The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1917-01-11

tipNiii5 a III SioiINVo o. Ni'S ~
who stood holding the little miniature
in her hand and asking questions with
q gentle voice:
Your mother, you say? How dear
h is! And she died so long ago!
You never knew her? oh, how strange
and sweet and pitiful to have a beau
tiful girl-mother like that"
h put out her hand to his in the
shelter Of the deep window, n they
thought Henry did not see the look and
touch that passed between them; but
he discreetly averted his eyes and
smiled benignly at the salt cellars and
the celery he was arranging Then he
hurried out to a florists next door and
returned with Il dozen white roses,
which he arranged in a queer little
crystal pitcher, one Of the few articles
belonging to his mother that Gordon
possessed. 1t had never been used be-
fore, except to stand on the mantel.
1t was after they had finished their
delightful luncheon, and Henry had
cleared the table and left the room, that
Gordon remarked:
Il wonder what has become of
George Hayne. Do you suppose he
means to try to make trouble"
Celia's hands fluttered to her throat
with q little gesture of fear. "Oh!' she
said. Il had forgotten him! How
terrible. He will do something, Of
course. He will do everything. He
will probably carry out all his threats.
How could 1 have forgotten! Perhaps
mamma is now in great distress. What
can we do? What can / do?"
She looked up at him helplessly, and
his heart bounded at the thought thai
she was his to protect as Ions as life
should last, and that she already de-
pended upon him.
Don't be frightened" he sootheG
49,. 4IIa 10 x.ItsN
dreadful, and If he tries Wen soon ST.
lence him. What he has written in
those letters is blackmail. He is sim
ply a big coward, who will u and hid
as soon as he is exposed. He thought
you did not understand law, and so
took advantage OF you. I'm sure l can
silence him"
"Oh, do you think so? But mammal!
Poor mamma. 1t will kill her! And
George will stop at nothing when he
is crossed. l nave known him too long.
Il will be terrible if he carries out his
threat" Tears were in her eyes, agony
was in her face.
I'VE must telephone your mother at
once and set he" heart at rest. Then
We can ind out just what ought to be
DONE" said Gordon soothingly. 1T was
unforSivaDly th%oughtless in me not to
nave done it before"
Celia's face was radiant at the
thought Of speaking TO her mother.
ON, how beautiful! Why didn't I
think of that before? What perfectly
dear things telephones are"
With. one accord, they went to the
telephone table.
Shall you call them up, or shall I?'
he asked.
You call and then | will speak to
mamma" she said, her eyes shining
with her joy in him. Il want them
/ to hear yOur voice again. They can't
help knowing you are all right when
they hear your voice.
For that he gave her a glance very
much worth having.
Just how do you account for the
fact that you didn't think ! was all
| right yesterday afternoon? | have q
very realizing sense that YOU didn't. !
used my voice TO the best of my abil-
ity, but it did no good then"
We'll, you see, that was different.
| There were those letters to be account
ed for. Mamma and Jeff don't know
anything about the letters"
And What are you going to tell
them now"
She drew her brows down n minute
II thought.
You'd better find out how much they
already know" he suggested. IF this
George Hayne hasn't turned up yet,
perhaps you a wait until you can
write, or we might be able to go up to-
morrow and explain it ourselves"
"Oh, could We? How lovely!"
Il think we could" said Gordon.
I'm sure l can make ii possible. OF
course, you know a wedding journey
isn't exactly in the program of the
secret service, but l might be able
to work them for one. l surely can
i'm a few days if this Holman business
| doesn't hnll me- nm NAV no needed
for a witness. I'll have TO talk with
the thief first"
"Oh, how perfectly beautiful! Then
YOU call them UP, and just say some
thing pleasant-anything, you know
and then I'll speak to mamma"
She gave him the number and in n
few minutes a voice from New York
said, Hello"
Hello" called Gordon. rs this Mr.
jefferson Hathaway? . . Well, this
is u new brotherinlaw. How are
you all? . . . Your mother recovered
from all the excitement n WEAKNESS:
. That's good. . . What's that:
You've been trying to phone US
in Chicago? . . But we're not in Chi
Cago. We changed u minds n came
to Washington instead. . Yes, were
in Washington-the Harris apart
ments. We nave been very selfish moi
to have communicated with O sooner
At least | nave. Cella hasn't q any
choice in the matter. I've kept her 81
busy. Yes, she's very well n seems
"a look happy. She wants TO speak fOl
herself. I'll try to arrange to bring hel
up tomorrow for n little visit. l wan
to see you, %. We've Il lot Of things
20 explain to you e.. Here is Celia
She want TO speak 10 you
Celia, her eyes shining, her lip!
quivcring with suppressed excitement
took the receiver.
"Oh. Jeff, dear, it's good 10 hear you,
voice." she said. rs everything al
right? Yes, I've been having a perfectly
beautiful time, n I've something fin
to tell YOU All those nice things yo!
said to me just before you got off thu
train are true. Yes, he's just as mic,
aS you said, and a great deal nicer he
SHES. oh. yes, I'm very happy, n
want to speak to mamma, please. jeff
is she all right? Is she perfectly well
and not fretting a bit? You know yOl
promised to tell me. What's that? Sh,
thought / looked sad? Well. l did, bu
that's all gone now. Everything is per
!; fectly beautiful Tell mother TO com,
to the phone, please ant To maxi
) her understand"