The Mena weekly star., 1913-09-11

No said Blake. Registered m der the name of Fowler. But any hand writing expert can prove he wrote it. and the hotel manager can swear Standish was the man. The manager is ready to swear Standish called the woman his wife, too"
 "Oh, the jay!" grinned Gregg. tho worldling.
 You see," went on Blake, "he real ly expected to marry her. They were just taking time by the forelock. And then-here's the queerest tangle of all after that week there, it seems she backed out and wouldn't marry him at all. No, Gregg, it wasn't he that threw her over. This was the other way around The Woman tilted him and went back to her family. One week of Standsh was about all she was up to. And she baked at making a life job of it. I don't wonder"
 "But didn't her family find out?"
 'It seems not. They thought she had been away visiting a girl friend in the country. She got home safe. and everything looked proper as a rainy Sunday in a grave yard Some wom- en sure have luck"
 Co on," rged Van Dyke.
 That's about all," finished Blake. She woke up, as I told you, to find it was all-a-mistake-and-no-h thankheaven. And as far as I can make out, they haven't seen each oth- CT since I won't swear to that part of it. But if they have, his secretary doesn't know it. Nor"
 "Who was the Woman?" queried Robertson.
 That" answered Blake reluctantly, lis the one thing left to find out"
 Van Dyke fairly groaned
 Then" he demanded, how is this miserable story going to help us?"
 Oh replied Blake, the nets clos ing around her. I hope to have her mama tonight"
 Tonight! We've got to have it to- night, Before the Mullins bill comes up. The names no use to us after that"
 But" asked Robertson. "even if we do get it tonight, what use can we make of it? The house will be on the final debate of the bill by ten o'clock. By making use of every trick we know we can fix only few hours de- lay at most What good"
 What good?" retorted Blake. Just this; StauGish's long suit is morality. A lot of us have had suirches on our | rames from time 10 time He never hes. so the clergy are for him and the people swear by him. It's his l chi pail with both church and pub ] 'c. Nov-if We can get this story. Y,crrly authenticated on the floor of 1 the house tonight, it'll give a lot of 1 men--Groag. here, for instance-an ex. 1 cJse to swing over to us
 "Oh. we've got him We've got him." mutered Robertson once more, his usually quick mind loafng biissful. y oyer the single grand idea Yes, amended Van Dyke dryly, we've got him-if We can get the Woman's name in time. It all de l v 'tl'tN Ii i.Hr w lt 4'''4" 'l. our SlOTV l is Jrtnlcas. Thus far it seems, no one knows her name
 Except Standish,' corrected Blake
 What good does that do us? He won't tell"
 What one man knows" returned Blake sententiously, another can find out"
 ] And" put in Gregg. lowering his ! voice, speaking of finding out re- minds me That little devil of a tele- | phone girl over there-Do you sup pose she could have heard anything we've been saying"
 If she has a whole pair of ears, answered Blake, sinking his own voice, she surely could Especially what I've 1 been saying For I've been straining my voice to talk loud enough for her to catch what l said, ever since we sat down here"
 "The deuce you have?" exclaimed l Van Dyke. What for?"
 For the same reason I've been laying down." returned Blake. Don't worry over that. A man whose voice is as tired as mine isn't straining that | throat unless it's for a good cause. | And you can leave the finding of the ! Woman's name to me, too, l guess. Now trot along, all of you. Mark, go ] in and order dinner. I'll be there in i five minutes I've couple of things to attend to first"
 The group began to drift across the corridor in the direction of the din ing-room. Blake detached himself from the rest and started back toward the telephone switchboard. But Tom, noting his fathers move, intercepted ! him The young fellows face looked worried and his manner had lost some of its wonted buoyancy.
 Dad" he said.
 "Hey?" asked Blake, stopping and turning toward his son.
 Reading Toms face, as he was ac' customed by instinct to read every l countenance that came into his range of notice. Jim nodded and led the way | to the amen corner.
 Now, then" he demanded, half | guyingly, half-anxiously, whats on your miAd? Speak up, son. There never yet was a delicate subject that wasn't the better for getting aired"
 Continued in next issue.)