The Huttig news., 1917-08-04
CHAPTER TX.

Talbot, running out to the country club that afternoon for his Sunday game of golf. stopped off at the hall.
 He found Elinor lunching alone in he arbor, which commanded view 9f the valley.
 "1 brought out 8 letter from Boro- lay" he said, producing it. "He wrote yesterday morning, but I did not stop at the Dago's until an hour or so ,go.'
 The DagO was the owner of gam 1ling-hOuse far downtown-a sort of underworld clearing house. It's safety Tor Talbot and the others lay In the act that it drew its clientele from the Upper as well as lower walks of life. Huff. acting in his taxicab capacity as ;teerer, was able to come and go with ,ut suspicion. Talbot could not read old Hilary's Typtic shorthand. Only three had lnown 1t: Boroday, old Hilary him. 'elf, and Elinor.
 Elinor ran through 1t while Talbot | lte sandwich. She was rather white when she looked up.
 "It's about the Bryant pearl" she in- .erpreted "Boroday says that If the thief gets it back he will let him go. The chiefs reputation is hanging on 1t. The Bryants axe influential"
 She read the last paragraph aloud to lim:
 | 1 vxyIo fa1 you. Mail the pearl in a plain box to police headquarters. Mail it downtown n the city. If everything is all right. | I'll be able to get out to Nottingham in l week, perhaps less. This will make 1 he church plan unnecessary and re- l ieve Elinor's mind. 1 see you got the l parish house. It was foolhardy and lseless."
 Talbot rose and stretched himself.
 "Wonderful day for golf" he said. l Now let's have the pearl and I am )ff.'
 Elinor's eyes were pitiful.
 "Wouldn't any other pearl do?"
 He glanced down at her quizzically.
 "Where's your mind, ETinor? If you ose dog and want 1t back, will any other dog do? Why? Do you want the hing yourself?"
 q have given it away" said Elinor.
 Under his golf tan Talbot turned .ather gray.
 "To whom?'
 "The jewels were always mine," pro- ested Elinor, defending herself. "You nave always told me that. thought I lad right"
 ITO whom2"
 q put it in the almsbox at Saint Tude's this morning."
 '.Then 1t may still be there2"
 II don't know"
 "In the name of God!" Talbot broke put "What possessed you to give the thing away? Whim or no whim, you have no right to risk the rest of us. If that thing is traced back to you, you know what 1t means"
 "Nobody saw me"
 But Talbot was pacing up and down.
 "There's only one chance" he said. "Tll send a special delivery to the chief, telling him the thing Is In the almsbox. If it's still there, he'll get 1t and return 1t. If ie's already been dis covered, at least he can claim to have known its hiding-place."
 Talbot disgustedly relinquished his golf, and in the library of the hall wrote the anonymous letter to the chief. Then, in his gray car, he set of for the city to mail the letter.
 When he was in the car, the engine threbbing easily, Eliuor ventured tO put her hand on his arm.
 Last night" she said rapidly, Wal ter threatened all sorts of things; that he would get the morning collection al Saint Judes, that he would kill MT Ward. I am frightened, Tallie."
 Talbot patted her hand.
 "We will get this fixed up so 1t wont be necessary; and as for the other, you know Walter. He was mad witf jealousy last night. That's all talk"
 On that wild ride Talbot had little time to think, but, such as they were his thoughts were of Elinor and hel caprice.
 'It's the preacher, after all" he sait to himself. "It's enough to make olt Hilary turn over"
 From that his mind wandered tt Walter. He knew Huff, the violence o his temper, the madne. of his passloI for the girl Talbot was uneasy.
 Elinor had an unexpected svisito that afternoon. It was the Bryan woman.
 ! White, but very dignihed, Ellno