The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-06-26
XII.
The First Wayfarer Accepts an lnvl
tatio0.

n First Wayfarer Accepts an Invs
tation.
Barnes insisted that the first thing
to be considered was the release of
Miss Cameron.
IF we can't think Of any other way
to get her out of this devilish predica.
ment, Sprouse, I shall apply to Wash
fngton for help"
"And be laughed at, my friend" said
the secret agent. 1T is not a matter
for the government to NEEDLE in At
ALL"
"Well, something has to be done at
once" said Barnes dogkedly. "She is
depending on me. If you could have
seen the light that leapsl into her glo
rious eyes when L"
"Yes. I know. I've heard she ID
quite a pretty girl. You needn't"
"Quite a pretty grill" exclaimed
Barnes. "Why, she is the loveliest
thing that God ever created. She has
the face Of"
II I'm beginning to understand
O'Dowd's interest in her MI. Barnes.
He has probably fallen in love with
her with as little difficulty as you have
experienced, and almost as expedi-
tiously. He has seen q little more Of
her than you, but"
"Don't talk nonsense. I'm not in
love with her"
"Can you speak with equal author
ity for Mr.. O'Dowd? He is a very sus
oopt;b1o Yricl,u,or nm kolaU
II don't believe he will get much en-.
couragement from her, Mr.. Sprouse,"
said Barnes stif1y.
"If she is as clever as I think sho
is she will encourage him tremendous
~. I would If I were in her place.
MI. O'Dowd is only human. He isn't
immune."
II catch the point, Mr.. Sprouse,"
said Barnes, rather gloomily. He did
not like to think of the methods that
might have to be employed in the SUBJ
jugation of Mr.. O'Dowd. "There 10 q
rather important question I'd like to
ask. Is she even remotely eligible to
her country's throne?"
Remotely, yes" said Sprouse.
$50 remotely that she could marry
q chap like O'Dowd without giving
much thought to future compiled.
tions?" he ventured.
"She'd be just as safe in marrying
O'Dowd as she would in marrying
you," was Sprouse's unsatisfactory re.
Spouse. The mans brow was wrin.
killed. in thought. "See here, Mr.
Barnes, 1 am planning a visit to Green
Fancy tonight. How would you like
to accompany me?"
I'D like nothing better" said
Barnes. with enthusiasm.
"Will you agree to obey instruc
tons? I can't have you muddline
things up, you know"
1.-THE grounds are carefully guard
ed" said Barnes, after they had dis
cussed the project for some time
Miss Cameron is constantly under
the watchful eye of one or more Of
the crowd"
II know. I passed a couple Of then
last night" said Sprouse calmly. "By
the way, don't you think 1t would b(
WY pOnSO VI yOu Z AlVltC L4IC 0ICCJ
Fancy party over here to have an old
fashioned country dinner with you to
night?"
1T would be useless. MI. Sbrouse
They will not come"
II am perfectly aware of that, bu,
it won't do any harm to ask them
; will it,"
Barnes chuckled. II see. Establish
> ing myself as an innocent bystander
eh?"
: Get O'Dowd on the telephone an(
ask him If they can come" sale
Sprouse.
"But there is Jones to consider. TIT
! telephone is in his office. What will
} he think"
"Jones is all right" said Srrouse
I briefly. "Come along. You can cal
up from my ROOM" He grinned slyly
"Such a thing as tapping the wire
you know"
Sprouse had installed a telephone ir
his room. carrying a wire upstairs
from an attachment made in the Gel
! lar Of the Tavern. He closed the door
to his little room on the top floor.