Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-05-12

"HEAvE ME- INTO Tue CANYON IF YOU ARE
WILLING 10 STAND FOR IT AFTERwARD."
wool when the door was opened, but
he did not hear what was said. Then
the negro disappeared. and there was
| little interval Of waiting.
At the end Of the interval the door
was opened wider, and Blount had a
gruf order to dismount
What he saw when he stood on the
doOrmat beside the hard faced man
with the Winchester merely added
mystery to mystery. Just within the
luxuriOusly furnished hall. where the
light Of the hall lantern served to
heighten the artistic effect Of her dark
red house gown, stood woman, evil
IDENTIFY the mistress of the Georgian
mansion. She was rather small and
dark. with brown eyes that were al
most childlike In their winsomeness, a
woman who might be twenty or thirty
| or any age between.
what Is 1t. BartoY' the little lady
asked. turning to the man with the
gun.
The reply was direct and to the pur-
pose.
Excuse me, but I Jest wanted to
ask II you know this young Teller
here. He allows he is
"Of course" she said quickly. COM
ing forward without hesitation to give
her hand to the dazed one. please
come in. We have been expecting
you" Then again to the man with
the Winchester, Thank you, Barto
for showing the gentleman the way to
Wartrace Hail."
1t was all done SO quietly that
Blount was still awkwardly holding
the hand of welcoming when his late
captors were riding away down the
cottonwood shaded avenue. When he
realized what he was doing he was as
nearly embarrassed as Patricia An
ners' lover could well be. But his i'm
promptu hostess quickly set him at
ease.
you needn't make any explana-
tions." she FASTENED to say, smiling up
at him and gently disengaging the
hand which he was still forgetting to
relinquish. ''Of course 1 saw that
you were in trouble of some kind and
that your safety depended In some
sense upon my answer. What can /
do for your
II was on my way to the capital
when these men held me up" he STAN
mered. 'AThey-they mistook me for
some one else, think. and for reasons
best known to themselves they brought
me here. II you could direct me to
some place where l can get a nights
lodging
"There Is nothing like a tavern with
In twenty miles Of here" she broke in.
nor Is there any house within that
radius which would refuse you q
nights shelter. Mr.
Blount made a quick dive for his
cardcase. found 1t and FASTENED to in
tr0duce himself by name. She took the
bit Of pastebOard. and since she scarce
~ glanced Mt the engraved line ON II
he found himself wholly unable to ill.,
terpret the smile she gave him In re-
turn.
1.-THE card Is hardly necessary" she
said. and then. to his complete bcwil
derment, "You are very like your ia
ther, Mr.. Blount"
you know my fatherr' he exclaimed
She laughed softly. Every one
knows the senator And l can assure
you that his son Is very welcome I'M
der this roof. Uncle Barnabas"-to the
ancient serving man, who was still
lowering in the background-"have Mr.
Blounts horse put up and the blue
room made ready"
BlOunt followed the hostess, who was
still unnamed to him, obediently when
she led the way to the lighted library
In the wing Of the great house.
Uncle Barnabas will come for you
presently" she explained 'In the
meantime let me make you q cup Of
tea. am sure you must be needing
1t II you have ridden far. Take the
easy chair. and We can talk while the
kettle Is boiling. Are you new to the
west Mr.. Blount? Or is this only a
return to your own? The senator Is
always talking about you. but he Is
30 proud Of you that he forgets to tell
US the really interesting things that
We want to know"
The serving man took his own time
about coming back for the guest, so
long a time that Blount forgot that It
was past midnight, that he was a
guest In a strange house and that he
did not yet know the name Of his en-
tertainer.
For all this forgetfulness the little
lady with the dark brown eyes was
directly responsible. Almost before he
knew 1t Blount found himself chatting
compani0nably with her and finding
her charmingly responsive in what.
ever field the talk happened to fall.
The white haired old butler came Mt
last to show him the way to his luxu.
rious lodgings on the second floor Of
the mansion.
With a touch Of hospitality which
carried Blount back to his one winter
In the south, the hostess went with
him as far as the stair foot, and her
"Good night" was still ringing must.
cally In his ears when the old negro
III