Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-08-21

| / nave an llea tnat we snail never
marry-simply. am convinced, be-
cause l could not insist without fore
ing myself upon her. No, no; / am
much too fond of her for that. And as
for another love affair, what earthly
reason is there for her making a secret
of it7 She is not girl given to ro-
mantle fancies or schoolgirl senti-
mentality; she is of age. her own mis-
tress; and were she to learn, as
have, that it is possible for either Of
US to care for somebody else in a way
different from our present feelings to-
ward each other. why. she couldn't let
me know 1t fast enough. That's Paige
If anybody must be hurt, have 1t
over and done with as soon as pos
sible."
Il am beginning to form a pretty
fair idea Of your cousin" observed Mr..
Flint. -"Her intelligence. courage and
Independent character make It all the
more necessary that learn everything
possible about Max Willard. suppose
that she and Mrs. Devereaux are very
much attached to each other7"
Paige and Josephine? l can't say
they are like mother and daughter
Josephines heart Is much too young
for that-chums would be more nearly
accurate. Yet Mrs. Devereaux has
been a mother to Paige. and the very
strongest ties of affection and conf
dence bind them together"
Mr.. Flint slowly nodded his head. as
II these disclosures were right in har-
mony with whatever theory he was
evolving.
"One thing more" said he. "It is
strange that 1t has never occurred to
you. with your intimate understanding
Of your cousin, that nothing at all has
happened to her; that hsr prolonged
absence without communicating with
relatives or friends is an act of her
own free will"
But It did occur to me-" Van Vech-
ten contradicted. And 1t is my knowl-
edge of Paige that renders such a
hypothesis wholly absurd" d.
Again Mr.. Flint nodded understand
ingly.
Now" said he, ''Pll answer your
question as to why I attach SO much
Importance to finding Max Willard. al
though what have already told you
to discover the motive that Influenced
Temple Bonner to disregard his own
iron bound system of doing business
and establish a precedent by interpos-
Ing personally in the case of the house
across the street. 1t is remarkable
that he should do such thing for any
body. II Max Willard is alive. the old
friendship would supply that motive.
Then 1t would be high time to get in
touch with Willard and learn what
he's up to-"
Perhaps" Van Vechten refIectively
offered, Temple Bonner's sentiment
about the house extended to preserv-
ing everything just as it was when he
was attentive to Miss Henrietta. But
he has never come back to it."
THAT was precisely the impression
/ gathered. Aside from the gold purse.
I found nothing whatever of any inter
est to my investigation"
Van Vechten asked carelessly:
IF one were minded to. could one
get in?"
The detective smiled. Are you
thinking of attempting III"
Maybe / shall-if the obstacles in
the way are not insurmountable. You
see. Flint, | may stumble upon some
thing of value as a clue; something
that was meaningless to you with your
scant knowledge OF family traditions"
The detective passed a fiat key
across the table. saying merely: THE
back door: you reach 1t through the
alley"
Van Vechten pocketed the key.
Turning to Tom. Mr.. Flint had Just
asked him to recount his Rocky Cove
. experience, when the arrival of an
, other messenger boy with a fresh
bundle of cablegrams interrupted
him
These messages were the remaining
replies to those sent by Van Yechten
In the morning, and, in addition. a no.
tification from the telegraph company
| Of failure to deliver the cablegram to
Paige at Paris.
They proved to be similar w tenor
| to those received earlier in the day
one and all they declared entire igno-
rance of Paige Carew's whereabouts
| CHAPTER TX