Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-10-02

shoulder.
Permit me, Betty" Quoin suggest
ed. Il think / know the trick"
In another breath the box was open,
the necklace in its owners hands.
Merely my foolish delight to see
you again so soon, my dear" A hand
patted affectionately one of Lydia's
flushed cheeks as, released, breathless,
and wondering, she stepped back to
readjust her hat
you're awfully good to me, Mrs.
Beggarstaff. But can't stop a minute.
I've another errand to run for father
he's very busy tonight"
another errandl" Betty Merrilees
parroted out of mind perhaps par
donably confused.
"Yes-I sha'n't be long. Father
asked me to bring that to you; but
promised to call for me within as hour.
SO l was to attend to the other errand
first, and wait here with you for him.
But my taxicab broke down and"
"Craven coming here?" Betty inter-
rupted incredulously, but checked sud-
b'iiy At a itOh lIbiu QuOlu.
GAS soon as he can get away" Lydia
affirmed. 81 mean, of course, wher-
ever you're really stopping"
''The Plaza"
THAT'S just across the way, isn't 1t?
It's odd of him to make such mis-
take. He said the Margrave distinctly.
But I'll ask for you at the Plaza in
half an hour, if you don't mind"
mind On the contrary" Mrs. Mer-
rilees said pleasantly, "Tll be delight
ed. Tad, too. That will be fun
ratherl Wen have supper together
all of us"
"And so--good night for thirty min
utes," Lydia laughed. 81 must hurry"
"Wait a minute" Peter put in. I'm
off too, you know, and going your way"
"How do you know you arep' Lydia
demanded, smiling back from the door
way.
Because that's the way I'm going"
"But 1 don't want you now, Mr..
Traft-though I shall hope to see you
again in half an hour. Good-by."
The hall-door closed, leaving Peter
as dashed as Betty Merrilees was
thunderstruck, as Quoin was thought
full, as the smile of the Dowager Drag
on was satiric.
There was little pause.
What" Peter demanded, "what do
you know about that?"
after her, you LOOM" Quoin snapped,
waking up with start. "If Craven
told her to go somewhere else first,
be sure he nevev meant her to bring
that necklace here. Don't you seeT
Ass" Peter groaned, shifting his
forehead. "Why didn't / think?" Seiz-
ing hat and coat, he threw open
the door even as the elevator gate
changed.
The car had dropped from sight be-
fore he reached the shaft. Planting u
thumb on the push-button, he educed
only a thin, persistent grumble from
the annunciator bell, steadily dimin-
ishing in volume as the car continued
wilfully to descend.
Infatuated, the young man commit
ted the soul of the elevator attendant
to the nethermost depths of damnation
and, turning to the stairway, plunged
down the flights in breakneck haste,
three steps at time.
Across the lobby he sped as one
bounded by furies, and gained the car
riage entrance barely in time to see a
taxicab pulling away from the curb.
Peter gave chase, affording midnight
wayfarers the diverting spectacle of a
beautifully arrayed young man-coat-
tails fiat to the wind and rain, top coat
streaming wildly from one arm, the
other brandlshing the dernier cri in
toppers-in mad, mute pursuit of a
self-contained taxicab proceeding stol-
idly about its business.
Happily for Peter, its business in
volved observance of traffic regula-
lions; and when 1t paused to give pre-
cedence to a Fifty-ninth street cross
town car Peter caught up-if some
thing more rudely than he had thought
to. Unable to check quickly on the
greasy asphalt, he skidded against the
door with a crash.
Hold hardp' he begged between
breaths. "Give me a chancep
''What the" commented the chauf-
fear suspiciously.
But at the same time Peter jerked
the door open, and-a Gravity, sinking
sensation deserted his midst: the fare
was Lydia. after all
She greeted this breathless appari-
ton with an inarticulate cry.
''You forgot something" Peter
gasped In response, climbing In.
"What7"
mel" he declared settling into the
place by her side; then thrust his head
out Of the door and painted, tits all
right, driver. Out along-and don't go
too fast-slippery pavements-"
"But, Mr.. Trait" Lydia expostu-
lated.
Peter shut the door with bang and
the car, with an unobstructed way,
picked up wary heels and stole on up
Fifth avenue.