Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-01-22

home until ave O'Clock this morning.
He attended some big dinner-party, I
belieye.p
Eyes: T was thereI was therel Go
on and call him! Tell him l am wait
ing. I'm going to have a heart to heart
talk with that young man."
Yes, sir said the butler without
Fastening, for he saw that Wallace
had picked up a paper from the neat
pile he had made of all Of them upon
the table.
Great Scott" Wallace cried, dis.
mayed. Here it is on the front pager"
Il beg pardon, MI Wallace, but is it
all true, sir"
WHAT"
eThe story in the morning papers.
sir, about-er-his engagement"
"I don't know. Someone rang me up
and told me of it. It's what brought
me here. I want to find out if it's
true. I left the dinner at 1890. The
engagement, am told, was announced
shortly after I had left. Were you up
when he got home this morning?"
Yes, sir"
Did he talk of it at all?"
"He-couldnt talk so very much,
sir
"Tipsy?'
Rankin nodded very solemnly.
.Stewed, sir"
did he come home alone?"
He came il here alone, but a crowd
was serenading him upon the sidewalk
for ten minutes after he arrived. It
was the wedding march they tried to
sing. I couldn't understand why they
chose that until I read the mornings
papers, sir"
well, what do you think of it. Ran
kim"
Rankin shrugged his shoulders, but
did not reply. His instructive loyalty
to his employer, his perfect knowledge
Of his own proprieties prevented that.
"Oh, come on" Wallace urged. "You
can tell me. Just between us now"
She's old enough to be his mother,
sir" Rankin said with lowered voice.
She's old enough to be his mothers
mother!" Wallace cried exp1osively.
Then, with determination: go on
and tell him that / want to see him.
Hurry upi"
Rankin yielded.
These were the headlines of the item
Wallace had perused with such dis
may upon the first page of the news
paper: There were columns Of it.
MRS. JAMES GERARD,s ENGAGE
MENT.
''The Three Times Widow to Share
Her Millions With Broadway's
Own Jackson Jones.
'"This Announcement, Which Surprised
New York, Was Made Last Might at
a Dinner-Party Given by the Young
Spendthrift in Honor of the Wealthy
Widow"
Wallace dropped the paper and
looked at it as it lay upon the floor
with discomfort apparent i n his eoun-
tenance. That's the biggest laugh
New York has had In years." he
groaned. sTd like to
Upon a nearby table the telephone
buzzed busily. He went to it.
Hello" said he. Eyes. 4. No;
this is MI. Wallace speaking.
No; not Mr.. Jones. I am a friend Of
his. No; he can't come to the
phone. He's dressing.
can't make an appointment for you.
s. What's the name? I. Yes;
I have it: Peter Pembroke.
You must see him today?
Very well, I'll tell him. Say
you'll call? All right. I'll tell
him. Good-by."
He returned from the phone as Ran
kin reappeared. Wake him, did your
Eyes, sir. He'll be dressed in about
ten minutes" He hustled about the
room, gathering up the newspapers. Il
told him I had just read of his engage
ment and l congratulated him."
What did he say?"
Nothing, sir; just asked for the pa
pers and a whisky sour. He says be
sure and wait"
"Oh, I'll wait, all right"
There was something stronger than
mere a~cquiescence in the young mans
voice. There was determination in it;
the determination Of a man who has a
plan in mind. Thus might a.fond, but
angry father speak, who held a rod in
pickle for the erring son for whom he
waited.
Ffercely he paced the room until his
steps, half way to the outer hall, were
arrested by the buzzing of the door
bell. Rankin, who had started with
the whisky sour and newspapers for
his masters door. turned back and put
them on a table.
Another early caller!" he com
planned. The situation had begun to
get on his nerves.
IF it's a newspaper reporter tell him
Mr.. Jones is out of town"
"Yes, sir"
Wallace felt his nerves rasp as he
heard the. voice which greeted Rankin
in the hall. It a. not that Of a jour-
nalist, but that of the fair and ancient
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