Courier Democrat., 1916-06-01
CHAPTER VIII-CoNTINuED

miringly:
Shes Il perfect peach, sis. She reg
1stered home run With me the first
time at bat."
"She is nice
You know q fellow gets mighty lone.
ly in 4 place like this She'd mako Il
dandy sister-in-law for you, wouldn't
she?"
Forget it, said Eliza sharply
That's rank insubordination. Omar
khayyam snatched her from the briny
and tried to die for her He has
bought her two acres of the most ey-
Densivc roses and he remembers the
date Of her birthday. Just you keep
your hands off,
How does she feel about him?'
"Oh, she heroizes him, of course. |
don't know just how deep the feeling
goes, but l got the impression that it
was pretty serious. Two women can't
borrow hairpins and mix powder puffs
for week and remain strangers"
"Then, as for Daniel Appleton, G. E..
good night!' exclaimed her brother rue
fully. eff l We're a woman I'd marry
him myself. provided l could get
ahead Of the rush; but, being male
of the species, suppose 1 shall creep
out into the jungle and suk."
"Right-o! Don't enter this race, for
I'm afraid you'd be bad loser. Per-
:sonally, can't see anything in him to
rave about What scares me pink is
the knowledge that must tell him the
Wretched business that brings me here,
If he strikes me, Danny. remember
I'm still your sister,
When the be, gong gave the signal
for luncheon Appleton conducted Ma
ralie and Eliza to the company mess
room, where the field and office force
dined together. and presented them to
his fellow lieutenants. AT supper time
those who had been out on the line dur
ing the day were likewise introduced,
and after a merry meal the whole par
ty escorted the two girls back to the
green bungalow.
"Why, here's piano" Eliza eXcla1m-
Led upon entering the parlor
81 borrowed it for the evening from
the Elite saloon" O'Neil volunteered
"It's Il dissipated old instrument, and
some Of its teeth have been knocked
out-in drunken brawls. I'm afraid
but the owner vouched for its behavior
on this occasion"
At her first opportunity Eliza under
took to make that confession the
thought of which had troubled her all
the afternoon. Drawing O'Neil aside,
she began with some trepdation
'Have you any idea why I'm hcre:'
Il supposed either you or Dan had
achieved your pet ambition"
Ear from it. l have i fell purpose
and when you learn what it is I eX-
pect you to move the piano out-thats
what always happens in the play when
the heroine is dispossessed. Well
then, I've been sent by the Review to
bare all the disgraceful secrets Of your
life!'
''I'm delighted to learn you'll be here
so long. You can't possibly finish that
task before next spring. His n>an-
ner, though quiz%ical. was genuinely
hearty.
Don't laugh!' said the girl. There's
nothing funny about it. came north
as q spy"
''Thcn you're Il Northern Spy!"
"Apples!' she cried You remem-
bered, didn't you? | never supposed
men like you could be 1lippant. Well,
here goes for the worst" She outlined
her conversation With the editor of her
paper.
$50 you think I'm trying to steal
Alaska he said when she had con-
cluded.
'"That seems to be the general idea"
''Its a pretty big job.'
"WhOeVer controls transportation
will have the country by the throat"
'Yet somebody must build railroads,
since the government Won't. Did it
ever occur to you that there is a great
risk involved in a thing Of this sort
and that capital must see a profit be-
fore it enters a new field? l wonder
if you know how badly this country
needs an outlet and how much greater
the benefit in dollars and cents will
be to the men in the interior than to
those who finance the road. But per-
ceive that you are conservationist."
"Rabid!" Eliza bridled little at
the hint of amused superiority in his
voice. "Im a suffragist too. l dare
say that adds to your disgust
"Nonsense"' he protested. 81 have
no quarrel with conservation nor with
votes for women Neither have l
anything to conceal. I'm only afraid
that, like most writer's, you will be
content with half information. In
complete facts are responsible for most
misunderstanding. If you are in ear
nest and will promise to take the time
necessary to get at all the facts I'll
make an agreement with you
Y.