Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-30


photographic record half played
through. In fact, an air Of consratu-
latory excitement pervsded our little
party when We gathered in the parlor
Of the suite. where waiter was
spreading table by Duals direction.
p. Lucille was fresh. smiling, with AN
expression Of calm triumph in her
deep brown eyes, unlike that vague
unrest which had excited my interest
In the days since | had known her.
She impressed me as one awakiIg
from dream of things past and open
ing eyes upon brighter future as she
sat by the window, looking out at the
already busy street.
!. was one OF those golden morn.
ings which often come 10 the city OF
San Francisco after a night of fog.
Tired as We all were by the events
which had held us. we had slept late
AT least all OF us had except Semi
Dual. whom ! suspected OF having fol
lowed his usual custom OF rising with
the sun.
The warm glow Of the outer day
streamed into the room, filling its at
mosphere with light, while We waited
for the serving OF our morning S
meal
As for the Lawtop girl, she was pale
but composed with sort of pensive
composure. She seemed hardly to real
re fully her hew position and stood
beside Miss Foote, with the elder wo-
mans arm about her supple waist She
was a pretty little thing in her way
with wide eyes which told one why she
had fallen SO easy victim to the dap.
per and plausible Reich.
One could sum her up as an limo.
cent-a creature without experience
OF mems talsity--one TO give trust to
the one who spoke kindly-one who
had Numbered Through ignorance in
to her fate,
Colonel Mac fairly sparkled with
cood humor this morning, did the
colonel, and the whole world was his
friend. All his life he had been man
who did nothing by half, and when he
took charge of this girl as her pro-
tector, he had taken her welfare to
heart That he had her back unscath-
ed, save for the shock of her peril,
brought him into jovial mood
glanced at Semi He was sitting
in large chair, from where he could
command straight sweep Of the
down dropping length OF Powell till it
jutted into Market. could see his pro.
file from where stood 1t was quiet,
calm composed. yet with tirmness
about 1t which spoke 10 me OF 4 men.
tai introspection.
For d man who had done what he
had accomplished, he struck me more
as detached spectator than the prin-
cipal actor in a drama of human pas
sion and pain.
He felt my gaze as he seemed al
days to do, when my eyes dwelt upon
hlul, turned his glance to my own,
and smiled in slow, almost enig-
matte fashion. A moment more and he
was once more watching the human
ants which scattered about the streets.
Yet | felt sure that he saw them only
with his physical eyes and that his
mental vision was turned toward some
other point
In that moment it came TO me that
our little celebration might be in some
way premature-that even as he had
led us through the maze of plot and
counterpart which had brought us at
last to the woman we sought, who now
stood with Lucille by the window, SO
now he might still know more OF the
final issue than any of US others sus-
pected. 1t was almost as though that
slow smile OF his had said as much to
me in a yoiceless message, unmeant
for other ears.
A waiter came in with the break
fast and set it forth with its service.
Lucille and Lily whispered by the win
dow, and saw the girl glance more
than once at Semi Dual. 1t appeared
to me that she wanted to thank him
for her salvation and hardly knew
how to approach him.
After all she was only child at
heart.
Before we eat, | want to express
my feelings" Sheldon began. This
here is one Of tn happest moments OF
my somewhat busy career. I've lived
long time an done some things |
thought rather nifty myself, an seen
some nifty things done, now an then.
But tn thing which skins tn whole lot
and cabOodle is tn thing which makes
II possible for US five to sit here an
be glad we are here, an we all know
what II IL.
so before we eat this breakfast /
want you to all join me in a toast TO
Mr.. Semi Dual--th' one man Twin
who never misses a shot an always
rings tn bell.
Il knowed he could do 1t when /
asked him to help US, but darn me II
r knx he IL