The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-07-31

matter what happens 10 me, l shall
always love you. / shall never forget
the Joy Of this. Butt cannot prom
Use now" she finished gently and
kissed him.
Between the second and third acts
Tommy Gray rushed back with the
box-ofice statement. The gross was
$3.50. The instant hat fact became
kr W to Mr.. Rushcroft he informed
Barnes that they had a Knockout" a
gold mine, and hat never in all his
career had he known a season TO start
OFF so a~uspiciously as this one.
Three days later Barnes and "Miss
Jones" said farewell to the %strollers
md boarded a day train for New York
city. They left the company in n con-
dition Of prosperity. The show was
averaging two hundred dollars nightly
and Mr.. Rushcroft was already book
ing return engagements for the early
fall. He was looking forward TO a
tour OF Europe at the close Of the war.
Barnes sister, Mrs. Courtney. met
them at the Grand Central terminal.
ITS now a quarter TO Ave. said
Barnes after the greeting and presen-
tation. Drop me at the Fifth Avenue
bank. Edith. I want 10 leave some
thing In my safety box downstairs.
Sha'n't be more than FIVE minutes"
He got down from the automobile
at Forty-fourth street and shot across
the sidewalk into the bank, casting
quick, apprehensive glances through
the FIVE o'clock crowd on the avenue
as he sprinted. In his hand he lugged
the heavy, weatherbeaten pack. His
sister and the countess stared after
him In amazement.
Presently he emerged from the bank,
still carrying the bag. He was BEAM
ing. A certain worried. haggard tx
preston had vanished from his face,
and for the first time In eight hours
he treated his travelling wardrobe with
scorn and indifference.
"Thank God, they're Off my mind
at last" he cried. THAT Is the first
good, long breath I've had in a week.
No. not now. It's a long story and
/ can't tell 1t in Fifth avenue. 1t
would be extremely annoying to have
both Of you die Of heart failure with
all these people looking on!
He felt her hand on his arm,I and
knew that she was looking at him
with wide, i~ncredulous eyes, but he
faced straight ahead. He was ter
ribly afraid that the girl beside him
was preparing to shed tears of joy
and relief. He could feel her search
Ing in her jacket pocket for a hand
kerchief.
Mrs. Courtney was not only curl
Gus but apprehensive. She hadn't the
faintest idea who Miss Cameron was,
o where her brother had picked her
up. But she saw at a glance that
she IA lovely, and her SOU vas filled
with strange misgivings. She was like
all sisters who have pet bachelor
brothers. She hoped that poor Tom
hadn't gone and made a fool Of him.
self.
The few minutes conversation she
had with the stranger only served to
Increase her alarm. Miss Cameron's
voice and smile-and her eyes were
positively alluring.
She had had q night letter from Tom
that morning In which he said that he
was bringing a young lady friend down
from the north-and would she meet
them at the station and put her up
for a couple Of days? That was all
she knew Of the dazzling stranger up
to the moment she saw her. Immedi-
ately after that she knew by Intuition
a great deal more about her than Tom
could have told in volumes Of CORE
spondence. She knew, also, that Tom
was lost forever!
Now tell me-" said the countess the
instant they entered the Courtney
apartment. She gripped both of his
arms with her firm little hands and
looked straight into his eyes,, eagerly,
hopefully. She had forgotten Mrs.
Courtney's presence, she had not
taken the time to remove her hat or
jacket.
Lets all sit down." said he. "My
knees are ~unaccountably weak. Come
along, Eide. Listen to the Of
my life"
And when the story. was finished the
countess took his hand In hers and
held II to her cool cheek. The tears
were still drowning her eyes.
"Oh, you poor dear! Was that why
you grew so haggard and pale and
hollow-eyed?'
Partly" said he with great signifi.
canoe.
And you had them In your pack
all ne time? You"
Il had ~Sprouse's most solemn word
not to touch them for a week. He Is
the only man l feared. He Ia the only
one who could have"
May I use your telephone, Mrs.
Courtneyr' cried she suddenly. She
sprang to her feet. qulvering with ex-
element. pray forgive me for being