Mexico Missouri message., 1915-09-23
CHAPTER Iv--cOntlnusd.

Il wonder who can have done it,"
SO do the police, and they don't
look much like finding Quit"
1T must have been for his watch
and money, don't you think? And yet
they say he had so many enemies!"
Cazalet kept silence but she thought
he WINGED. "Of course It must have
been the man who ran out Of the
drive" she concluded hastily Where
were you when It happened, Sweep"
Somewhat hoarsely he was recall
ing the Mediterranean movements of
the Kaiser Fritz, when at the first
mention Of the vessels name he was
firmly heckled.
Sweep, you don't mean to say you
came by a German steamer"
Il do. II was the first going, and
why should waste a week? Besides,
you can generally get cabin to your
self on the German line"
so that's why you're here before
the end of the MONTH" said Blanche.
We'll, | call it most unpatriotic; but
the cabin to yourself was certainly
some excuse"
That reminds mel" he exclaimed.
Il hadn't 1t to myself all the way;
there was another fellow in with me
from Genoa; and the last night on
board 1t came out that he knew you'll"
Who can it have been?'
'Toye, his name was. Hilton Toye."
An American man! oh, but
know him very we'll" said Blanche in
tone both strained and cordial. He's
great fun, Mr.. Toye, with his delight
full Americanisms, and the perfectly
delightful way he says them!"
Cazalet puckered like the primitive
man he was, when taken at all by sur
prise; and that anybody. much less
Blanche, should think Toye, of all peo-
pie, either delightful" or great fun"
was certainly a surprise to him, If it
was nothing else. OF course it was
nothing else, to his immediate knowl.
edge; still, he was rather ready to
think that Blanche was blushing, but
forgot, il indeed he had been in a fit
state to see 1t at the time, that she
had paid himself the same high COM
pliment across the gate. On the whole,
it may be said that Cazalet was ruff
fed without feeling seriously disturbed
AS to the essential issue which alone
leaped to his mind.
Where did you meet the fellow?"
he inquired, with the suitable admix-
ture of confidence and amusement.
In the first instance, at Engelberg."
'Engelberg! Where's that?"
~'Only one of those places in Swift.
zerland where everybody goes now.
adays for what they call winter
sports"
She was not even smiling at his ar.
Togant ignorance; she was merely ex
planning one geographical point and
another of general information. A
close observer might have thought
her almost anxious not to identify her
self too closely with a popular craze.
Il dare say you mentioned it," sale
Cazalet, but rather as though he wa.
wondering why she had not
Il dare say | didn't Everything
won't go into an annual letter. 1t wal
inc NlhlSI uSlOI6 ldSl-l went GU
with Betty and her husband"
And after that he took a plac
down here?"
yes. Then met him on the rive
the following summer, and found he'
got rooms In one of the Nell Gwynn
Cottages, IL you call that place"
Il see,"
vo,,t A. ara ,,y.s - y,,ora 10 go. H..
never had been much, but nov
Blanche was standing up and gain
out Of the balcony into the belt c
singing sunshine between the opposit
side Of the road and the invisible rive
acres away.
"Why shouldn't we go down to LII
tieford and get out the boat If your
really going to make an afternoon {
IT." she said. but you simply mul
see Martha first; and while she's mai
fng herself fit to be seen. you muI
take something for the good OF II
house. I'll bring 1t to you on lord
tray"
She brought him sIphon, stoppere
bottle. silver biscuit-box OF anciei
memories, and left him alone viii
them some little time; for the youI
mistress, like her old retainer in a
other minute. was simply dying
make herself more presentable. Y
when she had done 80. and came baC
like snow. in a shirt and skirt ju
home from the laendry, she saw thi
he did not see the difference. His d
Vouring eyes shone neither more M
less; but he had also deyoured eyeI