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

phone called Gordon to the office.
The chiefs secretary said the matter
was urgent.
He hurried away leaving Celia some
what anxious lest their plans for go
ing to New York that ~day.could not be
carried out. but she made up her mind
not to fret even if the trip had to be
put off a little. and solaced herself
with a short visit with her mother over
the telephone.
Gordon entered his chiefs office a
trifle anXiQusly. for he felt that in
justice to his wife he ought to take her
right back to New York and get mat
terS there adjusted; but he feared that
there would be business to hold him at
home until the Holman matter was
settled.
The chief greeted him affably and
bade him sit down.
II am sorry to have called you up so
early" he said. but we need you. The
fact is, they've arrested Holman and
five other men. n you are In imme-
date demand to identify them. Would
it be asking too much of an already
overworked man to send you back to
New York today?"
Gordon almost sprang from his seat
in pleasure.
1T just exactly fits in with my plans,
or rather, my wishes" he said, smiling.
There are several matters of my own
AiAl L WYNN iiNS W 1870
York and for which Of course l did not
have time"
He paused and looked at his chief.
half hesitating. marveling that the way
had so ~miraculously opened for him
to keep silence a little longer on the
subject Of his marriage. Perhaps the
chief need never be told that the mar
riage ceremony look place on the day
of the Holman dinner
That is good" said the chief. smil-
ing. You certainly have earned the
right to attend to your own affairs.
Then we need not feel so bad at hav-
ing to send you back. Can you go on
the afternoon train? Good! Then let us
hear your account Of your trip briefly.
| to see if there are any points we didn't
notice yesterday. But first just step
here a moment. l have something to
show YOU"
He flung open the door to the next
office.
you knew that Ferry had left the
department on account Of his Ill
health? have taken the liberty OF
having your things moved In mere.
This will hereafter be you headquar-
ters. and you will be next to me in the
department"
| gazed at the kindly old face. Pro
motion he had hoped for, put
such promotion, right over the heads OF
his elders and superiors, he had never
dreamed of receiving. He could have
taken the chief in his arms.
pooh! pooh!" said the chief. You
deserve 1t, you deserve it," when Cor
don tried to blunder out some words or
appreciation. Then, as If to cap the
| climax, he added:
"And, by the way, you n some one
has go to run across the water to look
after that Stanhope matter. That Will
fall to 20, I'm afraid. Sorry to Keep
YOU trotting around the globe. but per-
haps you'll like to make a little vaca-
| ton of it. The departmental give you
| some time If you want 1t. Oh, don't
thank me! It's simply the reward OF
| doing your duty, to have more duties
given you, and higher ones. You have
done well, young man. nave mere all
the papers in the Stanhope case, n
full directions written out, and then If
you can plan for it you needn't return,
unless 1T suits your pleasure. You UNI
derstand the matter as fully as l do al
ready. And nov for business. Let's
hurry through. There are one or W
little matters who must talk over n
| know you will want to hurry back
and get ready for your journey" And
so after all the account of Gordon's
extraordinary escape IND eventful jour-
ney home became by reason Of its hasty
repetition a most prosaiQ story COM
posed of the bare facts and not all OF
those.
At parting the chief pressed Gordon's
hand with heartiness n ushered him
out into the hall, with the same
brusque II he used to close all
business interviews, and Gordon found
himself hurrying through the familiar
halls in a daze of happiness, the secret
Of his unexpected marriage still his
own-and hers.
Celia was watching at the window
when his key clicked in the lock and he
let himself into the apartment his face
alight with the JOY of meeting her again
after the brief absence. She turned in
a CULVER of pleasure at his coming.
We'll, get ready" he said joyfully.
I'VE are ordered off to New York on
the afternoon train, with a wedding trip
to Europe into the bargain; and I'm
promoted to the next place to the chief.
What do o think Of that for a morn
ing's SURPRISE"
He tossed up his hat like a boy, came
eel to where h stood, and stopping
laid reverent lips upon her brow and
eyes.
"Oh, beautiful! lovely" cried Celia,
ecstatically, come sit down on the
couch and tell me about it. We can
work faster afterward IL we get 1t off
shocked that you were married with
out his permission or knowledge?"
why, that vas the best of all. I
didn't have to tell him l was married.
And he is not to know until just as I
sail. He need never know how 1t all
happened. 1t isn't his business and 1t
would be hard to explain. Nc one need
ever know except our mother and
brother unless you wish them to, dear"
"Oh, I am SO glad and relieved" said
Celia, delightedly. 1--WE been worrying
about that a little-what people would
think Of us-for of course we couldn't
possibly explain it all out as 1t is to us.
They would always be watching us to
see If we really cared for each other;
and ~suspecting that we didn't, and it
would be horrid. I think it is our own
precious secret, and nobody but man,
ma and Jeff have a right to know, don't
your"
Il certainly do, and I was casting
about in my mind as l went into the
office how I could manage not to tell
the chief, when what did he do but
spring a proposition on me to go at
once to New York and identify those
men. He a~pologized tremendously for