Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-03-10

Ene true FeaSou i'i hiS o'"iu'N@ ~
her.
do you think it's fair to use wo-
mans wpnpon against her! You KNOW
it's IL wuman's birthright to say be
cause when she'-
Il meant
"What:'
"Oh-ah-w what were we talking
about
AS to why you don't call on me
any more
Nat"n;inp struggled to think Of a
successful mode of escape from an
SweriMg the question.
We'll. DOW don't you see" he STAN
mer, Il. "Of course you do" He was
he"omine more involved every mo-
ment.
The girls smile began to fade.
Rather grimly she interrupted him.
NO. don't see at all" was her an
nolin..rment. She moved away from
the desk.
We'll. Miss Lane. r.
The telephone bell rang at his desk.
he brnt forward and put the receiver
TO his ear As he hung up the re-
rever a clerk entered.
":yil you have the cash now" the
employee asked.
iii few minutes"
No sooner had the clerk made his
exit when messenger boy entered.
bearing telegram. Valentine tore
it open. apologizing TO Rose as he did
so. The girl saw that the assistant
cashier was very busy. She deter
mined to leave him for the present.
AS Valentine dismissed the boy she
announced that if the press OF busi-
ness would not continue all day she
would return. Valentine assured her
that in half hour be would be at
leisure and that he would sacrifice
everything else in order to talk to her.
She started toward the door. assuring
him that she would return. AS she
opened the door she turned and cast
smile in the direction of the assist
ant cashier.
But Valentine did not notice it. He
did not see it. His eyes were glued to
the slip of yellow paper that he held
in his hand. The girl saw that as be
r->a +ha-.alesrena expression of
tenseness. of unsubdued excitement
crept across his face. Wonderingly
she softly closed the door. A few
steps carried her before Valentine.
who looked up in surprise, thinking
she had gone.
what is it--that telegram" she
gasped. ITS bad news for you-yery
bad" she went on Il must know"
Valentine. undergoing a pronounced
shock owing to the contents Of the
message which he held in his hand,
was almost completely unstrung by
the interruption Of the girl he loved.
Was it not fate that prompted her to
appear before him at the very moment
when
"Oh. 1t is nothing" he said weakly.
Merely a little business tangle-that
Is ALL"
He stepped out from behind his
desk. crumpling the fateful telegram
In his hand. and gently led the girl to
the door. Remember" he said, Il
have an engagement with you in a
half hour"
81 will remember"
Unconvinced. mystified and thor
oughly agitated by his nervous man.
ner. Rose Lane went out of the Office.
Valentine, smiling as best he could
under the circumstances. closed the
door behind her, He crossed to her
chair. sank into it and flattened the
wrinkled telegram before him. Again
he read it from end to end:
Look out" he read. Doyle will be
In town this afternoon at 4 to see you
about an important matter"
The assistant cashier dropped his
chin into his palm and stared vacant
~ at the opposite wall.
Doyle" be muttered George
Doyle. He said he'd get me If it took
ten years-a lifetime. Well. perhaps
he can; then. again. perhaps he can
not. At any rate, be can probably ruin
my career. my hopes. my standing here.
where | have friends who believe in
me-"
IN r. al
in his chair The fatal telegram drop
ped unheeded to the floor. His mouth
set determinedly. A new fire blazed
in his eyes, the fire that had consumed
him and had spurred him on when in
the days and nights of the past he had
ventured forth on a desperate enter
prise.
He would give George Doyle race,
that he would He would match his
wit against that of the skilled sleuth.
He already had laid the basis for what
now must be his course Of procedure.
and he believed that it would with
stand even the cunning and force of
George Doyle. At any rate, he could
try.
Valentine leaned forward and press
ed button. A clerk entered The as
sistant cashier hesitated moment.
then spoke quickly.
TELL the Waterman to come here"
he directed.
The clerk nodded and went out In
search of Red Flanagan-yes. Red.
none other than the one time accom-
plice of Jimmy Valentine. whom tho