Mexico Missouri message., 1913-11-13

over to Miss Patty, took her hand,
said, Hello there!" and kissed her. 1t
was awful.
Most women will do anything to
save a scene, and that helped us, for
she never turned hair. But when
Mr. Sam got him by the arm and led
him toward the stairs. she turned so
that the old cats sitting around could
not see her and her face was scarlet.
She went over to the wood fire-our
lobby is a sort of big room with chairs
and tables and palms, and an open
| fire in the winter-and sat down.
don't think she knew herself whether
she was most astonished or angry.
Mrs. Biggs gave a nasty laugh.
Your brother didn't see you" she
said to Mrs. Van Alstyne. 81 dare say
sister doesn't count much when a
future princess is around!"
| Mrs. Van Alstyne was still staring
up the staircase, but she came to her
self at that She had some grit in
| her, IL she did look like French doll.
My brother and Miss Jennings are
very old friends" she remarked qui-
city. | believe that was what she
| thought too. don't think she had
seen the other red rose, and what was
| she to think but that Mr.. Pierce had
known Miss Jennings somewhere? She
was dazed Mrs. Sam was. But she
carried off the situation anyhow. and
/ gave us time to breathe. We needed It,
/ IF were his highness," said Miss
/ Cobb, spreading the Irish lace collar
she was making over her knee and
squirting at It, Il should wish my
/ fiancee to be more-er-dignified
/ Those old Austrian families are very
/ naughty. They would not understand
/ our American habit of oscillation"
was pretty mad at that, for any
body could have seen Miss Patty
didn't kiss him.
IF by oscillation you mean kissing,
Miss Cobb" said going over to her,
Il guess you don't remember the Aus
trian count who was a head waiter
here. If there was anything in the
way of OSCILLATION that that member
of an old Austrian family didn't
know, I've got to find it out. He
could kiss all around any American |
ever saw!"
| went back to my news stand. !
was shaking so my knees would hard.
ly hold me. All could think of was
that they had swallowed Mr.. Pierce.
bait and hook. and that for a time we
were saved, although in the electric
light Mr.. Pierce was a good bit less
like Dicky Carter than he had seemed
to be in the spring,house by the fire.
Well, Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof"
Everybody went to bed early. MI
Thoburn came over and bought n cigar
on his way upstairs, and he was as
gloomy as he had been cheerful before
Well" / said. Il guess you won't
put dancing floor in the diningroom
just yet, Mr.. Thoburn."
I'm not in a hurry" he snapped
TITS only January, and | don't want
the place until May. I'll get it when
I'm ready for it. l had a good look
at young Carter, and he's got toe
square a jaw to run a successful neu
rasthenics home"
l went to the pantry shelf at ten
o'clock and fixed tray of supper fol-
, Mr.. Pierce. | found some chicken anG
got bottle OF the old doctors wine
| had kept the key of mis- wine-cellaI
since he died-and carried the tray W
to Mr.. Pierce's sitting-room. He hat
the old Doctors suite
l The door was open an inch or SO
and as | was about to knock | heard
girls voice. II was Miss Patty!
How can you deny it," she was
saying angrily. 81 dare say you will
even deny that you ever saw this let
ter before!"
There was a minutes pause while
suppose he looked at the letter
Il never did," he said solemnly.
Perhaps" said Miss Patty, you
also deny that you were in Ohio the
, day before yesterday"
: Il was in Ohio, but / positively as
sert-"
, "Mr Carter, have asked my Quee
ton twice now and | am waiting fol
an answer"
But ! don't know the answer" he
said miserably. II assure you, In
! absolutely in the dark. | don't know
t what's in the letter. haven't always
. done what / should. dare say, bu
. my conduct In the state of Ohio during
r the last few weeks has been without
stain-unless I've forgotten-but II 4
J had been anything very heinous, II
3 remember, don't you Think"
! Somebody crossed the room, and {
! paper rustled.
r Read that" said Miss Patty's voice
3 And then silence for a minute.
I Good Lord" exclaimed Mr.. Pierce
, DO you deny that?"
Q Absolutely" he said firmly. Z
have never even heard OF the Rever
! end Dwight Johnstone-"
. And that is all you will say?" de
3 manded Miss Patty scornfully. 'Yo'
: don't know there's a mistake;' 'yol
3 never saw the letter before! oh. !
q were only mani"