Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-12-13

attempts TO open the puzzle DOX ana
that the Dowager Dragon was making
significant faces at Quoin over her
shoulder. ~
Permit me, Betty" Quoin suggest
ed. II 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 errand p Betty Merrll-es
donably confused.
'Yes-I sha'n't be long. Father
asked me to bring that to you; but
promised to call for me within an hour.
So was to attend to the other errand
| first, and wait here with you for him.
Dut my tdAlCuu DlOhc uOWu duu
"Craven coming here?" Betty inter-
rupted incredulously, but checked sud-
denly at a look from Quoin.
"As soon as he can get away" Lydia
affirmed. II mean, of course, wher-
ever you're really stopping"
"The Plaza"
"That's just across the way, isn't it?
It's odd of him to make such a 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
rather! Wen have supper together
all of u.s."
"And so-good night for thirty min
utes," Lydia laughed. Il must hurry"
"Wait a minute Peter put in. I'm
off too, you know, and going your way"
Elbow do you know you arel" Lydia
demanded, smiling back from the door
way.
Because that's the way I'm going"
"But / don't want you now, Mr..
Traft-though 1 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 oAthe Dowager Drag
on was satiric.
There was little pause.
What" Peter demanded, >a'what do
you know about that?"
after her, you loon," Quoin snapped,
waking up with a start. "If Craven
told her to go somewhere else first,
be sure he never meant her to bring
that necklace here. Don't you seew
"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 a
thumb on the push-button, he educed
only q thin, persistent grumble from
the annunciator bell, steadily dimin-
fishing 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
dewn 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
taxicab pulling away from the curb.
Peter gave chase, affording midnight
wayfarers the diverting spectacle of
beautifully arrayed young man-coat-
tails fiat to the wind and rain, top coat
streaming wildly from one arm, the
other brandishing the dernier cri in
toppers-in mad, mute pursuit of a,
self-contained taxicab proceeding stol-
idly about it's business.
Happily for Peter, it's business in
yolved observance of traffic regular
tons and when it 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 crash.
Hold hard ~ he begged between
| breaths. "Give me a chance"
"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 GREATNESS appari-
ton with an inarticulate cry.
"You forgot something" Peter
gasped in response, climbing in.
| "WhatY'
mel" he declared settling into the
place by her side; then thrust his head
out of the door and painted, Its all
right, driver. Cut along-and don't go
too fast-slippery pavements-"
/ "Rut Mr. Traft-v lydia aynostl1.