The Raymer enterprise., 1917-12-06

lpn wiz, ne SAID shortly.
THANK YOU she laughed. 'In a
minute or so I'll go back to the presl-
dents Office and collect" Then: zone
dinner. lodging and breakfast OF US
was about all you could stand. wasn't
1t? thought maybe II would be that
way"
What made you think so7'
She had seated herself In the chair
reserved for inqulring investors. There
was little interval OF glove-smooth.
Ing silence, and then, like flash out
Of clear sky, she smiled across the
desk end at him and said:
"Will you forgive me II I ask you a
perfectly ridiculous question:
Certainly. Other people ask them
every day"
Isis your name really and truly
John SmlthT
"Why should you doubt III"
II was just here that Smith was
given to see another one of Miss Co
rona's many moods-or tenses-and 1t
was new one to him. She was ylslbly
embarrassed.
IL don't want to tell you" she
stammered.
"All right; you needn't"
'lf you're going TO take II that easy,
l will tell you" she retorted. Mr..
Williams thought your name was an
alias; and I'm not sure that he doesn't
still think So"
THE Smiths never have TO have
aliases. It's like John Doe or Richard
Roe, you know"
Haven't you any middle namef'
II have middle initial. II is M"
He was looking her fairly In the eyes
as he said 1t, and the light In the new
Offices was excellent. Thanks to her
horseback riding, Miss Corona's small
oval face had a touch OF healthy out
door tan; bur under the tan there
came, for just fitting instant, a flush
OF deep color and at the back OF the
gray eyes there was something that
Smith had never seen there before.
''Tt's-it's just an inltialf' she
queried.
"Yes; it's Just an initial. and | don't
use 1t ordinarily. I'm not ashamed Of
the plain john"
Il don't know why you should be-"
she commented. half absently, he
thought. And then: "How many John
NJ. Smiths do You suppose there are
in the United Statest
"oh, don't know; a million or so, I
guess"
Il should think you would be rather
glad Of that" she told him. But when
he tried to make her say why he should
be glad she talked poIntedly Of other
things and presently went back to her
fathers Office.
There were fine little headings Of
perspiration standing on the fugltlve's
forehead when she left him.
After the other members Of the of.
flee force had taken their departure,
he still sat at his desk striving To bring
himself back with some degree of clear.
headedness to the pressing dcmands of
his job. Just as he was about 10 give
IL up md 90 across TO the Hophra
House for his dinner, William Starbuck
drlfted In to open the railing gate and
TO come and plant himself in the chair
of privilege at Smiths desk end.
well, son; you've got the animals
stirred MP good and plenty, at last"
he said, when he had found the "mal,.
ings" and was deftly rolling a cigar.
ette-hls one overlapping habit reach
Ing back TO his range-ridlng youth.
Dick Maxwell got a wire today from
his Riddles grandpaw-and my own
respected daddy-in-law-Mr. Hiram
Fairhalrn; you know hlm-the lumber
king"
I'm listening" said Smith.
Dicks wire was an order. instruc-
lions from headquarters to keep hands
off of your new company and TO work
strictly In cahoots-'harmony' was the
word he uscd-with Crawford Stanton.
How does that fit your"
The financial secretary's smile was
the self-eonTatulatory face-wrinkllng
Of the quarry foreman who has seen
his tackle hitch hold to land the big
stone safely at the top Of the pit.
"What Is Maxwell going to do about
iti" he asked.
"Dick Is all wool and yard wide:
and what he signs his name to Is what
he is going to stand by. You won't lose
him, but the wire shows US Just about
where we're aiming TO put our leg into
the gopher hole and break Il. doesn't
itr
"I'm not borrowing any trouble. Mr..
FairbaIrn and his colleagues are Just