The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-03-07
By RANDALL PARRISH

Illustrations by DEARBORN MELVuL.
copyright. A. @. NcClurg 4 Co.. 1900
Ibid I not have occasion to? A
woman should never be kept waiting,
especially II her engagement be I'M
perative."
'Oh. am not finding any fault, you
little spit-fre. ! like you all tho bet
Ter because you tight. But the trou.
BE was, Christie, you simply Jumped
In me without sNsnT asking how Il %
leusrsd. Eeu took it for granted va
haAe On purpose - spite yeu.
wen, weren't year" and the girl
lslaacsd inquiringly up into his face.
as they passed out Of the alley into
TIE lixht q the TrocaAsro's windows.
''You certainly acted that way"
mo. I did not; but you Wouldn't
listen, and besides / had NO time then
10 explain. There's . lot happened
this afternoon want to toll you
about. WIN you give me time to talk
with your"
why, Of course" surprised at the
question, yet full Of eagerness. "Why
should you ask that?
Because want you alone where
no one can overhear syllable. I'm
afraid of that damned hotel. You
never know who is in the next room,
and the slightest whisper travels from
one end to the other. That is one way
In which Keith got onto our deal-he
had a room next to Willoughby and
Scott, and overheard them talking.
I'm not going to take any more
chances. Will you go to 'Sheeny
Joe's' with me?"
She drew back from him.
"'Sheeny Joe's?' You mean the sa'
loon near the depot?"
Sure; what's the use of. being SO
squeamish2 You sing and dance to a
saloon crowd, don't you? Oh, I know
you're q good girl, Christie. and all
that. rm'not ranking you with these
Idy-by-nights around here. But there's
mo reason that l can see why you
should shy so at saloon. Besides.
you won't see any one. Joe has got
some back room where We can be
alone, and have bite to eat while
we're talking What do you say?"
"Oh, 1 would rather not" Hope fal.
tered, bewildered by this unexpected
request, already half-tempted to break
away and run. Really IL don't
want to go there"
Hawley was evidently surprise at
At. ,of,,eol oo%rro 11u from
her life that Miss Maclaire's scruples
would BIZ easily overcome. This OBJ
stinacy of the girl aroused his anger
"You women bsat the devil" h
had forgotten" he answered, releasing
her hand reluctantly, IF you could
have looked into the dining-room
since. instead of staring out of these
windows"
why? How forgotten. her eyes
opening wide in surprise.
Il had the pleasure of taking supper
with Miss Maclaire"
"Oh!" the exclamation decidedly ex-
pressive.
Yes, come at once to you with
the confession. However, our meet
ing was purely accidental, and so
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 about? Do you mind telling?"
mot in the least; our conversation
was entirely impersonal. She was
telling me about Hawley; what won
derfully good man he is. have be-
gun to suspect the fellow has fas.
cinated the poor girl-he is a good
looking devil, possessed of a tongue
dripping with honey"
SSurely 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"
Standards Of morality are not al
ways the same" he defended gravely.
Miss Maclaire's environment. has
been vastly different from yours.
Hope. She is variety hail singer:
probably, from her. own account, a
wait sihce childhood; and Hawley has
come to her in the character Of a
friend appealing both. to- her interest
and sympathy. do not Know She is
in love with him, merely suspect she
may be; certainly she is'ready to do
battle on his behalf at the slightest
opportunity. She believes In him, de-
tends him. and resents the slightest
lnstnuation directed against him. He
sven escorts her hack and forth from
her work" ft sgqgst ,frase II
You know thisr'
II certainly do" and he laughed at
The recollection. osFaifbain met u
coming out iof4 the dipjpg-room-you
know what . delightful. blunt, blunder-
Ing fellow he III Well, Miss Christie
must have made IN Impression even
On his bachelor heart, for he actually
requested the privilege Of escorting
her to the Trocadero, and back to the
hotel after the performance tonight
limited at lunch, the gay. old dog,
and pranced about like q stage-door
Johnnie. It was treat to watch her
face when he blurted it all out, snap
ping his sentences as II he swung a
whfp-lash. She excused herself on
y n -