The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-12-15

Under your kind care" she said to
Mrs. Hardin, her hostess--and in her
tone was the slightest foreign accent
II am so we'll again, that ] must
leave you"
She paused. Joe Welcher pushed
open the door and slouched into the
room. Inez Castro glanced at him Sc
ductively from under her long lashes
and went on.
with the aid of Mr.. Joey Welcher,'
she proceeded, II have consulted time
tables, and l find very good connec'
tons on the next train"
She opened her handbag, and took
out bills. And" she added, Il insist
on paying board
Mrs. Hardin held up her hand. miss
lCourtier," she returned, II can't think
of it. You have taken what we call
Ipot-luck with us. You have been
friendly with us, and hope we have
been friendly with YOU.
Inez smiled and shrugged her pretty
shoulders. She glanced casually at
Joe Welcher. She slightly raised her
eyebrows-she watched Joey as cat
watches a mouse. And Joe-he was
watching something, too-the cash
that 1nez was holding in her hand.
1nez groaned suddenly and put out her
hand.
Stupid" she said, Il have forgot
My outer bandage. I must return"
She returned the money to her hand
bag and laid it down upon the table.
Then she left the room and went up
stairs. Mrs. Hardin, Welcher's foster
mother, shifted the air.
There's something burning in the
kitchen, joey" she exclaimed, IF Miss
Courtier comes down I'll be right
back" She, too. disappeared. And
oey-easy-money Joey Welcher, was
left alone with the handbag and the
bills. Joey listened for an instant,
then tiptoed forward, seized the
handbag and drew forth the roll
of bills. He needed money badly-he
had to pay a debt of honor. which
means a gambling debt. He opened
the roll Of bills and peeled on . few
where their absence would least be
noted, and then restored the balance
Of the bills to the handbag-thrustins
his share into his pocket.
Inez Castro. seated halfway up the
stairs, watching through an inch Of
open doorway, smiled to herself Then
she tripped bit noisily, and irregu'
larly-to show her limp-down the
stairs and glided gracefully into the
room. Joe lit a cigarette and watched
her. He was nervous, but game. lie
watched her closely. She took up her
bag and once again took out the bills
my charming hostess" she ex'
claimed, where should she be-"
"she should be here" said joey,
evading her glance. wait bit. III
get her,
He got her, and Inez resumed heI
former conversation-once more In
sisting upon payment for her board
Her offer was quite as insistently de-
clined. She sighed prettily and clicked
shut her bag. Welcher also sighed
with unmistakable relief. She turned
to him.
"The one-horse vehicle?" she asked
"Outside," said Welcher, offering his
arm, boys ready-time that you were
off,"
Once at the station Inez bought a
ticket for New York. But when the
train-a local-drew up at Lonesome
Cove, three miles north Of Seaport
Inez dropped of the rear platform Of
the last car, and waited on the fal
side of the track until the train was
out of sight. There was no station al
Lonesome Cove-merely shed. Swift
ly Inez crossed the track and passed
this station and then sped on dowr
toward the shore. She reached mar
row strip of beach, stepped down Il
the waters edge, and looked abou
her. Suddenly she saw what she wa'
| looking fora bandanna handkerchie
thrust above a clump of bushes. o.
| the sea side of this clump of bushe!
was a rock. Inez raised her paraso
and sauntered gracefully toward Thu
rock, and composed herself -alst
gracefully-in the shadow of the rock
Before doing so. she peered into tn
bushes, noted the presence there o
three shadowy figures, and nodde'
slightly, in recognition. A man with
foreign accent spoke.
"What progress?" he queried am
iously.
"Best in the world" she answered
I'VE have a new recruit"
She changed her position. A mai
thrust his head and face for a me
ment out of the bushes-a face acros
which was a saber cut; a livid scal
For a moment, with their heads tc
gether, the two whispered. The mai
with a scowl of satisfaction, finall,
withdrew his head. Inez rose to he
feet and looked about her.
where is this Lonesome Cave Inn
them" she queried.
''Half mile farther up the beach
follow the shore line-turn in at tn
cove Follow the water line-it take
you there. Good luck"
>ssAe-.~ YIN iF.aIs