Gunnison news-champion., 1918-08-09
CHAPTER XII.

uaWH " men IulI got 10 the nall There
ue-e no trains between midnight and
morning. And Talbot's car. which he
light have used. had been long de
luycd boy his burst tire. He took o
suburban trolley line for perhaps half
the distance and walked the rest
A. four O'Clock in the morning he
pressed the arbOr button. and old Hen
ri,;fe, grumbling at this second dis
tUrbance OF her rest, reused EIinor
again.
Time was precious. HUFF. having
ruu- the announcing bell, made his
way up through the dew to the house
And 50 1t was that EIinor. opening the
house door, met him face to face. As
she recOiled from him, he closed the
door.
Il have brought you a message from
Boroday." he said swiftly. .Tve been
q foul and scoundreI and-it's about
all up"
ElInOr hardly realized what he was
saying. The light of horror had hardly
died out Of her eyes. To her. Walter,
once her lover. now typified all of suf-
ferng and nearness to death that lay
In old Hllary's room upstairs.
THE first train leaves the city at
six o'clock" he said, trying to keep his
voice steady. 1T is hardly likely they
Will be out so soon, but under some
prrtext or other they will search the
house this morning."
How can | leave the house now?
Upstairs in fathers room"
81 know he put in hastily. II know
all about it. EIinor. am sorry. l am
wildly sorry. It's no excuse to say |
was crazy, but was.'
IF | go away" Elinor said. with
white lips. how will they manage
about him? The nurse needs so many
thIuEs-yand IL see that she has them"
y flame leaped into the boys eyes.
III you care for him like that
what are you going TO do about IT.
Even II he cares for you, you cannot
marry him. If he ever found out about
you-"
.He will never marry me. And-he
does know"
The fact that Ward knew the truth
about Elinor and the band brought
back TO him their common peril. He
thrust aside, for the time Mt least, his
passion and his despair: and calmly
directed his energies toward preparing
the house for the inevitable search.
So systematic had old Hilary been
that there We're few papers to destroy.
Such of the ledgers as were incriminat-
ing he burned in the f0rnace. Elinor's
box of Jewels he carried upstairs and
placed on the library table. Such set
tings as had remained from the coun.
taken out, he melted together In old
Hilary's crucible and placed the gold
and platinum nugget in Elinor's box.
He had set the safe to a simple COM
bination and closed 1t. Except for Its
size. and for the protective wiring
buried in its walls, 1t might have been
a family safe, built by nervous and
try to hold his silver spoons.
1t was too late by that time to bury
the box as Boroday had suggested.
Hun did the next best thing. He
buried 1t carefully In Elinor's garden,
under clurnp of crimson phloX.
Elinor worked hurriedly, but with
hopeless eyes. Her preparations con-
sisted in little more than putting on
the clothing in which she meant to
travel. In this new life on which she
was entering she wanted little to re-
mind her of the old. A letter to Hen.
riette contained enough money to pay
of the servants and the household ac-
counts. In another envelope she fold
ed the deed to the house and a note
conveying 1t to Henriette.
"You can sell it." she wrote. "Good.
by, dear Henriette. I shall never for
get you. and II ever 1t is possible, be
sure. I shall see you again."
The time came, just before dawn,
when she and Walter stood again face
to face In the library.
Huff was going at once. It was not
Boroday's plan that any of them
should further incriminate Elinor by
accompanying her to the train. At
sound Of steps on the stairs, Hun
etArted.
AThe nurse going down, probably for
ice," she explained.
He Is getting better. isn't her
sYes, but he still suffers at times"
When the steps had died away, Eli
nor slowly drew off her engagement
ring. and held 1t out to him across the
table. Although he was watching her.
he made no move to take It, and she
laid 1t down between them on the
table.
II don't think we need talk about 1t,
Walter" she said simply. There. is
nothing to say. is there?"
II suppose not" he returned bitterly.
He added: '.If only you will try not
to hate me- Elinor."
II do not hate you. But If he had
died"
Hun came swiftly around the table