The state herald., 1918-05-24
CHAPTER XII.
oensvIsve Mallory Takes q Hand.

oenevleve Mallory Takes q Hand.
Inside Of an hour the news Of the
engagement Of Macdonald was all over
Kusiak. 1t was through telephone
receiver that the gossip was buzzed
to Mrs. Mallory by friend who owed
her little stab. The voice Of Gene
We've Mallory registered faint amuse-
ment, but us soon as she had hung up.
her face fell into haggard lines. She
had staked a year Of her waning youth
on winning the big mining man Of
Kusiak, together with all the money
that she had been able to scrape up
for the campaign outfit. Moreover. she
liked him.
Mrs. Mallory sat down In the hall
beside the telephone. her fingers laced
about one crossed knee. She knew
that II Sheba O'Neill had not come on
the scene. Macdonald would have
asked her to marry him. He had been
moving slowly toward her for months.
They understood each other and were
at ease together. Between them was
strong physical affinity.
Then Diane Puget had brought in this
slim, young cousin of hers and Colby
Macdonald had been fascinated by the
mystery Of her innocent youth. Mrs.
Mallory was like steel beneath the soft
and indolent surface. Swiftly she
mapped her plan Of attack. The Alas.
kan could not be moved, but 1t might
be possible to startle the girl into
breaking the engagement.
But before she made any move Mrs.
Mallory Intended to be sure Of her
facts. 1t was like her to go to head.
quarters for information. She got
Macdonald on the wire.
"rve Just heard something nice
about you. Do tell me it's true" she
said. her voice warm with sympathy.
Macdonald laughed with almost boy.
lsh embarrassment. "Its true, 1
reckon"
I'm so glad. She's n lovely girl.
The sweetest thing that ever lived.
I'm sure you'll be happy. I Ialways did
think you would make a perfect hus.
band. OF course. I'm simply green
with envy OF her."
Her little ripple Of laughter wns gay
and cnre-free. The man at the other
end OF the line never Ind liked her bet.
ter. She was a gnme little sport, he
told himself approvingly. II appealed
to him immensely that she could take
such facer and come up smiling.
There were no signs Of worry wrin.
kles on her face when the maid nd.
mitted . caller half an hour later.
Oliver Dustin was the name on the
card. He was q remittance man, q
tame little parior pet whose vocation
was to fetch and carry for pretty won.
en-. and By some odd trick Of fate he
hnd sifted into the Northland. Mrs
Mallory had tolerated him rather
scornfully. but today she smiled upon
him.
Dustin helped himself to . ciearstts
and made himself comfortable.
6he set herself to win him. He was
immensely nattercd at her awakened
interest. When she called him by bill
irst name. he wagged all over like q
pleased puppy.
| II came to him aftcr time that shs
was considering him for Q confidential
mission. Hc assured her eagerly tha,
there wns no trouble too grcnt for hin
to take II he could be Of any ssrvics
to her. Their heads were close II
whispered Talk for few minutes, q
the end Of which Dustin loft tho room
with his chin In tho mir. He was I
Knight errnnt In the employ Of IN,
most attractive woman north Of nfty
three.
When Elliot took the down.rive,
boat he found Oliver Dustin was n fsi
hsw passenger. IT, little mnn smokst