Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-12

: THE whole thing is secret
+ WHY"
/ Natalie shrugged hopeiessIy. and
/ Gordon lost himself In frowninr
| thought.
! This is amazing" he said brusauely
/ after moment It's vital 1t affects
all nv plans. must know everything
| at once"
tim sorry paid so little attention"
! Never mind Try it again and be
| diplomatic If O'Neil won't tell Won.
| question Appleton. You can wind him
around your fingers easily enough. I
am sure"
| The girl eyed him with a Quick
| change of expression.
| Isn't 1t enough to know that the
trust has nothing to do with the S. r.
| and N?'
Nor he declared tmpatiently. at
| must know the whole inside of this
secret understanding-this blackmail or
whatever it is"
Then I'm sorry"
| Come! Don't be silly. You can do
| me a great service"
| you said you no longer disliked
| Mr.. O'Neil and that he couldn't harm
you.'
well, well! Must I explain the
why's and wherefores of every move
I maker
at would be spying if went back.
The matter is confidential know
that
''Will you do as 1 askT' he de-
manded.
H. ~
| told you what did tell only SO that
you might correct
You rebel, ehT' Gordon spoke out
| furiously.
He strobe angrily from the room.
leaving Natalie staring out upon the
! bleak fall scene, her shoulders very
straight, her breast heaving. Gloria
| did not venture to address her.
| Fortunately for the peace of all con-
| cerned, Gordon left for Seattle on the
| next steamer. Neither of the women
/ believed that Natalie's fragmentary
! revelation was the cause of bis depart
! ure; but, once in touch with outside
! affairs, he lost no time in running
! down the elews he had gathered, and
( it was not long before he had learned
/ enough to piece the truth together
/ Then he once more brought his mimeo-
! graph into use.
/ The first winter SHOWS found O'NeiTs
! track laid to the bridge site and the
I structure itself well begun. He had
! moved his Office out to the front and
/ now saw little of Eliza. who was
/ busted III writing her book. She had
finished her magazine articles. and they
{ hDI IL.
him no hint as to their character
1 One afternoon Happy Tom burst in
upon his chief. having FASTENED out
from Omar on construction train.
Drawing n Seattle paper from his
/ pocket. he began excitedly:
We'll, the fats in the fire, Murray.
! Somebody has belched up the whole
North Pass story"
( O'Neil seized the newspaper and
scanned it hurried1y- He looked up
scowling.
/ WHO gave this out?" he inquired in
a harsh voice.
| Slater shrugged. Its in the Cortez
/ Courier, too. so | s'pose it came from
Gordon. Blessings come from one
source, and Gordon's the fountain of
all evil. I'm getting so / blame him
for everything unpleasant"
Where did he learn the inside of
His deal? BY heaven. there's leak
somewhere
Maybe he uncovered it back there
in the States"
Murray shook his head. Nobody
knows anything about it except you
boys
Then he seized the telephone at
his elbow and called DR.. Gray. while
Tom listened with his shining forehead
puckered anxiously. ONeil hung up
with a black face.
"Appleton!" he said
Tom looked, il possible, a shade
gloomier than usual II wouldn't be
too sure it was Dan If was you" he
ventured doubtful1y
Where is hep" O'Neil ground out
the words between his teeth.
Surveying the town site addition.
If he let anything slip it was by mis-
take
Mistake! l won't employ people
who make mistakes OF that kind. This
story may bring the Canadian govern
ment down on Hills and forfeit his
North Pass charter, to say nothing Of
our authorities. That would finish u.s."
He rose. went to the door and ordered
the recently arrived engine uncoupled
Flinging himself into his fur coat, he
growled: