The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-04-28


there was no missing. was the last straw.
breaking through her reserve. demol!shing
her dainty aloofness She shook the swing
ing gray veil back out OF her eyes and
looked up at him. openly and frankly be-
widered looking very young and immeas-
urably alluring.
Will you tell me why you speak in that
way? Will you tell me why it is the worst
thing that has happened to you in Hunston
to have been helped little by me?
They faced each other at the open door.
not an arms length between them. and the
moment OF his reckoning for the quarter
OF an hour he had spent with her that niS!:.
was suddenly upon him. He met her eyes,
which were darkly blue. stared down into
them. and as he did so the spell Of her
beauty treacherously closed around him.
piping away his selt.control. deadenins him
to the iron fact Of who she was and who
he was. shutting out all knowledge except
that Of her fragrant nearness.
1t Is absurd" he answered her suddenly.
but to save my life can't decide whether
you are tall or short"
The front door came open with bang:
the noise brought him sharply to himself:
and the next moment q pleasant, impatient
masculine voice called out:
II say, Miss Carstairs! Er-everything
all right"
"O.-yes. Mr.. Richards! " she called peni.
NJ
please don't go out with me. Mr. Varney.
Don't let anybody see that you are here"
Certainly not" said he. struggling for a
poise which he could not quite recapture.
Then will you be good enough to convey
my gratitude to Mr.. Hlgginson and say that
I hope to have the opportunity Of thanking
him personally tomorrow"
Yes. of course. Good night once more
and good luck"
But he detained her long enough to put
the plain business question which had been
torturing his soul for the last twenty-four
hours.
We shall see you at luncheon tomor-
row."
He strove to give his remark the air Of
mere commonplace OF farewell: hut at it.
he saw her look break away from his and
the warm color stream into her face.
"Why-I--Ill come with pleasure. We
don't get the chance 10 lunch on yachts
every day in funston. O. but please" she
exclaimed. her embarrassment suddenly
melting in very natural and charming
Io, +hnr haf
we've not been introduced"
He bowed low so that she might not see
the burlesQue of polite pleasure on his face.
The back alley exit proved all that the
most timorous could have desired. Peter
approached it by an elusive detour: Varney
appeared promptly at the sound OF his three
honks: and the rendezvous was effected in a
black darkness which they seemed 10 have
entirely to themselves. Not hand was
raised to them. not q threatening figure
sprang up to dispute their going. not fierce
curse cursed them. The would-be assassins.
II such there were. presumably still lurked
in some Main street GRANNY patiently and
stupidity waiting entirely unaware that they
strategics Of Miss Mary Cairstairs.
The car rolled noiselessly out Of the alley,
skinned of through the southern quarter
Of the town and bowled into the rough and
rutty River, road toward the yacht. Once
there, since a sharp lookout for the reporter
was necessary. they slowed down and down
until the smooth little car. with all lights
out. crawled along no faster than vigorous
man will walk.
"Whatre you going to do when we catch
him." asked Peter. Want to haul him on
back to the YACHT"
NO. Tm-only going to talk to him lit
tie. Go on with the story
Well" resumed Peter, taking one hand
from the driving wheel to remove genuine
Connecticut Havana. the first thing was a
wire from the Daily hrin-; Hammerton.
That assisted 4 little. Of course. Then they
asked us TO give them a new. good man at
once. and meantime to push along all the
story we had We answered with n wire
that was a beauty. If do mention it myself.
telling them exactly how they'd been sold
a second hand gold brick by n corrupt paper
which wa. trying to play politics. 1t simply
knocked the pins from under them. 1t took
EN-. quite while to come back with inquiries
about the name OF the yacht, Farney's air
of mystery, and all that line OF slush. Ny
response was vigorous. yet gentlemanly.
straintng the truth for all shed stand. and
even busting her open here and there
gravely fear. However. 1t was clincher
1t crimped them right. Not peep have we
had from EN- since"
II suppose they'll run four lines on the
thirteenth page tomorrow explaining it was
all a mistake"
But that wasn't the serious part Of the
thng-not by mile walk" continued Peter,
the shine Of victory in his honest eyes. " Am
1 still in the road? Sing out If You see me
taking to the woods. will you? The more
think Of what you and have missed by
shave. the more I'm likely to feel sick IN
o1S had