Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-12-21

sone time. and entered the living
room.
Under your kind care.r she said to
Mrs.. Hardin, her Aoatess-snd In her
tone was the slightest foreign accent
II am % we'll again. that I must
leave you"
She paused. Joe welsher pushed
open the door and slouched Into the
room. Ines Castro glanced at him se.
ductively from under her long lashss
and went on.
With the aid Of Mr.. Joey Welcher."
she proceeded. Il have consulted time
tables. and l md very gooA connec.
lions on the next train" ",
She opened her handbag. and took
out bills. and" she added, Il insist
ON paying board"
Mrs. Hardin held up her hand. Miss
Courtier," abe returned. Il can't think
OF 1t. You have taken what We call
potluck with us. You have been
friendly with ,us. and 1 hope We have
been friendly with you"
liner smiled and shrugged her pretty
shoulders. She glanced casually at
Joe Welcher. She slightly raised her
eyebrows-she watched Joey as a cat
watches a mouse. And Joe-he was
watching something. too-the cash
that Inez was holding in her hand.
Inez groaned suddenly and put out her
hand.
Stupid" she said, Il have forgot.
My outer bandage. I must return"
She returned the money to her hand.
bag and laid It down upon the table.
Then she left the room and went up
stairs. Mrs. Hardin, Welcher's foster
mother. shifted the air.
There's something burning in the
kitchen, Joey" she exclaimed, III Miss
Courtier comes down I'll be right
back" She, too. disappeared. And
Joey-easy-money Joey Welcher. was
left alone with the handbag and the
bills. Joey listened for an instant
then tiptoed forward, seized the
handbag and drew forth the roll
OF bills. He needed money badly-he
had to pay a debt Of honor, which
means a gambling debt He opened
the roll Of bills and peeled OF a few
where their absence would least be
noted, and then restored the balance
Of the bills to the handbag-thrusting
his share into his pocket.
Inez Castro. seated halfway up the
stairs, watching through an inch OF
open doorway. smiled to herself. Then
she tripped a bit noisily, and irregu'
lariy-to show her limp-down the
stairs and glided gracefully into the
room. Joe lit a cigarette and watched
her. He was nervous. but game. He
watched her closely. She took up her
bag and once again took out the bills.
MY charming hostess" she ex.
claimed. where should she be?"
'"She should be here" said Joey.
evading her glance, wait a bit, I'll
get her"
He got her, and Inez resumed her
former conyersation-once more in.
sisting upon payment for her board.
Her offer was quite as mistakenly de-
clined. She sighed pretttly and clicked
shut her bag. Welcher also sighed
| with unmistakable relief. She turned
| to him.
The one-horse vehicle?" she asked.
Outside" said WeIcher, offering his
arm. boys ready-time that you were
OF"
Once at the station Inez bought a
ticket for New York. But when the
train-a local-drew up at Lonesome
| Cove, three miles north Of Seaport,
Inez dropped on the rear platform Of
the last car, and waited on the far
side Of the track until the train was
out of sight There was no station at
Lonesome Cove-merely a shed. Swift.
ly Inez crossed the track and passed
this station and then sped on down
toward the shore. She reached q mar.
row strip Of beach, stepped down to
the waters edge, and looked about
her. Suddenly she saw what she was
looking fora bandanna handkerchief
thrust above . clump Of bushes. On
the sea side Of this clump Of bushes
was . rock. Inez raised her parasol
and sauntered gracefully toward this
rock. and composed herself ALSO
gracefully-fn the shadow Of the rock.
Before doing 20 she peered into the
bushes. noted the presence there Of
three shadowy figures, and nodded
~N~hAIv In v~oro~uSt{n nnaw ~ftt .