The Huttig news., 1910-06-18
by ffARY RObERTc RINEfTART

of your order is thrown away here. You should have been city police. man. my friend
 The agent looked a trine uncertain.
 "The young lady was the one who told me to keep still, he-said
 Mcknight glanced al me. gave the agents hand final shake. and climbed on board. Rut know per fectly that he had guessed the reasan for my delay
 He was very silent on the way home Hotchkiss. too, had little to say. He was reading over his notes intently. stopping now and then to make pencilod addition. Just be fore we left the train Richev turned to me "I suppose it was the key to the door that she tied to the gate?''
 Probably. I did not ask her"
 Curious, her locking that fellow in, he reflected
 You may depend on it. there was good reason for it all. And 1 wish you wouldn't be so suspicious of mo. tiyes. Rich,' I said warmly.
 Only yesterday you were the sus- plClOuS one, lie TelOTltQ, anu WE lapsed into strained silence.
 It was late when we got to Wash ington. One of Mrs. klopton's small tyrannies was exacting punctuality at me als, and, like several other things, I respected it. There are always some concessions that should be made in return for faithful service.
 Ca rav Jippor botvr cf cauap " long past, Mcknight and I went to a little restaurant downtown where they have very decent way of fixing chicken la King Hotchkiss had de parted. economically bent, for a small hotel whore he lived on the American plan
 T want to think some things over, he said in response to my invitation to dinner, and anyhow there's no use dining out when pay the same, dinner or no dinner, where I am stop ping"
 The day had been hot, and the first floor dining room was sultry in spite of the palms aud fans which attempted to simulate the verdure and breezes of the country.
 It was crowded. too. with q typical summer night crowd. and. after sit ting for a few minutes in swelter. ing corner. we got up and went to the smaller dining room upstairs. Here it was not so warm, and we settled our selve. comfortably by window. Over in corner half dozen boys on their way back to school were rag 1 ging perspiring waiter. proceed l ina so exactly to McKnights taste hat he insisted on going over to join l hem But their table was full ahae omehow that kind of fun had lost it's noint for m.
 Not far from ns very stout. mid lle-aged man. apoplectic with the 1eat. was elenhantinelv jolly for the benefit of bored looking girl across he table from him. and at the next able newspaper woman ate alone I he last edition propped against the water bottle before her. her hat. for eoolness. on the corner of the table It was motley Bohemian crowd
 I looked over the room casually, while Mchpigbt ordered the neai Then my attention was attracted to the table next to ours Two people were sitting there, so deep in eonyer. sation that they did not notice us. The womans face was hidden under her hat, as she traced the pattern of the cloth mechanically with her fork But the mans features stood out clear in the light of the candles on the table It was Bronson,
 He shows the strain, doesn't he9' Mcknight said, holding up the wine ist as if he read from it. Who's the woman?"
 Search me" I replied in the same way.
 When the chicken came, I still found myself gazing now and then at the abstracted couple near me. Xvi dently the subject of conversation was unpleasant Bronson was eating lit tie, the woman not at all. Finally he got up, pushed his chair back noisily, thrust bill at the waiter and stalked out.
 The woman sat still for moment; then. with an apparent resolution to make the best of it, she began slowly to eat the meal before her.
 But the quarrel had taken away her appetite for the mixture in our chafing dish was hardly ready to