The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-05-05

particular reasons for wanting 10 talk
with Rodney and 10 meet Miss l1''hs-
worth. had accepted.
You can count on its stopping he
said at last. My ranch is hundred
miles 10 the north Of here. | heard
Rodney was with your party, anu as
he was an old claSSmate of mine-lh
fact. my best friend ~ Harvard along
with Bert Mcadc"-and the mention OF
the forbidden name caused quick
glanres To be passed around the table,
hut raised no cumment-"the chance or
seeing him brought me down here. l
know the weather along this whole
section of the country; its the dryeSt
place on earth. and l would almost Of
fer 10 swallow all the rain that will
fall after this storm spends itself.
Wei. that's good" said CurtiSs. be
cause I've heard that the dam lacks
very little of completion, but that the
Spilway has been delayed"
You'll find that the storm has bro
ken in the morning" said Winters CON
tdently.
After dinner Colonel llllngWorth, de- .
>irous of talking business, called the .
/ men Of the party, except Rodney ana I
/ Winters back into the observation
room of the other car, leaving the two
men with Helen.
Mr.. Shurtliff." said Helen. as the
men stepped out on the platform, the
secretary following, since his employer
had intimated his services might be
needed. ''if you can. l wish you would
come back here as soon as possible.
Certainly, Miss IlinGworth.' said
the secretary. Immediately, if your
father finds that he does not need me-
Rod" said Winters when they were
alone, I'D go a long way To see you,
but | might as we'll be frank. | did
not come down these hundred miles.
leaving my ranch in the dead of winter
with all its possibilities of miShap to
the cattle. simply to see you, or even
Miss HlingwOrth here, although she is
, worth it," he went on with the frank
bluhtnesS of a western man.
"Of course you didn't" said Rodney,
smiling. Il know I'm not sufficient
attraction"
II came TO talk about Meade
;. MIR. Winters" said Helen, clasping
her hands over her knees and lean
ing forward. "if you know anything
: about him, where he is, what he is
a doing. how he fares, is he well, does
!. he think of beg you to tell me. "
nothing
7 would refuse to tell you if 1t rested
, with me-"
- ~ don't mind cOnfessing TO you, you
!. are such old friends, you and Mr.. Rod
! ney and so devoted to Bert, that l an
a worrying"
VI You need say nothing more, Mis-
ITIingworth. l know all about the stu
= alton. Rodney wrote me and
. well, then, you understand my anx
- ietv nv reason for aSkingT
. II do"
G And YOU will tell usT
> "I wish to heaven l could"
7, Cant you tell us anything|
well. yes, l can"
n "What?"
III ..It may be a breach Of confidence.
y "Td take the risk" said the girl, ne
"S bosom heaving. Was she at last abou
" TO hear from her loyert
"Know where he is, old MANI Gske
- Rodney.
=" 81 think sO-nOt sure, but
no "WhereY"-from the woman, breat
- lessly.
Ia II didn't agree to tell you THAI.
III what then?"
nel "AIl can say is that after the deal
yer Of his father he turned up at my rah'
one day some five months ago ana 10
ilu me his story"
the "Whatr exclaimed Rodney. ID
'm' he tell you he was innocent|
at "Not M first He told me he W
guilty"
or PM YOU didn't believe him. d
you?" asked the woman impulsive
ma Il certainly did not.
uid why nOt?'
well, l don't know why. u
didn't. that's all. l know Meade.
know him well. I know his make-l
We get accustomed to sizing up
mans actions out West here, and
didn't take me longer than 1t TO
him TO tell the story to know that
wasn't true"
"Oh. thank you for that" said
woman.
"But our beliefs are not eviden
Dick" interposed Rodney.
p I'VE can't prove it and that's
~ noint. told him." continued WintC
III .thot If was Il da-darned lie
I'll vour pardon, Miss Illingworth. me
! N told him that it was not true and Z
= ne was q fool for sticking to 1t, ant
II ar-he-udmitted- hounue
Winters, suddenly realizing that
vos ON the eve Of a breach OF co
; dnnce and checking himself just
tir,e, in fact, the subject was pain
~ him. and | let him alone, which
- what we generally do to man
~ doesn't want his affairs inquired
roo closely" Winters ended lam
raoIizing how near he had come
betraving his friends confidence
telling of Meade's own admission
tops no had said what he had to save