Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-12-07


I room she had been occupying for
some time. and entered the livtna
room.
Under your kind care" abe said to
Mrs. Hardin. her hostess-and In her
tone was the slightest foreign accent
II am % well again. that I must
leave you."
She paused. Joe Welcher pushed
open the door and slouched into the
room lnex Castro glanced at him Sc
ductiveiy from under her long lashss
and went on.
With the aid OF Mr.. Joey Welcher."
she proceeded, II have consulted time
tables. and l and very good connec-
tons 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," she returned. Il can't think
Of 1t. You have taken what we cal!
| pot-luck with US. You have been
friendly with US, and l hope we have
been friendly with you"
Inez smiled and shrugged her pretty
shoulders. She glanced casually at
Joe welcher. She slightly raised her
eyebrows-she watched joey as q 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.
Ny 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. smiled 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 q few
where their absence would least be
noted, and then restored the balance
of the bills to the misunderstanding
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-
larly-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 C 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 q bit, I'll
get her"
He got her, and 1nez resumed her
former conversation-once more in
sisting upon payment for her board.
Her offer was quite as insistently de-
clined. She sighed prettfly and clicked
shut her bag. Welcher also sighed
with unmistakable relief. She turned
to hin. :
1.-THE one.horse vehicle?" she asked.
Outside" said Welcher, Offering his
arm, boys ready-time that you were
on"
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 OF 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 q shed Swift.
iy 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
vas q rock. Inez raised her parasol
and ~sauntered gracefully toward thie
rock, and composed herself = also
gracefully-in the shadow Of the rock.
Before doing 50 she peered into the
bushes, noted the presence there Of
three shadowy figures, and nodded