Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-21
CHAPTER XXI.
The End in sight

aAAN @ttA - 8tHAtR
Barnes. soaring beyond all previous
heights ef exaltation. ranged dlkzil,
between ''front" and back" at tbs
Grand opera house that evening. HI
was In the swings" with her, whisper
aas h her delighted ear; In the dress
ing-room. listening to her soft words
of encouragement to the excited lead
fng lady; on the narrow stairs leading
up 10 the stage, assisting her to mount
them; and all the time he was dread.
ing the saoment when he would awake
and find 1t all a dream.
There was an annoying fly IN his
eintzHent. however. II love you," she
had said simply, II want more than
anything else in all the world to be
your wife. But l cannot promise now.
] must have time to think. time to-"
~Why should you require more time
than II" he persisted. what is time
70 us5 Why make wanton waste of
itr'
7 know that I cannot find happiness
except with YOU" she replied. "No
matter what happens to me, shall
always love you, I 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-ofiice statement. The gross was
$3.50. The instant that fact became
known to Mr. Rushcroft he informed
Barnes that they had a Knockout" q
gold mine. and that never In all his
career had he known season to start
on 50 atspiclously as this one.
Three days later Barnes and "Mlss
Jones" said farewell to the strollers
and boarded day train for New York
city. They left the company In 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
tour Of Europe at the close Of the war.
Barnes sister Mrs. Courtney, met
them at the Grand Central terminal.
TITS now quarter to fiye," said
Barnes after the greeting and presen-
tation. "Drop me at the Fifth Avenue
bank. Edith. want TO leave some
thing in my safety box downstairs.
Sha'n't be more than flve minutes"
He got down from the automobile
at Forty-fourth street and shot across
the sidewalk into the bank, casting
quick, apDrehenslve glances through
the five o'clock crowd on the avenue
ss ne sprlnted. In his hand he lugged
the heavy, weatherbeaten pack. His
sister and the countess stared after
hlm in amazement.
Presently he emerged from the bank.
sill carrying the bag. He was beam
ing A certain worried. haggard ex-
precision had vanished from his face
and FOR the nrst time In eight hours
he treated his travelling wardrobe with
scorn and Indifference.
~Thank God, they're of my mind
At last ne cried. ''That Is the nrst
good. long breath I've had in a week.
No. not now. It's a long story and
l can't tell Il in Fifth avenue II
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, and
knew that she was looking at him
with Wide, lncredulous eyes, but he
faced straight ahead. Ho was ter
Eibly afraid that the girl beside him
vas preparing to shed tears OF 10y
and relief. He could feel her search
ing In her jacket pocket for a hand
kerchlef.
Mrs. Courtney was not only curl
Gus but apprehensive. She hadn't the
faintest idea who Miss Cameron was.
aor where her brother had picked her
- But she saw at glance that
nhc was lovely, and her soul wis filled
with strange mIsgivlngs. She was Ike
III sisters who have pet bachelor
brothers. She hoped that poor Tom
hadn't gone and made fool Of him
eelf.
The few minutes conversation she
bad with the stranger only served to
Increase her alarm. Miss eameron's
selce and smlle-and her eyes l--were
positively allurIng.
she had had a night letter from Tom
that morning in which he said that be
vas bringing a young lady friend down
from the north-and would she meet
ihem At the station and put her up
isF . couple Of daysi That was ell
she knew Of the dazzling stranger up
to the moment she saw her. Immedi-
Hfely after that she knew by intuition
/ great deal more about her than Ton
uaald have told n volumes ef eorre-
'pendence She knew. also. that Tom
sas Lost foreverl
Nov tell me" said ne countess the
nsisaf they entered the Courtney
paftmenf. She grlpped both Of his
FHs with her firm little hands and
,aHef straight into his eyes. eagerly. !
onefuIIT. She had forgotten Mrs. |