The Delta independent., 1910-12-16
THE GIRL
AND
The Bill

i
gether. No, that would not be like Al
catrante. Orme now realized that in
all likelihood the minister had fore
seen some such circumstance and had
made plans accordingly.
He was more and more inclined to
believe that Alcatrante had but half
expected to keep him long imprisoned
in Wallingham's office. Then what
had been the purpose underlying the
trick? Probably the intention was to
make Orme prisoner for as long peri
cd as possible and, in any event, to
gain time enough to communicate with
Poritol and the Japanese and whatever
other persons might be helping in the
struggle to regain the papers. The
probabilities were that Alcatrante had
been using the last two hours to get
in tcuch with his friends.
And now those friends would be in
formed promptly that Orme and the
girl were setting out by motor This
analysis apparently accounted for AL
catrante's nonchalance. Orme and the
girl seemed to be escaping, but in
truth. If they approached their destina.
tion at all, they must run into the am
buscade of other enemies. Then the
nearer the goal, the greater the dan
ger.
AS the motor slid smoothly north.
ward on La Sale street, Orme looked
back. Alcatrante had made no move.
The last glimpse that Orme had of him
showed that slight but sinister figure
alone on the sidewalk of the deserted
business street.
They crossed the Clark street bridge.
Keep on out North Clark street until
you can cross over to Lincoln park"
said Orme to the chauffeur.
The only indication that the order
had been heard was a bending forward
OF the bowed figure on the front seat
Orme explained to the girl "It will
be better not to take the Lake Shore
drive. They may be watching the
Pere Marquette"
/ You are right" she said. AS a pre
caution, we'd better not pass the ho
tel"
How surprised I was to find Won
waiting for me there last evening.
unused Orme-"and how glad!"
4 u meyer called on a man before she
laughed
81 had made up my mind only a lit
tie while before" he continued. ito
stay In Chicago till found you"
"rm afraid that would not have been
easy" She returned the pressure of
his hand, which had found hers. "If It
hadn't been for those papers, we might
never have met"
L." he said. II have been waiting all all
my life Just for you"
But even now you don't know who
am. may be IA political adven-
tnress-or a woman detective-or-
You may be-" he said. but you are
the woman I love. Your name--your
business. il you have one-those things
don't matter. know you, and I love
you"
She leaned closer to him. Dear"
she whispered impulsively, II am going
to tell you everything-whoI | ara. and
about the papers"
"Wait!" He held his hand before her
mouth. Don't tell me now. Do as you
planned to do. Be simply Girl to me
for a while longer"
She moved closer to him. Their er-
rand. the danger. were for the time
forgotten, and the motor hummed along
with a burden of happiness.
You haven't looked at the papers
yet" said Orme. after a time. They
were turning east toward Lincoln
park.
DO need to?"
Perhaps not. took them from the
envelope which you saw at Arima's
Lut here they are. did not lcok at
them. OF course"
He drew the parchments from with
in his coat and placed them In her
hand.
While she examined them, he looked
straight ahead. that he might not see.
He could hear them crackle as she un-
folded them-could hear her sigh of
content.
And then something occurred that
disquieted him to q degree which
seemed unwarranted. The chauffeur
suddenly turned around and glanced
swiftly through his goggles at the girl
and the papers. The action was, per
haps. natural: but there was an as.
sured expectancy in the way he turned
-Orme did not like It Moreover
there was something alarmingiy famIi
far in the manner of the movement.
Somewhere Orme had seen a mar
move his body like that. But before
his suspicious could take form. the
chauffeur had turned again.
The girl handed the papers back te
Orme. These are the right papers,
she said. "Oh. my dear. II you only
knew how much they mean"
He held them for moment in hii
hand. Then. after returning them te
his pocket with a. little noise IS pos
sible. he caught the girls eye and. will