The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-02-01

| was NaStih anu WCbs liz AAaN
kept Gloria from learning of Lois
affair with Freneau for Gloria's OWE
! sake. Now he believed that under
cover of the deception Lois own SOU
had been enabled to redeem itself.
He felt that Lois had earned the
right to have back the letters she had
| sent to Freneau. Whether she would
wish to destroy them or keep them az
q reminder and warning from her evil
| past, they belonged to her and to no
one else. Certainly Royce had no fur
Their use for them.
When he reached his Office and gath
cred up his instruments he took the
package of letters from the safe and
put them in his pocket. Then he re-
turned to the motor and sped back to
the Stafford country home.
1t was long ride and he was trou-
bled about many things, about Gloria's
determination to probe into the Sc
crets that could mean only a cruel dis
illuSionment for her, about the chances
for Trask's recovery, and the dangers
that threatened the Staffords if the
newspapers or the police learned with
what independence of the law the pris-
oner Trask had been captured and
held. He wondered at his own con-
nivance In the matter, and he shud-
dered to think how many Illegal acts
are constantly committed by the most
respectable people.
When he reached the Stafford es-
tate he stopped the driver of his car
and got out, telling the man to take
the case of instruments up to the
house. Royce had seen Lois stroIling
about the lawn in mood of solemnity
He felt that the time was appropriate
for the surrender of the letters. He
wondered if he had the right to de-
liver them over to her. Yet he knew
that he had no right to keep them. 1t
seemed that he had so tangled him
self in the net of the Freneau affair
that anything soever he did was bound
to be wrong.
He hurried to Lois and called to her.
She turned to him sadly and weakly.
He knew too much about her for to
face him without shame. He brought
little smile of relief to her along with a
swift blush of guilt when he said:
'Lois, I have decided to give back to
you the letters you sent to Freneau.
l read only one of them, and L have
forgotten, L think, what it said. I
think you have earned them back, and
T ad yic tn of hn
first opportunity"
He took the long envelope from his
pocket and her hand was just moving
forward to take it when he saw her
blush vanish in q flash of pallOr.
"My husband!' she whispered.
Royce thrust the envelope back in his
pocket just before he felt David's hand
on his shoulder and turned to look into
David's smile of comradeship.
Royce had to play-act with all his
might to pretend a cheer that he was
far from feeling. Once more the lOath-
some phase of deceit was uppermost.
He could not control himself under
David's eyes and he made an excuse
to move on.
81 was looking for Gloria" he said.
"She's over by the marble pool" Da-
vid answered. Royce moved on, know
ing that he was watched. He did not
want to meet Gloria with those letters
In his pocket, but he must go on with
the role.
Gloria seemed figure in a painting
as she stood at the edge of the blue
water in its white frame, with the for
NAL shrubbery and the graceful colon
made back of her. The boy Stas was
on one knee at her feet. He was sail
Ing tiny sloop on the tiny ocean.
AS soon as Gloria saw Royce SHE
beckoned to him with cordially that
she regretted at once, remembering
that someone else had waved to him
before. Having just seen him speak
to Lois, she felt sure that 1t was to
Lois that he had waved when he left
the house.
When Stas saw Doctor Royce he left
the sloop to it's fate and ran whooping
to him. Royce caught the child in his
hands and tossed him high, then
Drought MIN 10 Lne leFel OIL his SnOul-
der for hug and kiss. He loved chill
dren and children loved him.
He did not notice that the little
cropping hands of Stas had happened
on the envelope full of Freneau's let
ters and lifted it stealthily from his
pocket. When he set the boys feet
on the ground again Stas ran away,
the envelope and challeng-
ing Royce to a game of tag.
Royce's heart bounded with alarm.
"Give me the letter, my boy" Royce
said, putting out his hand.
Stas laughed and ran little farther
off. Royce followed, demanding. The
more anxious Royce was the more Stas
liked the game.
Royce was in mortal terror lest the
letters fall from the envelope and
somehow Gloria would learn their ma
ture.
He made a dash for Stas. Stas
behind a juniper and circled |
t. Royce chased him through clump |
Of rhododendrons.
Gloria began to laugh and encour-