Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-10
.....nrrn N1-tContlnued)

buckle ,s,Sr" ,s4rs he ,gircicss operator TO
hn take a message
CHAPTER v1-tcontinued)
,...ford had no relatives in this part
.or,irent travelling alone, he had
coble to Henri, his man. Now lie
- about for the well-Enown face
-. nowhere to be seen. Henri, an
.unerduous presence as personal
,',.r, would never have looked SO
.oomed so necessary as now IL
had appeared.
eu,tertord called a cab and started 10
-. oabbv load his feathers, includ-
mag and guncases; then seeing
was willing TO do 1t alone, he
,nlo the cab and waited until the
y. we're slowed aboard. He was star
,a,, ant the opposite window watch
~. ,brorr Of hurrying vehicles and
=. and wondering II he would ever
y. ,ohe an interest in It all, when the
nv ~. ,hrrst an inqulsitive head In at the
her door.
Where to, sir?' u,..,
M, aside to make way for n lady
4 y snrang into the taxi
y ~ So West 10th street" she In
sucted calmly. -, , A..
kr,sn promptly pulled down the shade.
diver. assuming tho two to be to-
.,bsr, climbed into his seat and whirleo
.ay from the pier.
-ss,r lacked around In cold wonder at
I. Intruder 1t was Mrs. Talcott, She
Euas az him and he lifted his hat po-
~ TIe could not have uttered a word
'his life depended upon 1t. He was ut
tly confounded.
kfrs Tnlcott. however. betrayed no con-
Eiar Her rloved hand reached across
4 ,,ont of him and lowered the other
Lac They were shut together In the
[.idarkness of the taxi. For several
bcts they Travelled thus without word
|Inr spoken. The girls only apparent
6otion was that OF impatience. when
a Sob was forced to go slowly because
,ba traffic she would glance quickly
1, through the little back window and
H. lean forward as If urging haste.
PRESENTLY she seemed to notice her COM
Ir,nr's taciturnity and looked timidly at
III orce or twice, as IL waiting for him
sneak. Seeing he was not disposed 10
50, she said tlmidly:
lT-I cannot tell you--at least not now
hy have to do this"
.Do not trouble yourself. 1t isn't neces-
|ry," he replied.
Rutherford's nerves were on raw edge.
spite of what his own eyes had seen
a moment he was with this charming
.,nf person he could feel nothing save
n all-pervadlng charm. She was so gem
belv winsome; and in the new role OF
kkIng his protection, of relying upon
n. her attraction increased tenfold! But
,aiv was still too near to the preciplce'
Ier which he had looked, to wish to be
|ought back. He was determined not 10
Item TO any explanation whatever true
otherwise, which would only reveal
ore fully how desperately different she
ts from the woman he had stubbornly
opposed her to be.
BIS words, while courteous, only added
her embarrassment.
HThank you." she stammered. II would
yer have presumed-but you were kind
ough to offer to help me at any time
d thought-well, no one ever knows.
no one ever knows" Craig agreed, non
Innlttally.
silence for a few moments-then-
'1f you don't mind, I'll raise this cur
n now" observed rutherford. ITS
lhsr close in here"
Certainly" she replied in low voice.
he lifted the shade, then turned quickly
find the girl looking at him, her sweet
Is bright with tears. She flushed as his
re met hers.
'You-you are notch, / am afraid l
I've offended youv' she exclaimed softly.
But there was no other way!"
4 Craig had never before known how
Iurlng can be the embarrassment of a
turally poised woman he learned II
w. 1t seemed to him that charm as
nder as the mist broodinG over the
owing summer landscape now enhanced
8 singular perfection in feature and
loring. Craig steeled his emotion, his
tive generosity. with an effort.
4 understand. I offered you my serv-
e, and am glad you could avail your
I OF them" he replied with studied
nrtesy.
he sank back against the cushions and
lde no further effort to talk to him.
'raig fanclsd he could picture the events
iieh led up TO her abrupt entrance into &.
cab. Her husband had been arrested.
g had escaped, probably with Helder-
ms aid; and, just as before. she was
ing TO hoodwlnk him-to mako cats
Y OF him, I'm a clever escape!
ielderman he had seen only for a mo-
mt before landing. He had not gone
ek to keep that tragic appointment in
royal suite and had studiously avoided
occupant up to the time of docking.
en- In the throng awaiting to disem-
TX, he had felt firm, familiar clasp on
shoulder, and had turned to see Hell
man beamlng cordially upon him.
ag had nodded curtly and shaken the
ms hand away as he hurried toward
gangway. Just as he started down
narrow plank he had glanced back
lnentarily TO see the other smiling with
leal amusement. He was evidently
lsning at Craig's boyish resentment of
fact that a man had overreached him.
q played with him
I me elderly husband had been caught
Hls Wlekedness and the pretty young
: hsd escaped, Rutherford could only
nslaoe that Helderman was still oper-
,as Inc machinery to his own ends.
shother wild thought now leaped
! Nralgs braln-in that very event,
Z not the iinancier playing right into
onn hands, by allowing the girl to
.Tpt his protection?
VAS evident that, whether he chose
hVt, Fate had linked his fortunes In
ns way with these people; and he In
NY NY resolved to right-about face. He
IN IN AID this lady TO the best OF his
80 ne would trust her II he could;
y as for loving her-ah, could be
heip that he wondered?
- cap drew up to a curb inla side |
ana the driver sprang down and |
aeo the door, Rutherford glanced |
y at the unfamiliar neighborhood, ana |
ca why they had stopped.
aas Is Number -. West 10th, sir"
the eabby.
Z .zzsaaefioord ne got out and extended a
% Mrs. Talcott.