The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-02-24
CHAPTER xxvi-contlnued.

81 must be going she said. rising.
"ff you will give me my e%nvelope7"
He crossed to the safe and got II for
her. His curiosity was still keen.
edged. but he beat II back manfully.
II wis., you wouldn't hurry" he said
Hospitality. lie was searching the
%changeful eyes for the warrant to say
more. but he could not find II.
lie vas obliged to LEI II 90 at that;
but when they reached the phaeton
and the horse.holding clerk had been
relieved, he spoke Of another matter.
I'm a little worried about Ken.
meth" he told her. He came down
this morning looking positively
w%retched. but he wouldn't admit that
he was sick. Have you seer much OF
him lately7"
Not very ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
you say he had gone home?"
Il don't know where he has gone.
He left here about half an hour before
you came, and ! haven't seen him
aimee"
And you are worried because he
ooesn look WellE
mot altogether on that account I'm
afraid he is In deep water OF some
mind. ] never saw a person change as
he has In the past week or so. You
know him pretty we'll. and what a big
heart he has?"
She nodded. half mechanically.
We'll, there have been times lately
when I've been afraid he'd kill some.
body--in this squabble OF ours, you
know. He has been going armed
which was excusable enough. under the
circumstances-and night before last,
when we were walking uptown togeth.
er. had all | could do TO keep him
froih taking n pot.shot at a fellow
who, he thought. was following as. I
don't know but I'm taking all sorts
OF unfair advantage OF him, telling you
this behind his back, but"
No; I'm glad you have told me.
Maybe ! can help"
He put her into the low basket seat.
and tucked the dust.robe around her
carefully. While he was doing II he
looked up into her face and said I'D
love o awfully hard for what you
have done today-if you'd let me"
II was like her TO smile straight
into his eyes when she answered him.
When you can say that-in Just
that way-to the right woman, you'll
find a great happiness lying in wait
for you. Edward. dear" And then she
spoke TO the Morgan mare and dis.
lance came between.
AZ once before. In the earlier hours
OF the same day. Miss Grierson took
the roundabout way between the Ray.
mer plant and Mereside, making the
circuit which took her through the
college grounds and brought her out
at the head Of upper Shawnee street.
The Widow Holcomb was sitting on
her front porch, placidly %crocheting,
when the phaeton drew up at the
curb.
mir. G%riswold." said the phaeton's
occupant. May | trouble you 70 tell
him hat I'd like to speak to him q
moment"
Mrs. Holcomb, friend OF the Ray.
mers. the Farnhams, and the Oswalds,
and W cousin to the Bars. was OF
the perverse minority; and. apart
from this, she had ner own opinion OF
q young woman who would wait at the
door OF a young mans boarding house
and take him of for a night drive 70
goodness only know where. and from
which he did not return until good.
ness only knew when. So there was no
stitch missed In the c~rocheting when
she said, stifiy; Mr.. Griswold isn't
in. He hasn't been home since morn.
ing"
Miss Grierson drove on. and the
most casual observer might have re.
marked the strained tightening OF the
lips and the two red spots which came
and went in the damask peach checks.
But II was not until she had reached
Mereside, and had gained the shelter
OF the deserted library, hat speech
came.
20 pitiiul Christi" she sobbed, drop
ping into a chair and hiding her face
in the crook OF her arm; hes done II
at last!-he's trying to hide, and that's
what they've been waiting for! And
don't know where TO look.
But Matthew Brofin. fitting lazily
In his chair on the downtown hote
porch. knew very well where TO look
and he was watching the one cutie.
OF the hiding place as an alert. though
outwardly ~disregardful. house ca.
watches a mouse's hole.