Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-01-11

silver china and glass in place, an,
casting admiring glances at the lady
VINO stood holding the little miniatur
IN her hand and asking questions Will
a gentle voice:
Your mother, you say? How dea
she is! And she died so long ago
You never knew her? oh, nov strang,
and sweet and pitiful to have a beau
tiful girl-mother like that
She put out her hand to his in tn,
shelter of he deep window, and the.
thought Henry did not see the look ant
touch that passed between them: bu
he discreetly averted his eyes am
smiled benignly at the salt cellars ant
the celery he was arranging Then h
hurried out TO a florists next door an
returned with a dozen white roses
which he arranged in a queer littl,
crystal pitcher, one of the few article!
belonging to his mother hat Gordo,
possessed. 1t had never been used be.
fore, except to tar on the mantel.
1t was after they had finished theil
delightful luncheon, and Henry hat
cleared the table and left the room, tina
Gordon remarked:
Il Wonder what has become o
George Hayne. Do you p h,
means to try to make %trouble?"
Celia's hands fluttered to her throa'
with a little gesture of fear. OH" she
said. Il had forgotten him! How
terrible. He win do something, OF
course. He will do everything. He
will probably carry out all his threats
How could 1 have forgotten! Perhaps
mamma is now in great distress. Wha,
can we do? What can / do?"
She looked up at him helplessly, and
MS heart bounded at the thought that
she was his to protect as long as life
| should last and that che l,-no 1- do
pended upon him.
Don't be frightened" he soothed
her. He cannot do anything very
dreadful. and if he tries Well soon 81.
lence him. What he has written in
those letters is blackmail. He is sim.
ply a big coward, who will run and hide
as soon as he is exposed. He thought
you did not understand law, and SO
took advantage of o I'm sure l can
silence HIM"
"Oh, do you hin so? But mamma
Poor mamma! 1t will kill her! And
George will stop at nothing when he
is crossed. | have known him too long,
1t will be terrible if he carries out MS
threat" Tears were in her eyes, agony
was in her face.
I'VE must Telephone your mother at
once and set he" heart at rest. Then
We San tind out just what ought to be
done" said Gordon soothingly. 1T was
unforgivaply ~thoughtless in me not to
nave done it before"
Celia'S face was adam at the
thought of speaking to her mother.
ON, how beautiful! Why didn't ]
think of that before? What perfectly
dear things telephones are"
With II accord, they went to the
telephone table.
Shall YOU call them up. or shall To-
he asked.
"Nnn tull and t,o,, I win e,>o,1- e,
mamma she said, her eyes shining
with her joy in him. Il want them
to hear your voice again. They can't
help knowing you are all right when
they hear your voice.
For that he ave her a glance very
much worth having.
Just how do you account for the
fact that YOU didn't think | was all
right yesterday afternoon? l have a
very realizing sense that O didn't.
used NY voice to the best of my abil
ity, but it did no good hen"
We'll. you sec, that was different
There We're those lcttels To be account
ed for. am and Jeff don't know
anything about the letters"
And what are you going to tell
them now"
She drew her brows down a minute
and thought.
You'd better find out how much they
already know he suggested. If this
George Hayne hasn't turned up vet
perhaps o can wait until you can
write, or we might be able to go up to.
morrow and explain it ourselves"
ooh. could we? How lovely!"
Il think we COULD said Gordon.
I'm sure l can a it possible. OF
course, o know a wedding journey
isn't exactly in the program of the
secret service, but l might be able
to work them for one. surely can
in a few days if this Holman business
doesn't hold me up. l may be needed
for a witness. I'll nave to talk with
the chief first"
"Oh, how perfectly beautiful! Then
you cafl them up. and just say some
thing pleasant-anything. You know
and then I'll speak to mamma
She gave him the number and in a
few minutes a voice from New York
said, Hello"
Hello" called Gordon. rs this MIR.
jefferson Hathaway? Well, this
is your new brotherinlaw. How are
YOU all? . Your mother
from all the excitement and WEAKNESS =
Ihats good. What's that?
You've been, trying to phone us
IN chicago? Blu were not in Chi
cago. We changed our minds and came
to washington instead. Yes. We're
in Washington-the Harris a
pCSII WHY SELFISH HOl
to have communicated with YOU sooner.
At least | have. Celia hasn't had any
choice in the matter. I've kept her So
busy. Yes, she's Very well and seems
TO look happy. She n to speak for
herself. III try to arrange to bring her
up tomorrow for a little visit. / want
TO see you, too. We've ii lot of things
70 explain to yoa. Here is Celia.
She wants to speak to YOU
Celia, her eyes shining, her lips
quivering with suppressed excitement,
took the receiver.
oh. Jeff, dear. it's good to.hear your
Voice" she said. rs everything all
right Yes, I've been having a perfectly
beautiful time. n I've something fine
to tell YOU All those nice things you
said to me Just before you got off the
train are true. Yes. he's Just as nice
as you said. n a great deal nicer be-
SIDES. Oh. yes, Tn very happy, and ]
want to speak to mamma, please. Jeff,
Is h all right. Is she perfectly we'll,
and n o fretting a bit2 You know you
promised to tell me. What's thate She
thought I looked sad? Well. / did. but
that's all gone now Everything Is per-
fectly beautiful Tell mother to come
to the 'phonc, please want to make
her understand"
Pm going to tell her. DEAR. she
whispered, looking 10 at Gordon. .sI'm