The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-10-11
illustrations by Ray Walters
Copyright By A. C. Meclury . Co., 1919

fy her own curiosity now that she had
told him something about herself.
Only month or So"
Il think it, the queerest thing in
the world that we should meet here
of all places. What are you doing
| here?"
And then Wright lied. He did not
have time to consider what might be
the ethics of the case. He listened to
his heart. which may have made him
traitor to himself. and answered
promptly:
I've been doing some magazine
! writing and an occasional bit OF news
paper and similar work"
Had he been asked he could not
have explained why he had not replied
just as promptly that he was the own
er of the Belmont News. What the
real reason was he could not even ex-
plain to himself Earlier in the eve
ming he had talked glibly OF a news
paper and its duty. and here an hour
later he was denying his own under
the fire of pair of laughing eyes
Gloria. whose Ideas Of business we're
as vague as her notions of politics or
esoteric Buddhism, accepted his expla-
nation as adequate; especially since
she recalled that when in Europe he
had been writing some magazine ar
ticles about the tariff Since she never
thought about the matter at all she
never thought it strange that Belmont
should be the place for such labors.
Have you ever been to Locust
?" was her next question.
Il have that pleasure in store for
me-"
This pleased her. Even before he
came there were many little things
she could do to make the house appear
to better advantage. Although he had
not yet made explanation Of his fail
ure to come to Paris, she found her
self anxious to have him once more
on the old footing of intimate friend
ship.
Are you the same as in the mad
old, glad old Paris days?" he asked.
She parried the question with an
other.
Are you?"
in some respects-only more So"
That's riddle. l hate riddles"
AS he made no reply to this, she went
on after the pause of which he had not
taken advantage. Il hope we meet
accidentally as often as you met our
party abroad"
Was it accident?" he made bold to
ask.
Wasn't It? You pretended it was"
Then the mischievous little spirit that
ruled her tongue forced her to say, II
don't blame you; think Annabel
Hitchcock is beautiful girl. We all
know you were crazy about her"
WAS II" Rising infection.
Weren't your" Also rising inflec-
ton.
I'll admit l followed your party"
he conceded.
Now we're getting at the truth Of
the matter" she replied triumphantly
She felt she was teasing him. and she
enjoyed it. But why didn't you come
on to Paris as you promised us? I'd
like to know why we suddenly lost
you. Was it another girl even prestier
than Annabel?"
He did not Join her when shc
laughed at the picture she had painted
All the light joyousness. the first
which had been his since he had come
| to Belmont, died out of his face as he
answered:
After the Rhine had hoped to
meet you in Paris again looked
forward to 1t as the beginning of an
other happy time. And then. in Lon
don. received a cable-my mother
was dying"
NO." protested the girl. her eyes
| wide with pity.
II had Just time to catch the express
for Liverpool that would put me
aboard a liner an hour before she
sailed Miss Kerr, l know l thought OF
Paris. but things all seemed blurred
| to me, and SO the message l had
planned to you-not to Miss Hitchcock
was never sent"
| my poor friend"
| T reached America too late"
| I'm SO sorry" she sighed.
He had told the whole story. There
was nothing more to say.
! Both sat gazing into the open fire.
busy with the thoughts of life and
death. At last Gloria said quietly.
with no more movement than II her
thoughts had Of themselves become
vocal:
| Tell me Of your mother. never
! knew my mother, and SO I envy you.
| You loved herr"
II loved her." he began. OF his
own affairs he seldom spoke. yet here
was one who by her very presence
made him glad to tell his story. and
glad that it was a story he could tell
with pride "Son never loved mother