Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-12
CHAPTER XVII.
Miss Hope Suaqests.

iened than Keith's thoughts turned to-
ward Hope Waite. She would need
someone in her loneliness to take her
and, besides, much had occurred of
interest since the funeral, which he
desired to talk over with her Be-
You'd even these considerations he was
becoming aware of pleasure In the
girl'a company altogether foreign to
this mystery which they were en-
deavoring together to solve He
yearned to be with her, to look into
her face, to mark how clearly the diff
fering soul changed her from Christie
Maclaire He could not help but Ike
the latter yet somehow was conscious
of totally different atmosphere sur.
rounding the two. With one he could
be flippant, careless, even deceitfu|.
but the other aroused only the best
that was in him, her own sincerity
making him sincere.
Yet there wea reluctance in his
steps as he approaGhe! the doc. Of
"ib," laggardness he could rot eX.
plain, but which vanished swiftly
enough az Hopes greeting, ard the
sudden smile With which she recos-
uized him.
Il Was sure ycu would come" she
declared frankly. and took an early
lunch so az to be certain and be here.
/ Il has seemed long time since
/ And you might have even thought
had forgotten" he answered, releasing
her hand reluctantly. II you could
have looked into the dining.roon
since, instead Of staring out of these
windows"
Why? How forgotten" her eyes
opening wide in surprise.
81 had the pleasure of taking supper
with Miss Maclaire."
OH" the exclamation decidedly ex-
pressive
Yes, | como at once to you with
the confession. However, our meet
Ing was purely accidental. and SO l
hope for pardon"
Pardon from me? Why, what diff
ference can It possibly make to me-
Would you have me cOnsort with
the enemy" he asked, scarcely daring
to press his deeper meaning.
"Oh, no. Of course not. What did
you talk about2 Do you mind telling"
mot In the least; our conversation
was entirely impersonal. She was
telling me about Hawley; what a won
derfully good man he is. I have be
gun to suspect the fellow has fas
cinated the poor girl-he is good
looking devil, possessed OF tongue
dripping with honey"
Surely you do not mean she has
fallen in love with him. and Hope
shuddered at the thought. why
why that would be impossible for
for a good woman"
"6tardards Of morality are not al
ways the same" he defended gravely
Miss Maclaire's environment has
been vastly different from yours
Hope She Is a variety hall singer;
probably, from her own account. {
waif since childhood; and Hawley has
come TO her In the character Of ;
friend appealing both to her interes
and sympathy | do not know she II
in love with him, merely suspect she
may be; certainly she is ready to d.
battle on his behalf at the sliGhtes
opportunity. she believes in him. de
tends him, and rescnts the slightes
insinuaton directed against him III
even escorts her back and forth iron
her work"
You know this?"
II certainly do and he laughed n
the recollection. "Fairbain met u
coming out OF the dining room-yol
know what delightful blunt, blundoI
ing fellow he is, Well, Miss Christi
! must have made an impression eve
on his bachelor heart, for he actual
\ requested the privilege Of escortin
her to the Trooadero, and back 10 tn
hotel after the performance tonigh
limited at a lunch, the gay old dos
/ and pranced about like stag"-doo
Johnnie 1t was treat to watch ne
4 face when he blurted it all out, snal
/ ping his sentences as if he swung
\ whip-lash She excused herself o
the score of a previous engagement
But that was not necessarily wit
Hawley"
Il asked her directly, after the do
tor had disappeared.
You must have become very fami
lar" questioning once again In he
voice.
80 Miss Maclaire evidently though
judging from her manner. Howevt
she answered frankly enough. an
a even defantly added the informatio
a that the gentleman had something
q impart TO her of the utmost impor
@ ance, sarcastically asking me u
didn't wish could be there and owe
hear. But sit down, Hope, until II
m you all that has occurred"
q He went over the various events
10 detail, watching eagerly the expire
d sion upon her face as she listened |
a. tently, only occasionally interruptil
:" with some pertinent inquiry The lig
- fell SO that she sat partially in Il
shadow, where her eyes could not
read, yet he experienced no Difficult
"A in comprehending the various moo
a. with which she met his narrative, q
r. color changing in her cheeks, her su
Va pie form bending toward him, or lea
at ing backward in the chair, her fnge
7 clasping or unclasping in nervous 1
q. tention. He began with Neb's repo
a. repeating, word by word. ~ nearly
he could recollect, what had pass
between Hawley and hV Gather.