Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1915-11-11
CHAPTER xII--contInued.

There was a CLEAN in his somber eyes
and his blue chin came up with jerk.
That's talking!" said he. Now will
you promise me never to marry GAIA
LETT"
MIR. Toyel"
That's talking, too, and / guess l
mean it to be. It's not all dog-in-the-
manager, either. want that promise a
lot more than want the other. You
needn't marry me, Miss Blanche, but
you mustn't marry Cazalet."
Blanche was blazing. "But this is
simply outrageous"
Il claim there's an outrageous cause
for 1t. Are you prepared to swear
what ask, and trust me as I'll trust
you, or am l to tell you the whole
thing right now?"
you won't force me to listen to an
other word from you, If you're a gen.
tleman, Mr.. Toye!"
Its not what l am that counts.
Swear that to me, and l swear, on my
side, that won't give him away to
you or anyone else. But it must be
the most solemn contract man and
woman ever made"
The silver teapot arrived at this
juncture, and not inopportunely. She
had to give him his tea, with her
young maids help, and to play a tiny
part In which he supported her really
beautifully. She had time to think, al
most coolly; and one thought brought
a thrill. II it was a question of her
marrying or not marrying Walter
Cazalet, then he must be free, and only
the doer of some dreadful deed!
What has he done?" she begged,
with a pathetic abandonment of her
previous attitude, the moment they
were by themselves.
Must l tell your" His reluctance
rang genuine.
81 insist upon i'll" she flashed again.
"Well. it's long story"
Never mind l can listen"
You know, 1 had to go back to
Italy"
Had your"
"Well, did CO." He had slurred
the first statement; this one was char
enthusiastically deliberate. 81 did go,
and before went l asked Cazalet for
an introduction to some friends of his
down in Rome"
81 didn't know he had any," said
Blanche.
why, he doesn't have any," said
Toye. but he claimed to have some.
He left the Kaiser Fritz the other day
at Naples. I guess he told your"
mo, understood he came round to
Southampton. Surely you shared a
cabin?"
"Only from Genoa; that's where !
took the steamer and Cazalet regalned
her"
"Well?"
HE claimed to have spent the in
terval mostly with friends at Rome
Those friends don't exist, Miss
Blanche" said Toye.
'Ts that any business of mine?" she
asked him squarely.
why, yes, I'm afraid it's going tC
be. That is, unless you'll still trust
me"
go on, please"
why, he never stayed at Rome al
all, nor yet in Italy any longer than il
takes to come through on the train
Your attention for one moment" HI
took out a neat pocketbook Blanche
had opened her lips, but she did no
interrupt; she just grasped the arm
of her chair, as though about to bea
physical pain. "The Kaiser Fritz
Toye was speaking from his book
-'got to Naples late Monday afternoon
September eighth. Seems she wa
overdue, and | was mad about it, an
never got away again till the"
do tell me about Walter Cazalet!
cried Blanche. 1t was like small tai
from a dentist at the last moment.
Il want you to understand about tn
steamer FIRST" said Toye "She wal
ed Monday night in the Bay of Naples
only sailed Tuesday morning, onl
reached Genoa Wednesday morning
and lay there all of forty-eight hour
as these German boats do, anyhow
That brings US to Friday morning b
fore the Kaiser Fritz gets quit of Ital
doesn't it,"
"Yes-I suppose so--do tell n
about Walter!"
why, first heard of him at G
noa, where they figured should hay
a stateroom all to myself, as the 9TH
gentleman had been left behind
Naples. never saw him till
scrambled aboard again Friday, abo
the fifty-ninth minute Of the eleven
hour" -
"At Genoa?"
"Sure."
"And you pretend to know whe
he'd been?"
Il guess do know"-and To
sighed as he raised his little boo
"Cazalet stepped on the train that Ii
Naples six-fifty Monday evening, a
on the one timed to reach Chart
Cross three-twenty-iiye Wednesday,
"The day Of the M"
Eyes. never called II by the hal
ont mama mysalf. but Ii was seVC