The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-08-18

was not resumed Miss Richlander was
apparently enjoying her dinner. Smith
was not enjoying his. but he ate as a
troubled man often will; mechanically
and as matter of routine. 1t was not
until the dessert had been served that
the young woman took up the thread
Of the conversation precisely as if it
had never been dropped.
Il think you know that you have no
reason to be afraid of me, Montague;
bur can't say as much for father. He
will be back in few days, and when
he comes ii will be prudent for you to
vanish That is a future, however
Smiths laugh was brittle.
"Wpm leave it a future, if you Ike.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof. +"
"Oh: 50 you class me as an evil, do
sour"
No; YOU know I didn't mean that;
/ merely mean that its no use crossing
he bridges before we come to them.
! I've been living from day to day 50
! long now. that l am becoming hard
. ened to it,"
Again there was a pause. and again
it was Miss Richlander who broke it.
| The slow smile was ds:npling again at
the corners Of the perfect mouth.
"You are going to need a little help,
Montague--my help-arcn't YOU? 1t
occurs to me that YOU can well afford
to show me some little friendly atten-
ton while am RobinSonCruSoed here
waiting for father to come back"
Let me understand" he broke in,
frOwning across the table at her. You
are willing to ignore what has hap
penpd-to that extent? You are not
forgetting that in the eyes Of the law
am a Criminal?"
She made faint little gesture of i'm
patience.
why do you persist in dragging
that in? | am not supposed to know
ANYTHING about your business affairs,
with WatrouS Durham or anybody
else. Besides. no one knows me here,
and no one cares Besides. again, | am
a stranger in a strange city and we are
or we used TO be-Old friends.
Her half-cynical tone made him
frown again. thoughtfully, this time.
"Women are curious creatures" he
commented. Il used to think knew a
little something about them. but
; guess il was a mistake. What do you
want me to do?'
"Oh. anything you like; anything
) that will keep me from Being bored t.
DEATH"
Smith laid his napkin aside anc
: glanced at his watch
There is a play of some kind on at
; the opera house, I believe he Sald
rising and going around TO draw hel
!. chair aside. IF you'd care to go, II
see if l can hold somebody up for
couple of seats"
"That is more like it. | used to b'
| afraid that you hadn't drop of sport
e ing blood in you, Montague, ana l an
glad to learn, even at this late day
: that | was mistaken. Take me up
Y stairs. and we'll go to the play.
They left the dining room together
I and there was more than one pair o
Z ewes to follow them in frank admira
g ton. "What a strikingly handsom
couple" said a bejewe!led lady VIII
" sat at the table nearest the door; ant
t her companion, a gentleman with rest
5 less eyes and thin lips and a rathe
: wicked jaw, said: Eyes; don't know
1 the woman, but the man is Colone
Baldwfn's new financier; the fello1
Y who calls himself John Smith.
! The bediamonded lady smiled dryl!
q "You say that as if you had morta
quarrel with his name. Crawford. If
, were the girl, shouldn't find faul
with the name. You say you don
u know herr"
1t Stanton had pushed his chair bac
4 and was rising. Take your time wit
# the ice cream, and I'll join you late
I upstairs. I'm going to find out who tn
u girl is, since you want to know"