Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-06-26

| it as a settled thing-an assured fact
awaiting only the ripe moment.
True, neither of them seemed eager to
hasten the time, but If that time was
ever to come it must now be near at
hand; they could not much longer be
content with some time"
He frowned with annoyance. Why
couldn't such a sensible girl come
home at the proper time, when all ar
rangements had been made for her re-
ception and her family and friends had
every reason to expect her? There
was one consolation in the absence of
those friends from town; he was not
obliged to invent answers to embar-
RAISING inquiries concerning his diia-
tory cousin. But this was small COM
pensation for stewing in New YORK by
himself until Paige chose to notify MIN
of her whereabouts and intended move
ments. He gave one moment OF SOBER
thought to the circumstance that ne
really did not know precisely where
she was: If some sudden emergency
should arise necessitating cable ne
would not know where to reach her-
But he speedily dismissed this phase
of the matter; 1t was no new thlhg
for Paige to start off on holiday
jaunt without confiding her proposed
itinerary to anybody, and now Mre
Devereaux was with her.
Just the same" he mused. "f
knew where to catch her, would SEND
her a cable that would set her to
guessing for a while"
Unable longer to remain quiescent'
he bounded from his chair and collid-
ed with Alexander, who was seeking
him in his corner-an accident that
did not affect the pages accustomed
composure in the least.
Gentleman to see you, SIR Alex
ander announced.
'Who is it?" Van vechten snapped
irritably. "I don't want to see any
body"
He paused. Didn't he? Alexander
had not presented card. but whoever
the caller might be he signified di-
version. II he tried any longer to
think he would be raving lunatic In
another hour. And. besides, something
had destroyed the SAVIOR of the sole
pleasurable aspect of his meditations'
Alexander resolved his doubts. He
caught knowing look in the pages
countenance.
"Beggin' your pardon. Mr.. Van
Vechten. ! think you'd want to see
this gentleman"
Very WE'LL" Van vechten weariedly
acquiesced SHOW him in"
He did not know the man who imme
dia:e!y followed Alexander into the
| rnn,, Tho Gtrappar was I'M
der medium height. slender and un-
assuming in appearance, but carried
himself with certain quiet assurance
that commanded attention. He was
as gray as badger. and his lean
smooth-shaven face reeembled fooled
leather.
! There was conspicuously alert
| look about his steady gray eyes, Van
vechten also noted. which presently
disclosed a habit of narrowing and re-
vealing a web of fine wrinkles at their
corners. This single change OF facial
muscles. Van vechten soon learned to
recognize, possessed the peculiarity OF
indicating one of two moods-concen-
tration upon the matter in hand. or
else a smiling humor that made one
warm to him. Van Vechten felt that
his visitor would be chary of speech,
but that whatever he might say would
be well worth hardening to.
mfr. Rudolph Van vechten?" now
| queried the newcomer in a tone that
could not have carried yard beyond
the person to whom 1t was addressed.
Van Vechten nodded and motioned to
a chair.
My name." he acknowledged. And.
with wry mouth: You are detec-
, tive. might have expected it-but
| didn't"
Instantly the steady eyes contracted
and wrinkled at the corners. The
young man all at once discovered that
his irritation was evaporating, and
that he could smile in sympathy with
his visitor.
Said the quiet voice: 81 am glad to
know that my estimate of your intelli-
gence was not at fault Flint is my
name-Phineas F'lint-from Central
Office"
Considering that you have never
seen me before, Mr.. Flint" Van Vech-
ten lightly retorted, cit is rather ex-
traordinary that you should possess
any particulars upon which to base
an estimate OF my intelligence"
The steady, smiling regard still met
the young mans.
"I'll demonstrate just how simple a
matter 1t is-if you have ,ardoned this
intrusion"
The listener nodded. His attention
was already won.
Have you any idea how the poor
chap met his death?" he queried.
Yes" was the prompt reply. He
was struck over the head with some
kind of blunt instrument 1t is pretty
certain that only one of the blows
the one on the temple-could have
proved fatal; the other-right behind