Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-06
Continued.

"It is thus that loyalty is reward
ed" sighed Tommy. mo matter what
1 start, get the worst of it. Billy,
why didn't you get to the dancer"
The culprit cast a guilty glance at
Geraldine, but he met only the bright
est and freest of smiles. By jinks,
she was we'll got up tonight! One OF
those soft, shimmering, pink, fluffy,
filmy, lacy dinner gowns, pearls
around her neck and in her gold
brown hair. Her eyes, too! He had
never seen them so snappy. 1t was
as If there were a smoldering fire
in them.
"I'll make a clean breast of it and
take my licking" he offered. TT
started with Miss Stuart" Geraldine
missed her shot, and stood back lean
ing gracefully on her cue. -.
II was cheated" complained
Tommy. Geraldine says she's a
stunner!"
'She certainly isl" Billy's en-
thusiasm was boundless. He was cal
culating his shot with an absorbed
gaze. The careless Tommy Tinkle,
watching Geraldine with the practiced
eye of a color artist, noted fleeting
change in her tint. Curious. There
was an admixture of blue in that
fleeting change, which lasted for but
an infnitesimal instant. Probably
due to a slight stoppage of the tiny
surface veins. Billy made his shot,
a well-timed three-cushion affair
Miss Stuart's father was a very fam
having book published for Mrs.
Stuart" He glanced at Geraldine,
and found her eyes fixed wonderingly
on him. She did not, however, ask
him why he was concerning himself
in the publication of the book. Billy
explained 1T anyhow, in answer to the
look. Il thought it was knowledge
the profession should have" Some
how the explanation seemed lame,
but he let it go. He ran three more
points while he worried over the mat
ter. We'll, Miss Stuart brought up
some missing pages of manuscript
yesterday, and Mr.. Doe walked in
while she was there. He went all to
pieces! She reminded him so much
OF his little girl. She was burned to
death in a theater fire. 1t was hor-
rible!" Billy caught the astonished
eyes of Tommy Tinkle fixed upon
MIN, and he suddenly remembered
that this must be startling news to
Tommy. 1t confused him so much
that he went wide of an absurdly easy
'set-up."
Terrible AFFAIR."" Tommv's tone
was perfectly serious, as he came over
to the table. and his face was grave.
Ihat look of astonishment had only
lasted for second and the twinkle
OF amusement which had followed
was as quickly gone. II knew there
must be some extremely tragic event
in Mr.. Does life; but, of course he
would not talk of such thing to me-"
and as Geraldine stopped to pick up
her handkerchief, Tommy stared
Searchingly at his friend
Ihat is what drove Mr.. Doe to
drink finished Billy. in his most
SYMPATHETIC tones and with a CLEAN
of satisfaction in his eye. The thing
was wound up SO neatly now.
Il see." Geraldine's voice, too.
was sympathetic. Poor old Mr.
Doe! L liked him so much. You
must be very glad you brought him
home that night"
We'll, rather!" Billy lounged over
by Geraldine and sat down beside her
for a comfortable five minutes.
Iommy Tinkle was one of those in
ana out players who was likely to
miss ten times and then run rp a
string of fifty. Geraldine's hand Law
on the arm of her chair, and BilIv
put his own over it. The hand he
meath WINGED at the touch: then il
lay still and warm. Does a won
der! He'll make my business the
olssest IN town. I'd say our business,
door. If it hadn't been for him I
wouldn't have found out what wa
the matter with the Pannard Build
ing! | wouldn't have gotten the Arts
and Sciences job at all; | wouldn't
even have met Miss Stuart! Octavia is
her name. They call her Tayv
Cuddly, isn't it?"
The hand on the chair WINGED. and
Jerked away. 1t wavered a second
and then went up quickly to touch q
strand of gold-brown hair. It came
pack again, and snuggled its wav nm
der the big palm.
! How is he connected with her 9'
Geraldine had developed into a good
llstener. 1t was a new trait in her
Billy, however, caught his breath
lie was in muddle again, and he
was the more confused in that
Tommy, already started on one ot
his aggravating runs, waited for an
answer. 60
! We'll, it was Mr.. Doe who suseest.
ed that If there was another Harrison
stuart book it should be published .
He breathed freely again. Tommy
went on with his game.
so that's why you couldn't come
to the dance"