Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-10-19

tolled the virtues Of his mistress TO
the interested nurse.
II was IN the neighborhood Of eight
o'clock when Pearl left the hospital
and entered her waiting automobile at
the curb. Adams occupied the chauf-
feur's seat. The car was a brand new
runabOut Pearl was trying out at the
earnest request Of a local dealer anx-
ious to obtain her Endorsement.
Adams, who had showed surprising
familiarity with the mechanism Of au-
tomobiles, was only too glad when
Pearl suggested a shore ride celebrat-
ed among motorists, before going home.
II gave him n secretly lOnged-for OPP
portunity to talk privately with Pearl
in a more or less unrestrained man
ner.
The night was still and soft The
two participants In SO many recent n
unusual adventures spun quietly along
the smoothly oiled road. Swiftly the
city lights receded from view and they
entered a region OF thickly-foliaged
trees on one side add clustering river
shrubbery on the other, under a cloud
less and starllt sky. 1t was n Of
those nights when nature Gains the
senses, suspense is relaxed and worries
and fears are hushed Into a sort of
forgetfulness. SO was 1t with Pearl
Dare and T. o. Adams. They gllded
away from the troublesome scenes and
memories into a period Of reposeful re-
Election.
They conversed almost in whispers
and, for the first time since their re-
turn to Washington, in the Granadian
language, which both spoke fuently
and in which Adams did not stammer.
ION such a night I like to forget
everything in life but the pleasant"
Pearl murmured, a touch Of sadness In
her voice.
Adams said something in a low
tone about dream nights. Now that
he was alone In this way with Miss
Dare he controlled his rising emotions
with difficulty.
"Dreams7 1 once had Dreams" She
was thinking Of Ralph Payne.
81 know" he mumbled, sympathetic
cally. "Some day they will come true
in quite a different and as altogether
satisfactory way, Miss Dare"
She shook her head. "Vm one whose
heart never changes. / have tried to
forget Ralph" with infinitely soft en-
phasis. 81 have tried to make myself
believe that Thornton Brent might
eventually take his place. But I know
that he will not. 1 shall marry
she ended abruptly.
"You believe now utterly and com
pletely in Payne's innocence? That he
might have established it had he
livedT"
utterly"
II once promised you to assist in
clearing his NAME" he observed, after
a long pause. 1--WE have not succeeded
in our joint efforts. Every day brings
some new and more disturbing compll,
cation. Soon we will find ourselves
| drawn tightly into the network OF
mystery In which we have been strug
Cling these many weeks. An instinct
far more subtle than our own is bat
Ting against us, Miss Dare"
Sometimes l think 1t is not human
She darted a swift glance ut the face
= bent over the wheel. Sometimes
S think that of you also"
He laughed in a mirthless fashion
4 Miss Dare, apart from the fact tina
l the government would be grateful, 1
t 1 unmask the Silent Menace what will
l. it mean to you in a personal wayT"
t She pOndered the question. Let m,
o understand you correctly. Have you
clue to the identity of the Silent Men
o ace2"
81 think 1 have" very abruptly.
g "If 1t is not a false One!"
81 think It is not" in the same man
s ner.
do you infer that 1t would, If true
k solve the riddle about|Captail
Payne7"
s ut would prove his innocence absC
utely."
It She regarded him steadily. Her
y was a man who, from her experience
on the Granadian frontier, she kneN
to have somewhere in his life a bach
ground of mystery. He seemed to b
r an untutOred and ordinary America
s Of the western plains type In fact, hi
proven pedigree revealed that. Blu
/" not only did he converse in a facil
= manner In various languages and o.
1t %casionally drop hints Nnwittlngly Q
l. a wide observance of ana rs and cui
toms, as a highly educated and wOrlC
IS Travelled man might, but he also exhil
tied a versatility in every other dire,
IS ton.
K Who was he? What was he2 WhenC