The Montgomery tribune., 1910-10-14

thought she raised her head to listen.
Look at this hand" he was say.
ing. Regular pianola; you could play
1t with your feet"
Hes dear, isn't he?" Alison said
unexpectedly. "No matter how ue-
pressed and downhearted am, / al.
ways cheer up when see Richey."
Hes more than that" returned
warmly. "He is the most honorable fell
low I know. If he wasn't so much that
way, he would have a career before
him. He wanted to put on the doors
of ou. offices, Blakeley and Mcknight,
| p. p. H., which is Poor But Honest"
From my comparative poverty to
the wealth of the girl beside me was
a single mental leap. From that
wealth to the grandfather who was
responsible for 1t was another.
81 wonder If you know that l had
been to Pittsburg to see your grand.
father when l met you?" said.
"You!" She was surprised.
"Yes. And you remember the alli-
gator bag that / told you was ex.
changed for the one you cut off my
arm?" She nodded expectantly. "Well,
in that valise were the forged Andy
Bronson notes, and Mr.. Gilmores dep
osition that they were forged"
| She was on her feet in an instant.
an that bag!" she cried. "Oh, why
didn't you tell me that before? Oh,
it's so ridiculous, $3.50 hopeless.
Why, | could"
She stopped suddenly and sat down
again. Il do not know that am sor-
ry, after ALL" she said after a pause.
"Mr. Bronson was friend of my fa-
Tiers. IL suppose it was a bad
thing for you, losing the papers?"
well, 1t was not a good thing"
conceded while we are on the sub
ject of losing things, do you remem-
ber-do you know that / still have
your gold purse?"
She did not reply at once. The sha-
dow of column was over her face,
but 1 guessed that she was staring at
me.
"You have it" She almost whis.
pered.
Il picked it up in the street car"
said, with a cheerfulness | did not
feel. "It looks like very opulent lit
tie purse"
Why didn't she speak about the
necklace? For just careless word
to make me sane again!
"You!" she repeated, horror-strick-
en-. And then l produced the purse
and held it out on my palm.
Il should have sent it to you be-
fore, l suppose, but, as you know,
have been laid up since the wreck"
We both saw Mcknight at the same
moment. He had pulled the curtains
aside and was standing looking out at
us. The tableau Of give and take was
unmistakable; the gold purse, her out
stretched hand, my own attitude. 1t
was over in second; then he came
out and lounged on the balcony rail-
ing,
They're mad at me in there" he
said airily, $50 | came out. l suppose
the reason they call it bridge is be-
cause so many people get cross over
it,"
The heat broke up the card group
soon after, and they all came out for
the night breeze. had no more words
alone with Alison.
1 went back to the Incubator for
the night. We said almost nothing on
the way home; there was constraint
between us for the first time that !
could remember. 1t was too early for
bed, and so we smoked in the living
room and tried to talk of trivial
things. After time even those failed
and we sat silent. 1t was Mcknight
who finally broached the subject.
"And so she wasn't at Seal Harbor
at ALL
mo"
"Do you know where she was, Lol
lie?"
Somewhere near Cresson."
And that was the purse-her purse
with the broken necklace in it?"
"Yes, it was. You understand, DOM
you, Rich, that, having given her my
word. couldn't tell you?"
Il understand a lot of things" hs
said, without bitterness.
We sat for some time and smoked
, Then Richey got up and stretched
himself. I'm off to bed, old man." HI
, said. "Need any help with that gam,
: arm Of yours?"
mo, thanks" l returned.
, l heard him go into his room ant
, lock the door. 1t was bad hour fo
/. me. The first shadow between us
3 and the shadow of girl at that.
A CHAPTER XVII