The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-08-16


it. Why are you giving him up?"
Il can't let him spoil his life with
me-" was what l said after all. Il
couldn't spoil your chances with His
Grace II you decide to want him
His Grace would be terribly
| shocked
Il don't want him." she interrupted.
Il love Winthrop and I'm going to
marry him-if he ever asks me-"
But l am nobody" l insisted. Il
| haven't penny. Marriage-marriage
is impossible."
She looked at me in amazement
rs that your only reason?" she
| asked
rs that all? oh, my poor, deluded
| little Loulie, What difference does
few paltry dollars make? I'm so
glad that's the reason, dear: SO very,
very glad" She came close to me
and slipped her arm around my waist.
Dear. II you had told me something
terrible. some awful thing that was
keeping you from saying yes to Hap,
l would have loved you Just the same.
| Remember that"
1t was a shameless statement.
| wonder did not see its significance
at the time, but l only realized that
| her affection was one OF the most
wonderful things that had ever hap
pened to me.
| You're queer person." told her.
Now, won't you let me say to Hap
that he may come up after luncheon
She tried to keep me from shaking
| my head. I'm afraid he will come,
even If you don't say SO. I've had
a terrible time keeping him out while
you slept. He went to town for the
roses"-she pointed to them-"and
was back in an hour. l don't know
how he escaped being arrested for
| speeding. BY the way the detective
is here He wants to ask you some
questions when you are well enough
to see him. We've had an exciting
morning being questioned. He's rather
nice-looking chap. l think Natalie
found her interview with him much
more agreeable than she expected
His eyes are blue" she finished irrele-
vanity.
mas ne ldihtu " -lA' FhcDoNs'
"Yes. He and John-by the way.
his name is Adams-went over to
Winthrop's this morning Winthrop
came back with them; he came to
play golf, He was unusually cheerful,
too He has finished his novel. l
don't think he cares how many en-
erald bracelets he is accused of steal
ing, since that is over. And I'm Tor
getting to tell you that Mrs. Dykeman
has dug up a German count l don't
know how he ranks. He's a connois-
seur on art, or some kind OF high
brow She's giving German musi-
Gale next week Ich dien! Oh! We
had a message from the Schuylers.
The general Is entirely out of dan
ger"
I lay on the couch for long time
thinking after Laura had gone. and
Celie had arranged my hair and ten
derly gotten me into a negligee
tried-tried desperately-to see a
way out of all the robberies for Win
| throp and l could not do it. Except
for the ruby. when Laura had proved
that he was at home, and the woman
in the corridor. every circumstance
pointed to him What did he actually
know of 1t all? Was he shielding
some one? A woman? But that
thought was ugly. had rather be
lieve him a thief!
The door of my sitting lead
ing into the corridor. was standing
open, for the day was intensely hot,
and ! caught the sound Of Hap's
voice. He was talking to his mother.
| listened, not deliberately to what
he said. but just to hear his voice;
| and because there was no one to see,
| arose and buried my face in the
roses-his roses. 1t was wrong to
| listen l knew it. I could not fail
| to hear what he said.
| At first the full meaning of his
words did not strike me, nor even
| the tone Of the argument l was
| thinking Of other things. Then he
| spoke my name. He was angry; |
| listened, amazed.
II don't care II she Is a thief" he
said, 81 want her, and I'm going to
have her I'd marry her II she is
proved a thief a thousand times And
I wouldn't believe her thief II saw
her stealing."
His mothers answer I didn't want
to hear an instant later I stood in
the doorway across the corridor
Don't believe him." said to his
mother, He isn't going to marry
me-"
Hap, with an exclamation OF CON
cern, threw some pillows into chair
and indicated an intention to carry
me to 1t.
I'm not an invalid" insisted And
| walked to the chair i've Just a
silly broken arm. otherwise am
quite fit Now. tell me why am l