Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-10-05
CHAPTER XIV.

True to her instinct for the dramatic
moment, when the telephone interrupt
ed Mrs. Beggarstaff answered with no
apparent emotion and nothing more
than q noncommittal "YesY followed
at a brief interval by Eyes, If you
please, at once" Then, hanging up the
receiver, she set herself artfully to de
lay Mrs. Merrilees. "This is all very
determination; "but I want to know
what real evidence you have got
against Craven"
Nothing" Quoin admitted, beyond
circumstantial evidence, which, how
ever well grounded, wouldn't hold to-
gether a minute under the analysis of
any able-bodied criminal lawyer"
mo actual proOf?'
mot a whit. You may be sure era
ven never took an active hand N any
of these affairs: merely engineered
them with his inside information and
superior intelligence. Be sure, too,
that whenever job was pulled off he
was always conspicuously somewhere
else"
'"Then what do you propose doing?'
"Why-Betty permitting-scare him
silly and run him out Of town. I don't
think we want more than that-aside
from the necklace"
'"That will content me-" Mrs. Merri.
lees affirmed.
Here a knock fell on the door, and
the Dowager Dragon, for all her pro-
tested infirmity, rose with the spryness
of youth.
mo, don't go yet. It's only some.
thing I've been expecting. And want
one word more with yOu-about the
girl Lydia. Whatever you do, under.
stand, I won't have her run out OF
town, or annoyed, or frightened, OF
ill-treated in any way"
With this she disappeared down the
hallway. Followed a sound of voices
murmuring.
Quoin and Mrs. Merrilees fingered in
doubt and silence, the gaze of each
seeking the others; while, to one side
by these two forgotten, Peter TRAIT
waited, watching, some little sadness
and envy in his heart.
Not that he grudged Quoin the guer
don Of a lifetime's unselfish devotion
but he felt quite justified in envyine
them the happiness that was to BIZ
theirs. If he could ever hope to SEE
Lydia Craven look up into his face as
Betty Merrilees was just then looking
up at Quoin-
Betty, in melting humor and 6
gown representing the finest flower Of
the Rue de la Paix, to Peters fancy
cut figure that filed your eye. Ant
in such matters Peter esteemed him
self distinguished amateur.
But once Lydia Craven had entered
the drawing room Peter no longer
cared to look at Betty. A fellows go
only q certain limited amount Of eye
sight, after all, and it's no good vast
ing it on anything he isn't really Graz!
about.
In the severity Of her street dress
the girls figure had a graciousness tina
even Betty's couldn't shadow. Ant
Lydia's face, set against the darkness
of one of those trim little hats which
in those days were just beginning t.
Dust the art-nOuveau-coal-hod enormi
ties-Lydia's rudy hair, the transpar
ent pallor Of her brow, the fine glow
In cheeks fresh from the rainy night
her dark and animated eyes brighten
Ing with surprise and half-timid pleas
ure-taken altogether Peter though
| Lydia's fairness was to Betty's as sui
to candlelight.
But with delight apprehension wal
mixed in his mind. There were still
some phases Of life Peter hadn't faith
omed for one, the antagonism within
the sexes-within the sex, rather; TO
it was the attitudes often adopte,
toward one another by the most ami
able and delightful of women that per
picked his understanding.
Now, with real provocation on he
side, what would be Betty's attitud
toward this rival beauty?
His solicitude was wasted. Eithe
he underestimate the generosity o
Betty, or Lydia's righteousness dis
armed. Constraint was absent fror
their meeting: they went at once t
each others arms.
Its SO good to find you here, Betty
Oh, good evening, Mr.. Quoin-Ml
Trait, good evening. The best part Il
l thought you were stopping here, an
was In despair when I found 20
weren't"
TITS dear Of you; but"
II was so anxious to give youths
AS she spoke the puzzle box left Lyd
las keeping finally and for all time.