Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-12-29


after darh-jimmy. you know, and all
that sort of thing" a sarcasm which
was frankly ignored.
1T has occurred to me-" pursued
Van Vechten, picking daintily at his
omelette souffie. that person who
has been at such pains to keep his
identity hidden from the rest of the
world, is stimulated to do SO by some
powerful motive. If he is person of
intelligence it will be no light matter
penetrating his secret; 1t might be
dangerous for the meddler. And 1t is
no business of ours"
"Rats!" Tom Phinney exploded IN
disgust. You're losing interest al
ready"
The other elevated his brows and
leaned comfortably back in his chair.
Tommy" he returned weariedly,
81 am willing to try anything-once.
And, as you know, whatever l under
take l see through to the end. what
ever that end may be. Just now l
am too depressed by this uncertainty
about Paige-not to mention its dis
agreeable consequences-to become In
terested in anything"
1T is deuced queer you don't hear
from her, isn't it?" Tom felt called
upon to show a polite concern.
His friend sighed. "Since my cousin
is woman" he said. queer is not
the word. Her disregard for my and
Uncle Theodore's plans lis just what
might have been expected; it is so
thoroughly feminine. as you would
know well enough If you had will
full. pretty cousin like Paige. But by
the same token am no more resigned
to sit twiddling my thumbs in this
bake-oven of a town until she chooses
to come home-or at least let me know
about when to look for her."
Just the same" insisted Tom, I'll
she was my cousin I'd be worrying"
Il am, Tommy-for myself, though;
not for her. But | was going
to say that we would better let this
matter drop: the affair is none of
ours"
But Tom Phinney, once his head
was set. was not easily turned aside.
NO telling what devillsh conspiracy
is afoot. Ruddy," he urged; Its our
duty as good citizens to interfere II
we have some reason to think that"
"Slush!" remarked Mr.. Van Vech-
ten without feeling. Il am not good
citizen. According to Paige, I belong
to the least desirable class of all-the
spenders. the wasters of substance.
And | toll not, neither do l spin"
Tom snorted his disgust at such SEN
timents.
What buffers girls are!" declared
he from the lofty height of twenty-five
years accumulated wisdom. I'll bet
Miss Carew don't believe any such rot
as that. Can't man do as he pleases
| with his own money!"
She says not. A mans money is
not his own; he is merely holding 1t in
trust"
Tom. however, had never met Paige
| Carew. who had lived most of her
twenty years abroad, and he had no
more tolerance for her opinion than
he had for anybody else's that did not
agree with his.
They may be plotting to rob a
bank" he abruptly bent the talk back
to the paramount topic.
Van Vechten regarded him with a
Gar-away look.
"Or starting a dramatic school," he
added. "or condemning vivisection OF
woman suffrage, or something equally
CHASTITY. Drop it, Tom; that's my ad.
vice. Sitting comfortably at a window
and waiting for whatever surprises our
House of Mystery may have 10 dis
close. is one thing; actively interfering
with something that does not in the
least concern us. Is quite another. II
there really is any mystery. and 1t is
to be dealt with at all. it calls for a
thin, keen blade. not bludgeon."
IF that's some of your pink-tea wit"
growled Tom, "a bludgeon is a mighty
good thing to have when you are deal.
ing with crooks"
"Doubtless-when the crooks do not
fight with rapiers. I'll give you a
chance to break even; you don't want
to owe me a hundred, / suppose?"
The troubled look, result of unwont-
ed mental effort, was instantly erased
from the handsome boyish face.
NO. I don't. I'm on, If you're bet
ting nobody will show UP at one"
Either end you like. A hundred
says no man will enter thirteen-thir.
teen at one O'Clock"
Which was very decent and accom-