The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-06-25

"Cae Jul AhIO tue dlf as Quitkty
as possible. and tried to think
what to do next. After walking
about for nearly an hour. she
determined to telephone to Mr..
Douglas.
Mr.. Douglas had gone abroad.
Very sorry.
After these two failures, Helen
did not like to call up any one
else. and the only one she could
think of was Mr.. Hartley.
"A lady on the phone, asking
II you are in" was James Me-
Brides report few minutes
later.
Hartley almost jumped out of
his chair. "A lady? Asking for
me? No. no. Tell her I'm not
in town: Say I won't be back this
winter"
Instead of repeating his supe-
rior's emphatic message, Mcbride
answered with his most agreeable
voice that he was very sorry, but
Mr.. Hartley was not in the city.
Would he return soon?
He was not expected for some
time. Could they do anything for
her?
Did he happen to know Mr..
Maxwell's present address?
Putting his hand over the
transmitter. Mcbride propounded
this question to his superior.
Maxwell? No. Never heard Of
him." and then to himself: This
is one of those traps, sure as I
live! Wants me to ask If she
doesn't mean Maynard, so she
gets off a name something like
it." Then he added aloud: "No.
Tell her no, and shut her off,"
The next morning. about
twelve O'Clock, Mcbride, seated
in the private office, was handed
a card.
"A lady to see Mr.. Hartley,
SIR"
Before Mcbride had time to
read the name, the girl followed
the card into the room.
am Miss Ohlstrom," she
said. Mcbride instantly recog-
nized the voice that he had heard
over the telephone the day be-
fore.
What can l do for your" mo-
tioning her to a chair; an invi-
tation which she pretended not
to see.
81 should like tossee Mr.. Hart
ley for a moment"
At this announcement Mcbride
fairly staggered. Was he to con-
tinue his role and to say that he
Was Mr.. Hartley, after having
told her over the telephone the
day before that Mr.. Hartley was
I Oh Int d. n
Mr.. Hartley from the inner
room? A glance at the door of
the sanctum assured him that
the outer sound door was wide
open, so that Mr.. Hartley could
hear all that passed.
Pulling himself together, he
said, Il am Mr.. Hartley"
The look of establishment on
the girls face made him blush.
He smiled as assuredly as he
could. and added "Is there
anything I can do for your"
1T was Mr.. George Hartley I
wished to see," she said, as she
suddenly recollected that Mr..
Hartley must be a much older
man.
81 am Mr.. George Hartley"
one ulu not hnOW eAdcIiy what
to say, when ii occurred to her
that this might be Mr.. George
Hartley, Junior, IL there were
such a person.
Il hope you will pardon me for
intruding upon you," she began,
but I am very anxious about a
mutual friend who brought let
tiers to us from England. We
fear he has met with some acct
dent, as we have heard or seen
nothing of him for a week. | re-
fer to Mr.. Hardy Maxwell"
Again Mcbride was very sorry.
but he had never heard of the
gentleman.
Have you not heard his name
mentioned?" she said, still think
ing Mcbride might be Mr.. Hart
ley's son.
Never"
why, you astonish me-" she
almost gasped. II mean the
friend of Mr.. Maynard.
81 never heard of Mr.. May
nard," Mcbride answered
81 really do not understand
matters" Helen said, unless il
is that you are only Mr.. Hart
ley's son."
"Of course I am" Mcbride in