Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-06-11

his brown eyes to the other MANS.
Eyes /" he murmured, with a vague
idea that he had not replied to the
last remark.
There was a simplicity and candor
in the homely, pleasant c~ountenance,
a quality in his very absentminded-
ness, which gave the die direct to
Noel's doubt. He Strengthened his
powerful figure and nodded briefly to
his secretary.
Don't let me interrupt YOU. I
know you are busy. I only meant to
warn you. No doubt, it was not nee
essary!" -
He passed through a long window
to the veranda. outside, Benito wait
ed with his masters horse and his
own. Noel mounted, tossed his hat to
the Indian to carry until they left
the shaded private road, and rode
bareheaded down the lovely garden
slope. Corey Bruce followed to the
window and watched the riders canter
down the drive that wound through
the masses of shrubbery, past 1.-THE
pools of lilies, the white pergola shin
ing in the sun. down until the riders
disappeared into the dense green of
the forest belt that clasped the park
and beyond which lay the gate'o of the
little shoes. 2. II
When the last CLEAN Of Noel's
white suit and dark head had vanish
ed into the green shadows, Bruce
came back into the room and stood
meditating. He was puzzled by Noel's
ing the document that Milo Valdez
had brought from the capital in the
morning; puzzled because the paper
related in no way to the political war
fare in which they were all enlisted.
He wondered if he could have been
mistaken on that subject.
He returned to his writing. But in
a few moments he pushed it aside and
went to the safe. He had the locks
combination as a necessary part of his
duties. He turned the knob now,
with a recollection of the first time
he had seen Milo Valdez do so, feel,
ing with sober satisfaction that the
same trust was now> his also. The
door clicked open, and he drew from
it's pigeon-hole the paper of which
Noel had spoken.
There had been no mistake. The
paper bore no relation to affairs
diplomatic or political. 1t was only
the concession for the erection of a
little ore line far UP in the noun.
tains. which would have to cross gov-
eminent land on its way to the liver.
Bruce had a mental view of lines of
little rude cars moving in slow pro-
cession down the hill to the waiting
boat: Why was that document of SO
much Importance? Why should there
be doubt of duplicating it? And
above all. why should Noel speak as
If the obscure concession would be
of Importance after his own death"
Important to whom? Who were
Noel's heirs, and why should they or
he trouble about this one small point
in the mass nf his yyea1tbo vat Milo
Valdez had given him no other pa
per. Bruce looked again in the en-
velope, assuring himself hat there
was nothing more. Noel never spoke
at random. If he. said, guard, why.
it must. be guarded. Bruce put the
concession in. a small locked drawer
within the safe, as an additional pre-
caution, then returned to his desk
more puzzled than ever.
He found himself unable to work.
Strive against them as he would,he
was not able to- dismiss the thoughts
which4had rushed upon him when
H$Noel spoke Of death as a near posi-
1bility. For. David Noel dead, what
would become of Corey Bruce, cona
lyict released on parole Es Corey
EBruce, with thirteen years .sstil1 TO
serve of his sentence. They would
return him to Rio Nabuco. no doubt.
He would not leave the prison a sec
ond time. He would go mad there.
die there! Hideous pictures of the
unspeakable place unrolled before his
Ishrinking memory. He covered his
iface with his hands, and felt sweat
ltrickle between his fingers like a
iwoman's tears. His pen rolled off the
desk and clicked upon the floor; he
heard the soft breeze futtering over
the pages of his ledger. He had no