Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1915-07-08

pOlntmenI, nOQueu. ne Olonu mdu
returned and sat down. 81 don't know
how to begin, but want you to copy
this cablegram and send it under your
own name. Here it is; read it"
So singular request filled the con-
sui general with establishment. Rather
mechanically he accepted the slip OF
paper. adjusted his glasses. and
read
The Andes Construction company. New
York. A former employee of yours wishes
to make a restitution of $1,000. with inter-
est to date. He dares not give his name
to me, but he wishes to learn If this pc
lated restitution will lift the ban against
his coming to America and resuming his
citizenship. Reply collect
This is an extraordinary request to
make to me, sir"
Gould | possibly offer that to the
cable operator? Without name or ad-
dress? No; could not do 1t without
being subjected to thousand ques-
lions, none Of which ! should care TO
answer. So | came to you. Passing
through your hands, no one will ques-
ton it. Will you do this favor for
poor unfortunate devil?"
Oddly enough, the other could not
get away from his original impression
The clothes, the way the man wore
them, the clarity of his eyes, the abun-
dant health that was expressed by the
tone of the skin, derided such a pos
sibility as the cablegram made mani
fest.
He forced the smile back to his lips.
Are you sure you're not hoaxing
me?"
mo. am the victim of the hoax"
enigmatically. 'If one may call the
quirks of fate by the name of hoax,
the stranger added. will you send
it?"
The years he had spent in the con-
sular service had never brought before
him situation of this order. He did
not know exactly what to do. He
looked out of the window, into the no
tel court, at the sky which presently
would become overcast with the daily
rain clouds. BY and by he remem
bered the man waiting patiently at his
elbow.
What is your name?"
'T'd rather not give that until
hear from New York am known ou
here by the name of Warrington"
Warrington. The puzzlement van
ished from the older mans face, ant
his eyes became alert, renewing from
another angle their investigation o
the stranger Warrington. SO thi
! was the man? He could understand
-, now. Who could blame girl for max
ing a mistake when he, seasoned vel
: eran, had been beguiled by the out
ward appearance of the man? MalloN
was right. He was a handsome beg
gar.
81 promise to send this upon on
condition"
81 accept without question" readil!
1T is that you must keep away frol
4 Elsa Chetwood, now and hereafter. 70
n made her acquaintance under falls
+ pretenses."
II deny that. Not under false pr,
n lenses" How quickly things wer
/. about! Let me tell you how | me
4 her."
The consul general listened; he Ii
n tened with wonder and interest. an
| more, with conviction that the youn
IN man had been perfectly honest. BIZ
III the knowledge only added to his grow
III ing alarm. 1t would not be difficult fc
III such a man to win the regard of an
III young woman.
III "And you told her what you ha
III done?"
III Yes"
" "Your first misstep?" touching tn
? cablegram.
"a my first and only misstep was
"A careless, happy-go-lucky young fool
NJ The sky outside also had attraction fc
Warrington. A thousand times foo
Y "How long ago did this happen?"
"Ten years this coming April"
"And now, after all this time, yo
wish to go back?"
81 have wished to go back man
times, but never had money enoug
have plenty now Oh, made it no
estly." smiling. ''ln oil, at Prom
Here's a cutting from a Rangoon p
per-"
The other read it carefully. 1t W;
romance, romance such as he liked
read in his books, but which VIZ
mighty bewildering to have at b
elbow in actually. What a life Il
g, man must have led! And here
~ was, with no more evidence of Il
LII conflict than might be discerned in Il
es manliness of his face and the bread
~ and depth of his shoulders. I
a dropped the cutting, impatiently.
% Don't you believe it?"
- Believe it? Oh, this? Yes" a
=. swered the consul general. What
L" cannot believe is that am awake.
cannot quite make two and two ecu
four. | cannot Well, you
NOT look like a man who would rob h