The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1914-12-04

/
| / said a pleasant voice.
RNSSSN! Ruth looked up to see a
- woman of hOrid beauty and
| dressed in somewhat extrayagant style
looking down at her out of great. taw-
ny, velvet eyes. Western bred. Ruth
responded amiably to this salutation
though she had not the faintest idea
| who the woman was.
"Yes. am Miss Gallon"
81 am Mrs. Darnell." said the WON
an. May sit down! | am an Old
! friend of your friend, John DORIS. He
wired me that would End you on this
train The lie was so plausible that
Ruth merely blushed, thinking that it
was one more token of John DORIS
carefulness of her comfort and safety
represented the tremendous city to
which she was going. Her dress, he:
manner, her jewels. the evasive per
fume that she affected were all strange
and impressive TO her. She moved
over Il little to allow Mrs. Darnell to
sit down.
John never spoke of you," said Ruth
/ simply. II did not have the fainteSt
notion that | was to meet any of his
friends. Do you live in New York;
Yes. live in New York. | happen
cd to be in Chicago. and through Mr.
Everett ! heard from John"
'Oh. you know Mr. Everett" cried
Ruth. He is the man am going to
see in New York" and she went on to
tell. as best she could, the gist of her
mission
1t was typical of the woman to whom
she was talking that she did not inter.
rupt this naive narrative She sat in
Silker silence, occasionally allowing her
great eyes to rest on Ruth's fair face
with an assumption % affection As
d matter of fact, she was profoundly in
teFested. Life had taught lean Oar
nell great many things. and among
them had been the great lesson of self
preservation-the saving for herself of
money. of comfort. of health and of
good looks. Now it was a question OF
money, prime among them all. and her
rather keen wits saw precisely the
chances which Wiikerson was taking
She recalled his oft repeated statements
that there was money in The Master
Key" and his latest letters imploring
her TO help him get control of the stock
When Ruth ended up with a gentle
And so ! told John I'd come and see
wha: could do" the elder woman
smiled gently Times were not so good
with her a> they had been. and if Har.
~ WilkrrSun could put this deal
through and make money for them all
1t would simplify many a problem
which she DULY pondered at night
Mr.. Everett will meet us at the
train." she said briefly. land then you
can tell him all this Meanwhile, sup
pose we talk about something else"
But l can't think of anything else"
said Ruth.
"Oh. you WILL" said Mrs. Darnell |
You can combine the pleasure Of see
ing New York with your little busi-
ness. Mr.. Everett will quickly settle |
that part of it. and shall take great
pleasure in showing you about Manhat-
tan. | presume you are fond of OPP |
era?''
II have never been to the OPERA"
Ruth responded. 81 should love to go. /
out when do go must go all alone"
She went on impulsively. Il think OPP
era must be like church--one wants to
go all by oneself"
Mrs. Darnell turned very slowly and .
for the first time In many years reveal |
ed secret thought: DO you know that
my only pleasant memories. my dear.
are of myself?"
Ihe bitterness of that confession.
with all its implication, wholly escaped
Ruths sensitive but inexperienced |
mind Yet there was something i'll the
tone that warmed her heart to this eff
fuigent creature. At least. she was
not going into the great city all alone.
nor confront Mr.. Everett by herself.
Mrs. Darnell made her feel that she
was csmpetently protected.
When they arrived the next morning
at the Grand Central station in New
York city Mrs. Darnell quietly intro
duced her to a slim. rather handsome
young man. who seemed iii at ease uu-
til he had drawn Ruth's companion
aside for a moment for chat while
the porter collected their luggage.
i don't just like this game he said
I'm the first place. Everett Is a big
man in the city, and this Miss Gallon
doesn't look to me ike q girl you could
fool long. Anyway. | can't under
stand what you are trying to do. Jean
You must know what sort Of a fellow
Harry Wilkerson is by this time. Why
play his hand for himY
81 don't notice you holding any
trumps in your hand she returned
gently but with q faint gIeam IN her