The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-08-06

Y WALTER sought the library i'm
\A/ mediately after dinner, to
wv smoke and to brood over va
rious personal concerns of
his own. He found, indeed, that his
moods were tickle to such an extent
that he hardly knew from hour to hour
whether he were glad or wretched. Al
ways, at the back of his thought, there
was the haunting dread Of the de-
tectives that sought his trail.
On account of them he was grateful
for this refuge. But, on the other hand,
he experienced a growing alarm over
this intimate relation with Vain.
wright, the renowned foe Of criminals
such rs he. There was something o
strous to Walter in the fact that he.
the thief, was here posing openly. #
not boldly, as the brother-in-law Of the
most effective district attorney New
York had ever possessed. whose popu-
larity thus secured babe fair now to
make the man the chief executive Of
the state. This association with Vain.
wright kept the youth in a constant
tremor Of apprehension lest the worst
befall. He ex%pOstulated in vain with
Andrew, who treated him and his ar.
guments with a CALLING contempt. His
Offset to the disdain of the Master lay
In the patent admiration accorded him
by Helen Wainwright, the great mans
sister, who, to be sure, was merely a
schoolgirl of sixteen, on her vacation.
yet the heiress to a tidy fortune and
remarkably pretty, If not especially
burdened with brains. With something
Of her brothers power Of idealization.
though with a less worthy subject, she
was able to see in Walter excellence
enough to make him the hero Of her
first foolish maidenly dreaming.
On his part, Walter. drawn by hev
dainty face and demure manner, was
inclined to think that he might make
himself a safe position in the world
and secure a satisfactory living with
out work by marrying this bread and
butter miss. Unfortunately, however,
he o o found that the carrying out Of
his design vas beset with difficulties,
for somehow latterly it seemed that
he vas never to see Helen for a no.
ment alone, much less given oppor-
tunity for an elopement even were the
preliminary arrangements made.
As he meditated now, it was clear
to him that he must appeal directly to
Lucene for aid in the execution of his
purpose. Under this necessity he was
irritated by the fact that already, I'M
der Andrews compulsion, he had set
himself before his putative sister in a
remarkably bad light. He had been
forced to pretend financial distress to
her and beg her to help him in saving
him from exposure and disgrace. Nat
urally, to save the possibility Of bar
ing the whole hateful truth to her hus-
band, Mrs. Wainwright had yielded to
his demands and supplied him repeat
eddy with money without her husbands
knowledge. The fact increased her
self contempt. But Walters sole con-
Germ In the matter was dissatisfaction
owe the effect these transactions must
have in making her hostile to himself
and 80 an obstacle, not a help, in his
plan to possess Helen.
Walter scowled as he reflected on
the fact that this financial intriguing
with Lucene was altogether an annoy
ance to him since even the money in
volved did not remain with him, but
was invariably turned over to Andrew
by that taskmaster's orders. "Devil-
ish poor pickings, I call it." was the
thief's unspoken comment, with a
sneer. Anyhow, he decided he must
make the effort to enlist Lucene's as
sistance in his wooing Of Helen. With
this resolve he looked up to behold
Parker in the doorway.
"a gentleman to e you. SIR" was
the announcement.
Walter was astonished and alarmed,
for he knew of no acquaintance likely
to be within miles of this neighbor-
hood and certainly non aware Of his
identity as Walter BlOunt. But be-
fore he could determine an answer to
the waiting servant Andrew himself
appeared.
Pardon me, SIR" he said in tones
of the utmost respect; but perhaps
you had better leave the matter to me
I think I know the mans business. 1t
is really not of the least Importance,
SIR" He gave a low order to Parker.
"Oh, all right, If you say So" Wal
ter returned, grumpily, concealing the
relief he felt in learning that this "a
probably another Of his tyrant's con
trivances rather than a pursuer on his
own trail. "Who is the guyY" he ask
ed, as Parker disappeared after the
low spoken command from his en-
ployer.
Andrew regarded the young man
with wintery eyes. through narrow
lids.
THAT" he said gently, but with an
infection that wa convincing. rs one
question too many" Then. he turned
slowly. and went out Of the room, I'M
mindful Of tho scowling thief, who
crin&ed helpless undee bic domination.