The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-16
CHAPTER XII.


might have used. had been long de-
iayed by his burst tire. lie took q
suburban trolley line for perhaps half
the distance and walked the rest.
AZ four o'clock III the morning he
pressed The arhor button, and old Hen
rlefte grumblIng al this second dis
turbance Of her rest reused Elinnr
again.
Time WAS precious. Hun, having
rung the announcing bell, made HIS
way up through the dew 10 the house.
And 30 II was that Elinor, opening the
house door, met him face 10 face. As
She recoiled from him. he closed the
door
n hove brought you a message from
Boroday.a he said swiftly. "I'ye been
i fool and scoundrel and--it's about
all up.
Eilnnr hardly realized what he was
saying. The light 81 horror had hardly
died out Of her eyes. To her, Walter
once her lover. now typified al of suf-
fering and nearness 20 death that lay
IN old Tillafy's room upstairs.
'eThe first train leaves the city ut
six o'clock" he said, trying TO keep his
voice steady. 1T Ii hardly likely they
win be out SO soon, but under some
prefext Or other they viii search the
house this morning"
"IIow can / leave the house now?
Upstairs III fathers room"
II know" he put In hastily II know
All about H Elinor | am sorry, I am
wildly sorry, It's no excuse 70 shy |
was crazy, but was"
III 10 away" Ellnor said, with
white lips. ahow win they manage
about hlm5 The nurse needs 80 mnny
things, and I-I see that she has them.
4 flame leaped into the boys eyes.
RI sou care for him like that
what are you going TO do about it7
Even n he cares for you, you cannot
marry him. III ne ever found out about
YOU
"ile win never marry me, And--he
does know
The fact that Ward knew the truth
about Elinor ana the baud brought
bnck 10 him their common peril. III
thrust aside. for the time az least hi,
passion and hia despair; and calml,
directed hts energies toward preparing
the house for the inevitable search,
SO systematic had old Hillary beer
Tint there were few papers 10 destroy,
Such Of the iedgers as were inerlmlnat-
ms he burned ia the furnace. Elinor's
box ~ Jewels he carried upstairs aud
placed on the library table, Such set
ings as had remained from the coun-
Try club raid after the gems had been
taken out, he melted together m old
Illlary's eruelble and placed the gold
aud platinum Nugget In Ellnor's box.
He hud set the safe 60 Il simple COM
binatlon ana closed Il, Except for It's
sire, and for the protective wiring
buried III les walls, II might have been
family safe built by a nervous and
elderly gentleman living IN the coun-
try to hold his silver spoons.
Ii was too late by that time to bury
the box as Roroday had suggested.
Hun did the next best thing. He
buried Il carefully In Ellnor's garden,
under elump OF crimson phlox.
Ellnor worked hurrledly, but with
hopeless eyes, Her preparations con.
sisted ia little more than putting on
the clothing Ia which she meant e
travel In this new life on which sht
was entering she wanted little to re
mind her OK the old. A letter to Hen
riette contained enough money 20 pay
of the servants aud the household Re
counts, In another envelope she fold
Cd the deed To the house and not
conveying II 90 Henrlette.
sY0n can sell II. she wrote, Good
by, dear Henriette, | shall never for
get you. and II ever II IS possible, b
sure I shall see you again"
The time came, lust before dawr
when she and Walter stood again fac
10 face Ia the library,
Hun was going az once. II was no
Boroday's plan that any Of Their
should further incriminate ElInor b
accompanying her 70 the train. Az
sound Of steps on the stairs. HUI
started.
4The nurse going down. probably 20
Ice she explained.
"Gie IS getting better. isn't hep
yes, but he still suffers az times"
when the steps had died away. El
nor slowly drew OF her engagement
ring. and held Il out 70 him across IN
table. Although be was watching he
he made no move 60 take Il, and sh
laid Il down between them on III
table.
Il don't think we need talk about |
walter" she said simply There,
nothing to say Is theref'
II suppose not. be returned bltterl.
He added: III only you viii try n,
20 hate ma. Elinor."
Il do not hate you. But II he ha
died"
Hun came swiftly around the tab
and taking both her hands In his. hel
them 70 HIS throat with a despalrlr
gesture
~If didn't know that il would mai
You more unhappy" he said slowl
nld kill myself tDdayn