The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-02


III has occurred to me" the chief
went on, that that little town has been
pretty busy lately. There was that
matter Of the country club, you know,
and last Thursday night the parish
house burned down."
eyes" said Boroday, politely.
And now something else has hap
ptned and-' Suddenly the chief beat
his desk with his fist--'I am pretty
sick o. H."
Under perfect control as he was at
critical moments, the Russians hands
had a way o. twitchins. SO now he
clicked the ash from his cigarette and
WIS politely interested
"Wiiat happened last nightTf he In
quired.
II think you know. If you don't,
Ill tell you. Yesterday morning a
tremendous collection was taken up at
the church of Saint Jude's 10 build a
new parish house In place Of the one
that burned down. The rector has
been away. the assistant rector took
charge OF the money"
II see.r
"of course you see. What would
like 10 know Is why you fellows"
Boroday spread out his hands in his
foreign way.
4 fear you give me great credit. ]
do not deserve H."
why you fellows" the chief went
on resolutely, waited to do this Job
until the rector, who is old and in
firm, had gone away and left husky
young assistant In his place. And that
Isn't all / want TO know"
I'm amy way that can assist you"
"What the devil do you mean"
yelled the chief, "by shooting a man
down and then going away and leav-
ing the money In his pockets? It's
it's crude-lt's wastefulp
The Russians fingers twItched In
spite of him. The chief saw 1t and
smiled under his heavy mustache.
DO you mean that somebody shot
thls--er- assistant you speak Of? That
Is rather sud. Was there-much
money!"
"Seyenty-elght thousand dollars"
said the chief, and put his cigar back
in his mouth. "There is a story be-
hind II, Boroday, and it's that story /
am going to get. I'm warning you be-
cause you've played pretty square with
me, needed that pearl In my bust
ness"
Boroday rose.
"All right, chief" he said. III am
sorry about young Ward. / hope he
wasn't killed"
"He wasn't killed." replied the chief
"And / haven't said his name was
Ward. II you haven't had your break
fast yet, we might breakfast together.
/ oversight and haven't had time for
anything"
Ward came bnek to consciousness In
the great four-poster bedstead In
which old Hilary Kingston had lain In
state. He felt very little pain and no
curiosity at all as to his surroundings,
only IN overwhelming lassltude and
WEAKNESS Of life. Something
thing that mattered very much had
gone out OF existence. He could not
remember what II was.
There was uniformed nurse by the
bed. He had curious antlpathy to
asking her anything. He had made
promise OF secrecy TO someone
about what2
Toward evening ne had managed to
evolve out OF his reviving conscious
ness some faint memory of what had
happened 60 him. He remembered that
he was walking down a Hill and that
he had fallen forward, For quite u
half-hour, late in the afternoon, he
struggled to remember why he had
gone down the hill.
Then he got Il. He had been up at
the hall to see Ellnor. II was Ellnor
who had gone out OF his life. Elinor I
Ellnor
lie slept very little during the night.
and as his fever rose, he called the
nurse "Elluor," and begged her fran
tically to tell him that something vas
not true.
4 "Of course II IL not true" said the
nurse, who was accustomed to being
called various things.
"You did not mean II at allT' He
eyed her wistfully. The nurse was
large and plain, with wide, Hat face.
"You. with the eyes of saint" said
poor Ward. ito try to tell me that you
are wicked. l see that Il Is lmpos-
siblc. think can sleep now"
The nurse put her hand, which was
large and ill-shaped but very light and
tender, on his head. And SO he went
to sleep.
When he was quite settled. the nurse
went out into the HAN where Elinor
was sitting ON straight chair She
had sat there almost all Of the time
since Ward was carried up che night
| before.
Gro BE coNrINuEpl
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