The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-02-08
had limited. And yet. surveying the
residence. one began to doubt

An eminently respectable quarter
Seventy-sixth street, between Aadi-
son and Park avenues, a block as &C.
date as any in town. dedicated to the
homes Of solid, decent, law-abiding
bodies who. to be sure. wouldn't suf-
fer association with any establishment
Of the least questionable character.
Since the cab had stopped not .
sound had disturbed the quiet save the
semioccasional rumbling Of surface
cars ON the one hand or snoring Of
motors on the other.
And number 90 itself was a resi-
dence Of a type and caste to allay dis
trust at q glance-an elderly, we'll
TODD sort, with brownstone front. well
groomed nothing in this ensemble the
least ominous or threatening.
Inclining to question old Quoin's
ever-ready inference. Peter climbed
back into the cab, and for i've min
utes Rugged himself in private ecstasy.
Everything was for all the best in
the best Of all possible worlds. He
needed only to crowd things bit. rush
the wedding through before Lydia
realized that people were onto Craven.
keep her If possible ignorant forever
Of old Tad's disgrace That could be
fixed, no doubt. Fortunately Betty
wasn't vindictive. Quoins commission
from her had been merely to scare
Craven silly and run him out Of town.
And that, Of course, would keep things
dark; for Craven would never dare re-
turn.
OF course, II he ever found out his
daughter didn't know. and her hus-
baad didn't want her to know. he
would likely try on q little blackmail-
ing. just to keep body and soul to-
gether. But Peter wouldn't mind that
not In moderation. Anyway. he'd al
ways liked old Tad; and to think OF
him in want, who had been SO reful-
gent a figur. in the life Of town. would
be keen discomfort for his prospective
son-in-law. Peter dared say old Tad
could do with a tidy bit Of blackmail
something adequate and regular.
And he, for one. would never begrudge
1t.
But wheL five minutes had elapsed
Peter began to fdget. That's long
time to wait for a girl you're crazy
about, who has Just owned up she's
crazy about you!
He consulted his watch: ten minutes
past eleven. Lydia had come to the
Margrave about q quarter Of: they
couldn't have been more than a quar-
ter Of an hour coming up town. Peter
became convinced that he had waited
ten minutes, not five.
Things began to look dubious. He
hoped out and up the steps Of 90.
The outer door was fastenets but Q
steady pressure ON the pusb-buttor
brought a shadow to skulk suspicious
ly behind lace-screened inner doors
One edge of the curtains was pulled
| aside trifie, he was inspected mar
| rowly, and then the shadow material
ICED into a woman who came forth ant
Unmatched the outer doors. Even tt
Peters captious scrutiny she looked
very nice sort, altogether an appari
| ton to abash suspicion.
"Yes?" she inquired in a pleasan
voice.
| EYES," the discounted young mai
replied intelligently. THAT is to say
I-ah-"
perhaps you've mistaken the
house?"
"No-I mean to say-Miss Craven
brought her here-was to wait to see
her home, you know-waited SO long
began to wonder"
Il see," said the woman quietly, a
flicker Of amusement In the eyes that
Peter rather liked. "If you don't mind
waiting another minute, I'll ask her"
Singularly enough, Peter thought,
| she didn't ask him to step in out of the
| weather. On the other hand, she was
considerate not to keep him waiting
long; though the message she finally
brought him proved distasteful enough
| Miss Craven asked me to give you
| this, Mr.. Trait"
| "Thanks," said Peter, graciously &C
cepting the proffered envelope.
1t wasn't sealed. Unceremoniousy he
lifted the flap and withdrew the in
closure, square, white, heavy CORE
spondence card with the address
stamped in black letters. Below stub
pen had been used with disastrous eff
feet:
"Dear Mr.. Traft-Please don't wait
for me. I can't tell how long l may
be detained. Sincerely,
LYDIA CRAVEN"
Dear Mr.. Trait, nonplussed. accepted
dismissal with what grace he could
muster. "Oh-ah-thanks," he said
blankly. "Awf'ly good of you"
"Good evening, Mr.. Trait"
"Good evening"
The door closed. Peter grunted dis
gust and went slowly down the steps.
CTO BE CONTINUED)
Bleeding Useful at Times.
For ages one of the customs OF
Chinese physicians has been to thrust