The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1919-11-27

was brfef.
After due consideration. 7 feel that
u would be a mistake for Won 10 aban-
uon your present dntIes AZ this time.
might be misunderstood Stick 70
e company until something better
.ulns up. With this thought in view I
'hnraw the two days limit meE-
.'oned Recently 10 you. and extend the
'''he TO one week. Yours very truly.
u. II. WILSON"
Cad. the fellow thinks Of every
,hing." said Barnes To himself. He
positively uncanny."
He read between the lines. and saw
'here distinct warning. II had not
"eeurred To him that his plan To leave
Tor New York that day with Miss Cam
eron might be attended by disastrous
results
But the Jewels? What of them? He
oouid not 20 gallivanting about the
country with a half million dollars
"orth OF precious stones In his posses
sion.
ne spent the early part ~ the fore
noon In wandering nervously about
.he hotel-upstairs and down. The
Jewels were locked In his pack up
s'airs- He went up to his room half
|" uozen times and almost instantly
walked down again. after satisfying
himself that the pack had not been
riied.
For the next three days and nights
rehearsals were in full swing. with
scarcely moments let up. And so
the time crept by. up 10 the night OF
the Performance. Miss Cameron re-
nained In Ignorance of the close prox-
unity of the Jewels. and the police nf
erowndale remained In even denser
lsnorance as TO the whereabouts OF
the man who robbed Mr.. Hasselweln
OF all his spare cash and an excellent
gold watch.
No time was lost by the countess in
getting word to her cofnpatriots ia
New York. Barnes posted a dozen let
tiers Tor her; each contained the It'd
ings Of her safety and the assurance
that she would soon follow Ia person.
Those three days and nights were
fuil OF JOY and enchantment for
Barnes. He actually debased himself
by wishing that the Rushcroft com
pany might find IL imperative to go on
rehearsing for weeks IN that dim. en-
chanted temple.
He sat for hours In one Of the raost |
uncomfortable seats be had ever /
known. devouring with hungry eyes I
the shadowy. Interested face 50 close |
10 his own-and never tired.
On The afternoon OF the dress re- |
hearsal h. led her. after an hour OF /
almost indispensable repression. 10 |
ths rear If the auditorium Dropping |
into TIE seat beside her he blurted |
oui. almost in anguish:
81 can't stand II any niger. I can
not be near Won without-why, Il
we'll. Il Is more than 1 can struggle
xainSt. that's all. You've either got
b send me away altogether or-or-
LEI me love you without restraint.
tel you | can't 20 on as / am now. |
You know I love YOU. don't you1 You J
Know l worship YOU. Don't be- fright |
end. | just had TO tell you today. |
l should have gone mad If | had tried |
to keep II up any longer" He waited
for her TO speak. She sat |
silent and rigid. looking straight be-
fore her. rs IL hopelessf" he went
on at last, huskily. "Must l ask your
forgiveness for my presumption and
and go away from your"
She turned To him and laid her hand
upon his arm.
H. n
should / forgive you for loving mel
Doesn't every woman want TO be
Owed? No. no. my friendl Walt!
moment ago ] was SO weak and
rembly that l thought I-oh. 1 was
afraid for myself. Now i am quite
aim and sensible. See how well I
rave myself In handf / do not
remble. I am strong. We may now
iiscuss ourselves calmly. sensibly.
IN! What are you doingf"
u too am strong" he whispered.
I'm sure of my ground now. and i am
lot afraid"
He had ciasped the hand that rest
q on his sleeve and. as he pressed It
o his heart. his other arm stole over
Ter shoulders and drew her close to
is triumphant body. For an instant
ne resisted. and then relaxed into
omplete submission. Her head sank
pom his shoulder.
"OhT she sighed. and there was
'onder. Joy-even perplexity. In the
'emulous sigh of capitulation- "Oh,"
anne softly from her parted lips again
ne end Of the first long. passionate
ia