El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-05-19
CHAPTER wv

I was with a dazed sensation that
Edith Hale stood still for a mo-
ment after returning the telephone
receiver to its nook Her first in
stinct was to seek solitude for refiec-
tion-she Ionged to run up to her
room. lock herself In and think OIt
the situation alone.
This she must not do, for she might
be missed at any moment and sought
by her father or mother, and it would
seem very strange # she was out Of
earshOt. But right here in the con-
serVatOrE she could be found at an
instants notice She simply could not
face all those people just yet AS this
thought came 10 her she glanced once
more at the paper on which she had
written the telegraph message, folded
II, slipped II into the front of her dress
and returned softly TO the semidark-
ness Of the conservatory.
walking TO the rear Of the glass en-
closure she sank down upon a low
wicker chair that stood in a recess
FORMED by the plants Here she was
shielded from the sight of anyone pass
ing the door She leaned back and
closed her eyes YEARLY. Then, as she
Ielt the tears starting, she sat up
straight It would not do for her TO
allow her tense nerves TO relax yet
She had part TO play, a plan to ar
range.
First Of all. what did this telegram
AAAed-AA- AAAElE ~ ere Only Two AEA1DAAa
besides the unknown sender who could
answer that questiOn-Tom and Ralph
Morton one Of them must answer IL,
and the girl determined that Ralph
should speak the truth to her about
it tonight
who was e, P" and who was the
= who mlstOOk Tom for Ralph2 And
why need Ralph be on his guard?
A sudden idea flashed burningly
through her brain Tom was doing
something which he wished TO conceal
there was a possibility that Ralph
might be accused of it Some friend
was warning him IN time, before he
could become victim Of Toms efforts
20 masquerade as Ralph Morton.
The girls blood boiled with anger at
the thought of Toms perfidy. OF course
there was a woman in the case Yet
she had believed that Tom loved her.
that he really meant all that he said OF
his happiness in their betrOthalt She
looked down at the solitaire diamond in
her engagement ring. Even in this dim
light the stone flashed with red and
green CLEANS as she moved her hand
An impulse made her start TO draw
II from her finger, but voices at the
entrance Of the conservatory checked
her, and, for the moment. she forgot
all except the sentences that came 10
her ears.
The speakers were Edward Dayton
and Beatrice Craig, the wall flower"
with whom Ralph had been dancing
Just now. Although she cared little for
dancing. Beatrice liked to talk and had
a prediction for gossip, which, just
gardless OF her duty Of reticence with
regard TO the persons whose hospitality
she was accepting
Its a lovely party. isn't it2' she
was saying, but the rooms are get
ting so hot that its nice to find a cool
place like this conservatory Edith [
Hale's a lucky girl 10 have such a home
as this, even though with a Eiggle-
.'rumor says she Will not remain in II
long"
The hidden listener had moved for
ward 10 make her presence known. I
then as she heard her own name her
back farther into the shadows cast
by the tall plants about her.
Why Dayton asked rs she going
away
oh" Beatrice Craig replied, I'm not ,
speaking by the card at all, but my
mother ran in to see Mrs Morton to
day, and Mrs Morton mentioned that I
her sOn-Ralph, you knOw-was comlns
here TO dinner tonight and limited that ;
there might be an interesting bit Of in
formation given out this evening
II guessed al once what IL was and
also noticed that Edith's wearing a
new ring- She has several other beau
ties. too but this one looks mighty
suspicious TO me Besides that, didn't
you see how she blushed when some .
1ne asked where Tom Morton was-
The man tried 10 laugh. He was not .
Interested in gossip and this vapid
kind Of chat bored him
Why. TO tell the truth" he averred, 7
I was having such a pleasant talk 4
with my hostess and was enjoying my P
self so thoroughly that did not take q
line TO play amateur detective
Even in the darkk Edith felt herself 4
lush with gratitude What a nice man +
he was But the speech that gratified I
Ter evidently produced the opposite ef- 4
eCt upon Miss Craig.
4 assure you that am no amateur /
detective. Mr. Dayront" she retorted I
But I do not think ii took any espe-
.ial powers OF observation to notice
1dith's embarrassed manner. and. by /