Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-07-20

not her personal appearance which ar
rested his angry eyes and caused his
step to halt; it was. instead. her sur
roundings.
He had grown to accept her prim
simplicity rs a matter Of course and
associated her in his thoughts
with anything feminine. but the room
as it lay before him now was Il revela-
tion of daintincsS and artful decora-
ton. Tasteful water colors hung on
the walls, Il warm rug was on the floor,
and everywhere We're rosy touches of
color. The plain white bed had beer
transformed into a couch of oriental
luxury. y lace spread of weblike
texture covered it: then pillows We're
hidden beneath billowiny masses of
rull1es and ribbons. He saw Il typical
woman's crazy corner piled high With
cushions. There was u jar of burnin"
incense sticks near it-everything. in
fact, was utterly at variance With his
notions of the owner Even the girl
herself seemed t~ransfigurcd, for her
hair was brought forward around her
face in some loose. mysterious fashion.
which gave her a Overwhelmingly @irlisll
appearances.
O'Neirs eyes photographed all this in
a single surprised glance rs he passed.
The next moment he was mounting
the steps to the porch.
Dan flung open the door, but his
words OF greeting froZe. His smile of
welcome vanished at sight of his
chiefs forbidding visage.
Murray was in no mood to waste
words. He began roughly:
Did you tell Miss Gerard that Pou!t-
ney His is backing me-"
Dan stammered. Il perhaps Il
What has gone wrong. chief?'
Did you tell her the inside-the sto-
ry Of his agreement with the steam.
boat people,"
Dan paled beneath his tan, but his
eyes met Murray's without tlinching.
Il think l did-tell her something. I
don't quite remember. But anything
l may nave said was in conf
II thought so. L merely wished to
make certain. Well. the whole thing
is in the papers"
Appleton laid his hand upon the ta-
Bile to steady himself.
Then it didn't come from her. She
w~ouldn't'-
Gordon has spread the story broad
cast. 1t couldn't have come from any
other source. 1t couldn't have reached
him in any other way. for none of my
boys has breathed Il word" His voice
rose despite his effort at self control.
Hills agreement was illegal" he said
savagely. 1T will probably forfeit the
charter of the North Pass or land him
in court. | suppose you realize that. I
discovered his secret and assured him
it was safe with me. Now you peddle
1t to Gordon, and the whole thing is
public. Here's the first result" He
shook the London cablegram in Dams
face. and his w was distorted with
rage. There was u stir in Eliza's room
which neither noticed. Appleton wiped
his face with uncertain hand. He
moistened his lips to say:
lin terribly sorry. But I'm sure
Natalie wouldn't spy. I don't remem-
Der what l told her or how I came to
know about the affair. Doc Gray told
me, l think, in the first excitement,
but-she-wouldn't knowingly
Gordon fired you for talking too
much. thought you had learned your
lesson, but it seems you hadn't. Don't
blame Miss Gerard for pumping YOU
her loyalty belongs to Gordon now.
But l require loyalty too. Since you
lack it you can go.
ONeil turned as Eliza's door open
ed. She stood before him, pale, fright
ened, trembling.
II couldn't help hearing" she said.
you discharge u.s."
He nodded. I'm sorry. I've trusted
my boys so implicitly that the thought
Of betrayal by them never occurred to
me. I can't have men close to me
who make such mistakes as this"
"Perllaps there was an excuse or the
shadow Of one, at least. When a man
is in love, you know
Murray wheeled upon Dan and de-
manded sharply:
bly, altered tone he asked. do you love
-Natalie?"
Yes"
Does she love you?"
mo, sir"
ONeil turned back to the girl, say
ing: II told Dan when I hired him
that he would be called upon to dare
much. to suffer much and that my in
terests must be his. He has disregard
ed them and he must go. That's all.
There's little difference between treach-
cry and carelessness."
He left them standing there unhap-
PLY dumb and stiff with shame. Once
outside the house be plunged down the
hill as if fleeing from the scene of some
crime. He rushed through the night
blindly, for he had loved his assistant
engineer, and the memory of that
chalk faced, startled girl hurt him
abominably.