Pocahontas star herald., 1914-03-20

really discover how to feel the slight
eat interest In Il or understanding Of
~ What tiresome looking thing Il
was.
NO: not right now" he told her, al
most shlverlna. "I--Mr, Wallace prom
lsed to do an that for me"
she put the statement back Into her
desls. little disappointed. Then he'll
be here this mornlngg.
'yes: he'll be here right away. lie
had 10 20 TO the barber shop" He
laughed. 4 shave myself, thank God
he added fcryontly.
Her manner now became more aeri-
Gus and rather puzzllng, Il was not
as II he had done anything which dis
pleased her. Il was not even as II abe
thought he might: Il was only that OF
the delightful woman who n wonder.
Ing II. presently. she may not think he
might. She was not suspicious. she
suspected that she mlsht suspect lie
knew II: men always know whom wom.
en- are beginning to wonder n they had
not better very soon begin 20 wonder.
It's the only intuition mere men have.
The others are all feminine monopo-
lies.
Presently. while he waited. acutely
conscious that some unpleasant eie-
ment had entered into the situation.
but densely ignorant OF lts character;
and while she calmly went about the
business OF her Office management. at
which. II may as well be stated nav
as ever. she showed unmlstakablee signs
OF perfect competence. she went to n
complicated fling cabinet. extracted
from Il certain other papers. carried
them across the room to the desk near
which he had found seat. laid them
on that desk, then slowly turned and
faced him.
DO you know that Mr. Pembroke. OF
the Consolidated is here In town."
she asked, after seeofd's' hesitation.
To her great satisfaction. which she
would not for the world have admitted,
he did not hesitate before he an.
swered; he did not try 10 beat around
the bush: he INDUCED In no evaslons
or delays OF any kind whatever.
Yes. know H." he said promptly.
Il may be that some detail In his
tone or manner reassured her. at any
rate her voice. when she spoke next.
was free from a certain Icy hint OF
criticism which undoubtedly had crept
into IT,
did he come here with youf"
No: he followed me here"
Have you seen himf" She made
no attempt TO offer an excuse for
cross-examlning him: she evidently
asked the question as an interested
party who has a right to be informed.
Was she not a citizen of JonesvIlle and
an employe OF the Jones Pcpsln Gum
Company"
No: have not seen him. but Mr..
Wallace saw him last night and turned
down his offer, too"
Instantly the reserve. which. lntanei-
bic bat perceptlble. had affected her.
dropped from her She was no longer
In the least suspicious.
oh. I'm 80 glad" she exclaimed
cordially.
But he failed TO note this circum.
stance; he failed to ward against on
coming danger. As matter OF fact he
was not thinking OF her as an employe
of the Jones company he was not
thinking about Jonesville, he was con.
siderlng his own pressing need for
money and the delightful possibility
that through Pembroke. In one way or
another. that need must be relieved.
lie rose and paced the floor with light
and hopeful tread. wholly without ap-
prehension.
We gave him to understand that we
wouldn't sell for less than a million
and half" He said this half proudly.
Then, with the accents OF a hopper:
I'VE expect him here at eleven o'clock
with his answer"
Her face took on a puzzled and dis
approving frown. But you just gave
your word TO the mon that"
Now he spoke definitely and crisply.
No one listening 10 him could Imagine
that he did not mean exactly what he
said; that he had not carefully consId-
cred every meaning Of each syllable
that he was uttering.
"Oh. don't be afraid" he assured
her. Il meant exactly what said TO
Higgins"
She sighed with real relief.
Il don't mind telling you. Miss Rich
ards. that when ! came here yesterday
my intention was to sell this business
and get II OF my hands at any price
or sacrifice"
The-mere statement OF this evidently
past and gone intention was shock
to her. lie noted. and not without
emotion-mind that: Broadway unmis-
takably was touched-that her face
blanched at the thought Of that which
he had definitely decided not to do.
The young man was beginning to
think; he was forming some faint
realization Of the fact that his own
troubles we're but somewhat unimpor-
tant bubbles In sea made up Of
everybody's troubles. The thought
was forming in his mind that, while
he had been severely worried about
ways and means for getting luxuries,