The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-12-13
CHAPTER x.-Continued.

He was more buOyant than she had
been him, and she liked the note Of
Injection that crept into his tone as
be spoke of his friend.
"Ardmore is the most remarkable
person alive" Griswold continued.
You remember spoke OF him this
morning He likes to play the in
ecrutable idiot. and he carries 1t on
pretty well; but underneath he's real
lake hold OF him. You never could
Imagine what he's doing now. l met
him accidentally In Atlanta the other
day, and he was in pursuit Of a face
girls face that he had seen from a
car window for only an instant on a
hiding somewhere. He declared to me
most solemnly that the girl winked at
him"
Griswold was aware that Miss Os-
borne's interest in Ardmore cooled
perceptiby.
"Oh!" she said. with that delight
full information with which a woman
butterfly extinguishes a sister.
Il shouldn't have told you that"
said Griswold. guiltily aware Of falling
Temperature. He is capable OF fol-
Lowing a winking eye at a perfectly
respectful distance for hundred
pears, and of being entertained all
The time by the Joy of pursuit"
1T seems very unusual" said Bar
para. with cold finality.
Griswold remembered this talk as.
the next day, aboard the train bound
Tor Turner Court House, the seat of
Mlngo county, South Carolina, he pom
oered telegram he had received
from Ardmore. He read and re-read
THIS message. chewing cigars and
scowling at the landscape. and the
cause Of his perturbation of spirit
may be roughly summarized in these
words:
on leaving the executive mansion
tne night before. he had studied maps
IN his room at the Saluda house. and
carefully planned his campaign. He
mad talked by telephone with the
prosecuting attorney OF Mingo coun-
~ and found that Official politely re-
sponslVe. So much had gone we'll.
men the juxtaposition of Ardmore's
estate to the border, and the possible
use Vi me house as headquarters,
Struck IN upon him. He would, after
all generously take Ardmore into the
saine' and they would uphold the
honor and dignity of the great com.
lnonwealth of South Carolina togeth.
e. Inc keys of all Ardmore's
FUSES were, so to speak, in Girls
o'us pocket, and invitations were
Unnecessary between them; yet, at At.
.an.a Ardmore had made a point OF
"sAins Griswold down to help while
way the tedium of Mrs. Atchison's
ouse party. and as a matter of form
uiis~old wired from Columbia ad.
scent. MS u"e~pec'eo oe'
wen In case Ardmore should still
abroad in pursuit of the winking
wo,, 'ue doors of the huge house
erta We open to Griswold. who had
ed there so often as the owners
familiar familiar friend. These things he
r ronaered deeply as he read and re-
eaa Ardmore's reply to his message
S., .ep'y which was plainly enough
na. at Ardsley. but which, he could
ca at Anow, had really been written in
t tho0ose elss as it lay on a siding in
s sre southeastern yards at Raleigh,
a, anu 'nence dispatched to the manager
W WA arasley, with instructions to for
void .. !. as new message to Girls
t nV,a a at Columbia. The chilling words
|A'S hung at him were:
san, nry Maine Griswold.
nm, , House. Columbia, 8. c.:
take very sorry. old man. bur I can not
epidem,n III Just now. Scarlet fever Ia
not thinl sohs my tenants. and could
soon no OF exposing you to danger. AS
want 10 ne accursed plague passes l
'' 70 have you down.
r., An epidemic that closed the gates
t;on M'osiey would assume the. proper.
n rs. oi national disaster: for even
.o,i" ,e great house itself were quar-.
~'''''ed' there were lodges and bunxa.