Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-26

| at a nursing home, the address of
| which, by request, had been given him.
But Hardness was no longer there.
| He had got telegram with some I'M
expected tidings, and having been
pronounced strong enough to move,
! had left at half-hour's notice. There
was, however, a note for Mr.. Race IN
| case he remembered his promise to
pay a visit.
."Am Just off to get rooms for Mrs.
Hardness and myself at Savoy hotel,
| Christopher read, scrubbed hastily in
| pencil on shiny thin card such as
had introduced the owner to Scarlet
Runners master Mrs. H-has
wired will arrive sooner than she
thought. Shall probably remain in
London some days, as she wants to
shop; and would both be pleased if
you found time to call"
| Nothing further. No allusion to the
past or to the state of his health; MS
| closing admonition not to speak u
meant to see a leaf of the missing
chapter. Hardness trusted his new
| friend. He knew that such reminder
was unnecessary and Christopher felt
| the more warmly drawn to the little
man because of his silence.
| He did call at the Savoy that day,
and at such an hour as to be almost
sure of finding Mr.. and Mrs Hardness
| at home. He was not disappointed.
| They were in, and he was asked up to
their private sitting room.
If it had been Nourma Dalrymple's
room she would have had it full Of
+ flowers. Flowers seemed to come of
themselves where she was But Mrs.
Hardness had no such attraction for
the flower kingdom. There were flow
ers on the center table, supplied by
+the management for one of the best
suites in the house: and Mrs Hardness
had presented herself with parcels
There were boxes and bales of all sizes
and shapes, just arrived from various
shops; and there was Mrs. Hardness
in the midst of them all, tall, bust
ling woman of noticeably fine figure,
no particular complexion, restless
light eyes and a firm, full chin. She
was the embodiment of practicality-
| self-satisfied, well dressed practically;
kand as she and her husband came for
ward to meet their guest, she lowered
over him a good two inches in height.
Christopher had thought the Amer
can small, but now he seemed to have
shrunk to half his original size. The>
brown eyes were as kind and wistful
as ever, and they lighted up with
pleasure at sight of him.
"Why, yes," said the lady, "Mr.
Hardness has told me how lucky he
was to have gotten you and your cele-
DRAFTED automobile to take him a trip.
expect you both had nice time,
from what I've got out of Mr.. Hank
ness, but I can't say his vacation in an
auto seems to have done him much
good, by the way he looks. He appears
to me twice as tired and peaked as he
did before l left him at our home
some months ago. But he tells me he's
all right"
dinner, which they were having early,
afterwards, but Christopher pleaded
an engagement.
"Well?" he said, when Hardness
went down with him to the door.
ut is well,"- the other answered.
, 1.-The big doctors mighty pleased
with her; thinks she's even better than
he hoped. l guess no one, not even you,
can understand what that means my
knowing the happiness that's surely
coming to her now will be just tiny
bit through me. Miss Dalrymple, the
aunt, has written all about everything,
since it's over, to the young man. He
is a baronet. l know his name now.
He's Captain Sir Everard MolyneuX.
She'll be Lady MOlyneuX Cant you
just see how happy he'll be, finding
out she did care always and why she
wouldn't let him know? She wouldn't
have called him back herself, but Miss
Dalrymple could tell him all right"
Then he shook hands with Christie
pher and went back to his wife.
(Another Adventure Next Week.) I,