his
Tim" was SO coloress that she smiled: :
his mind had been on something else all
the while.
your grandfather had never talked to
Wayne about the Sand Creek affair, I
suppose?"
Yes she replied. with reluctance; but
on second thought she answered him
fully. In spite of Walsh's gruffness and
his grim countenance. people trusted him.
His sources of information were many
because he never betrayed a confidence
His mind was a card catalogue. If an
obscure corner grocer at Johnstown mort
gagged his home to buy an automobile
Walsh knew it first. The office systems
that Roger Craighill delighted in INSTALL
ing had always annoyed Walsh. Now
that he was managing his own business
his Office was conducted with the severest
simplicity. He checked his own trial
balances he would, without warming
throw up a window and demand Of a
startled drayman the destination of q
certain crate or cask. to which he pointed
with a sturdy. accusing forefinger.
1t was not for Jean Morley to withhold
information from Tom Walsh: it seemed
the most natural thing in the world to be
imparting IT.
''These people have no idea that I am
related to Grandfather Gregory. Mr..
Wayne Craighill has no idea of 1t: MRS
Blair doesn't know it-she knows me only
officially. you might say; she's on a COM
mittee of the institute that looks out for
homes here. It's strange that 1 should
have fallen in their way: and now I'm
here in Col. CraighilIs house! 1t wouldn't
do for grandfather to know that-it would
make him angry. But grandfather talked
to Mr.. Wayne about the Sand Creek
Company matter just few days ago.
Col Craighill wouldn't see grandfather:
he sent word to him that he could do
nothing and that he'd better see law
yer. Mr.. Wayne met grandfather lcav-
ing the building and took him back to his
own Office. He was very friendly and Of
fered to help arrange a settlement: but
grandfather refused He's very indig-
nant at Col. Craighi1 and says he's going
to make him settle. It's because he's
known him long time-many. many