The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-06-09
A NOVEL A WEEK.
Next Week
1.-THE DUKE OF OBLIVION"
By John Reed Scott.

IA most extraordinary sort of girl,
isn't she?"
He wasn't sure that Mrs. RAIDER
had fully taken In Terriers
'treachery, SO he started at the be-
ginning and told her the whole
story. At the end he asked ini-
patiently for Blanche.
"Oh," she said, and again,
"Oh!" nervously twisting her
hands, one in the other. why
didn't you tell me before?"
I'VE told you as soon as we
knew ourselves what we were
about!" The exasperated voice
of youth spoke from him. angry
at age who, with cold blood. sees
SO clearly. AT least" he added,
"she meant to tell you four days
ago-the same day l told Mr..
RAIDER"
HAS he known, all this while?"
She flashed a glance at that third
person. 1t was plain he was I'M
aware of the conflict, the whirl-
wind of words going on before
him.
"He probably forgot all about
it," Carron said cheerfully.
She reflected his returning rush
of spirits with a wan, anxious
smile. With an righteousness
that was her daughters, she took
him by the sleeve. Come; tell
her what you have told me; make
her see 1t as you have shown me-"
He held back. What are you
talking about?"
"Why, when George came back
he didn't come to me--he went to
her. I thought you understood,
she knows about it."
Carron's knees felt loosened.
He was not aware of speaking,
but he heard voice sounding too
high and complaining to be his
own which yet was moving his
own throat. Now, in the name
of-what made you NEEDLE in my
affairs?"'
1T was her affair, too! But
what difference does it make
now" She looked ready to laugh
at him. you will have to make
her believe you love her; and she
will believe you, she must believe
you."
But she knows it now"
"Ah, no, she doesn't" Mr.. Ra-
der's tone was significant.
why, what did she say?" he
inquired uneasily.
RAIDERS voice entered the con-
versation suddenly. "She doesn't
speak-she doesn't lock at me-
she hasn't moved since she came
back an hour ago."
Back from where?" Carron
asked. Where has she been?"
The place where 1t is, the can
yon, the cave" Mrs. RAIDER ex-
planned. She wouldn't believe
US. She wouldn't even believe
George. She went out there her.
self to see."
To see! He understood what
those words meant. All the
tongues in the world could not
have convinced her; but the sight
of the eyes, that power to stir up
passions. Where is she?" Car
ron asked.
I'm the stable. She sits there
just as she got off the horse"
There came slight CULVER of the
mothers lips at the memory. 81
can't make her come away"
She was looking to him to do
that, apparently. That confident
smile Mrs. RAIDER wore made him
furious. He pulled his sleeve from
her grasp and walked quickly out
of the room. With all his aston
ishment and anger he was horri-
bly, conscious of the slipping past
Of the hours.
He dived into the, barn. The
door of the smaller stable stood
ajar. Looking into the stall he
saw the mustang, still saddled,
with his bride trailing neglected
under foot. A few step farther,
and he found the rider.
She was sitting on the lowest
stair Of the ascent to the loft, and
except for her gloves and the whip
she held TN one hand, she might
have merely strolled over from the
house and stopped here moment
to dream.
Her chin rested on her hand.
Her eyes were fixed on one certain
spot on the floor. Her forehead
was smooth, her lips relaxed, and
not the trace of tear. She was
prettier than usual; prettier than
ever! Had the Raiders suffered
Authorization or had he? Every
thing that had passed in the house
appeared like nightmare. He felt
a rush of establishment and de-
light. "Why, Blanche-my dear
grit"
She did not look up. His impress
sion was she had not heard him.
Yet he knew she was awake, her
eyes open, their lashes winked.
He put his hand over hers. The
muscles did not stiffen, nor show
any consciousness of his touch.
He sat down pushing for room
on the step, and put his arm
around her. Blanche, what ails
you? Speak to mel"
He turned her face toward him
and had the full look of her eyes,
wide, dull and gray. He could not
tell whether they saw him or not.
A strange sensation!
"Blanche!" Mrs. RAIDER had
come through the door, and stood