The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-03-30

wanted an invitation to dinner. Yet
she hesitated.
my phone can't be working WE'LL"
Gordon told her gayly. "You must
have asked me to dinner, but didn't
just hear it. Never mind. I'll be there.
Seven o'clock, did you sayT
Diane laughed. you're just as
much a boy as you were ten years
ago, Cord. All right. Come along. But
you're to leave at ten."
mo, / can't hear that. My phone
has gone bad again. And If I had
heard, I shouldn't think of doing any
thing so ridiculous as leaving at that
hour. 1t would be an insult to your
hospitality. I know when I'm well
off,"
"Then I'll have to withdraw my in
vitation. Perhaps some other day"
"I'll leave at ten," promised Elliot
meekly.
He could almost hear the smile In
her voice as she answered. "Very well.
Seven sharp. I'll explain about the
curfew limit some time"
Macdonald was with Miss O'Nelll In
the living room when Gordon arrived
at the Paget home.
Sheba came forward to greet the
new guest. The welcome in her eyes
was very genuine.
"You and Mr.. Macdonald know each
other, Of course" she said after her
handshake.
The Scotsman nodded his lean, griz-
zled head, looking straight into the
eyes of the field agent.
"Yes, know Mr.. Elliot-now. I'm
not sure that he knows me-yet."
"I'm beginning to know you rather
well, Mr.. Macdonald" answered Cor
don quietly.
If the Alaskan wanted to declare
war he was ready for it. The field
agent knew that Selfridge had kept re-
ports detailing what had happened at
Kamatlah. Up to date Macdonald had
offered him the velvet glove. He won
dered if the time had come when the
AAFoL Va SlCCA was W NC uOuDltus
Did you have successful trip, Mr..
Elliott" asked Sheba innocently.
Paget grinned behind his hand. The
girls question was like q match to
powder, and everyone in the room
knew it but she. The engineers in
terests and his convictions were on the
side Of Macdonald, but he recognized
that Elliot had been sent in to gather
facts for the government and not to
give advice to it.
did you, Gordon2" echoed his host.
ess. .f.t 1Il-. 0r rnGi
Il think So" he answered quietly.
81 hear you put up with old Gideon
Holt. Is he as cracked as he used to
beT asked Macdonald.
"Was he cracked when you used to
know him on Frenchman creek?" coun-
tered the young man. '---s-
Macdonald shot a quick, slant look
at him. The old man had been talk
ing. had he2
HE was cracked and broke, too"
laughed the mine owner hardly.
Cracked when he came, broke when
he left"
Eyes, that was one of the stories he
told me-" Gordon turned to Sheba.
''You should meet the old man, Miss
O'Neill. He knew your father at Daw-
son and on Bonanza"
The girl was all eagerness. IT'D
like to. Does he ever come to Ku-
siak?"
"Nonsensel" cut In Diane sharply.
She flashed Gordon a look of annoy
ance. Hes nothing but a daft old
idiot, my dear"
The dinner had started wrong, and
though Paget steered the conversation
to safer ground, 1t did not 60 very
well,
Gordon was ashamed of himself. He
could not quite have told what were
the impulses that had moved him to
carry the war into the camp Of the
enemy. Perhaps, more than anything
else, 1t had been a certain look of quiet
assurance in the eyes Of his rival when
he looked at Sheba. 37
He rose promptly at ten.
Must you go SO soon?" Diane asked.
She was smiling at him with bland
mockery.
81 really must" answered Elliot.
His hostess followed him into the
hall, She watched him get into his
coat before saying what was on her
mind.