Mexico Missouri message., 1917-08-30

pleasantly: "It is an exceedingly little
world, isn't 1t, Montague?"
He nodded gloomily.
"Much too little for q man to hide
in," he agreed; adding: But think
l have known that, all along; known,
at least, that it would be only q ques-
tion of time"
After the waiter had taken Miss
Richlander's order she began again.
'Why did you run away?" she asked.
Smith shrugged his shoulders help
lessly.
"What else was there for me to do?
Besides, believed, at the time, that
had killed Dunham. 1 could have
sworn he was dead when left him."
She was toying idly with the salad
fork. Sometimes / am almost sorry
that he wasn't" she offered.
(Which is merely another way of
saying that you were unforgiving
enough to wish to see me hanged?" he
suggested, with sour smile.
"It wasn't altogether that; no."
There was pause and then she went
on: 81 suppose you know what has
been happening since you ran away
what has been done in Lawrenceville,
mean?"
81 know that have been indicted by
the grand jury and that there is a re-
ward out for me. IFS two thousand
dollars, isn't it?"
She let the exact figure of the re-
ward go unconfirmed.
"And still you are going about in
public as If all the hue and cry meant
nothing to you? The beard is an i'm
provement-it makes you look older
and more determined-but it doesn't
disguise you. should have known you
anywhere, and other people will"
Again his shoulders went up.
"What's the use?" he said. 81
couldn't dig deep enough nor fly high
enough to dodge everybody. You have
found me, and II you hadn't, somebody
else would have. 1t would have been
the same any time and anywhere"
II was intending to go on up to the
mines with father" she said evenly.
"But last evening, while was waiting
for him to finish his talk with some
mining men, was standing In the mez-
canine, looking down into the lobby. l
saw you go to the desk and leave your
key; / was sure couldn't be mista-
ken; so told father that had changed
my mind about going out to the mines
and he seemed greatly relieved. He
had been trying to persuade me that
would be much more comfortable If
should wait for him here"
It was no stirring of belated senti-
ment that made Smith say: you
you cared enough to wish to see meT'
Naturally" she replied. "Some peo-
pie forget easily: others don't. sup
pose am one OF the Others"
Smith remembered the proverb about
a woman scorned and saw a menace
more to be feared than all the terrors
Of the law lurking in the eyen-toned
rejoinder. 1t was with some foolish
idea of thrusting the menace aside at
any cost that he said: "You have only
to send ten-word telegram to Sheriff
Macauley, you know. I'm not sure that
it isn't your duty to do So"
"Why should you telegraph Barton
Macauley2" she asked placidly. 'I'm
not one of his deputies"
'But you believe me guilty, don't
your"
The handsome shoulders twitched in
the barest hint of indifference. "As
have said, am not in Bart Macauley's
employ--nor in Mr.. Watrous Dun.
hams. Neither am the judge and
jury to put you in the prisoners box
and try you. suppose you knew wnat
you were doing, and why you did 1t
But I do think you might nave written
me line. Montague. That wor;d have
been the least you could have done.p
For some time afterWard the tall