The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-07-05
The little girl came to sit with him

Eyangeline Morton! ones a"AuA
pretty, l think"
as she an artist, too?" asked aFE1-
strong. beginning TO hate himself I~
tracking down The glorious creature
mo, she doesn't paint. She JUST
stays in her room all day and goes
out nights. She swims on moonLlshf
nights and goes out in boat.
That's when she meets her coh-
federates," thought Armstrong;
The more he realized it was DIS
duty to uncover the plot and save
defenseless old man from death, the
more he realized that he hated 10
spy on the girl.
That night he waited In his room
with the door open until he heard n1
start down the stairs.
"One moment, Miss Morton, please
| think these letters belong to YOU
He handed her the scraps OF paper ne
had found on the lawn.
She flushed scarlet when she tooA
them from him and, with cuF
THANK YOU" hurried down the stairs"
"She will realize now that | KNOW
and will, of course, leave at once.
Several days passed with Evange-
line Morton living her life as usual
all day in her room and going OUT Ill
night.
His plan had failed,sso he decided
to tell her.
He passed a restless day in the
: hammock, hating himself for what ne
: was forced to do. Then he would
dream of q beautiful face and of how
it might have been if the girl was
what she seemed instead OF a GRIM
inal.
In all his thirty years he had not
thought seriously of women, and now
he had found his ideal only to have
fate laugh in his face.
He dined early and hurried back 10
. his hammock, which gave a view Oh
- the front door. When 1t was quite
" dark he saw the graceful, slender hg-
ure he had unconsciOusy learned 10
:, admire emerge from the door anu
walk rapidly up the street.
;, 1T may be tonight" he thought as
! he followed her. He had purp0sely
nut on a dark suit, while she, much
to his surprise, was in white. SHE
Ia went along for a few blocks and tneA
40 struck out for an old pier Going ID
ts the end Of it, she sat down.
10 Armstrong could see her distinctly
while he himself was in the shadow
no of an old sail loft.
10 "This is where she meets her con-
ur federates," he thought, peering across
the water to see if they were coming
no by boat. She sat silent and still fol
ev nearly an hour, then began walking
Of ND and down the pier. She looked ou
at sea more as if she were admirln'
do the beauty Of the night than planning
W. a miserable murder.
Desperately, he decided to tell hel
,er He had done all he could to let ne
w. slip quietly away, and she still stayed
y He walked toward her. She turned
"a startled gaze when he came near.
Tho Good evening, Miss Norton" b
NV said.
net Good evening" she replied.
M. .T have something important to So
to YOU"
ino "YeS?"
tbe "You remember the parts of lettel
I returned to you"
die "Y-yes."
and 81 read them"
In "Well%
,eet "Now | know why you are her
his. You came secretly, but l found "
ne out"
hat "And now | don't care" 81
reached her arms out to the stars.
ling have succeeded in my plan and q
lere going home"
zen "Succeeded!" gasped John.
ngs ayes. l sent my mystery story to
we're editor last week and he accepted
fore return mail. l am too, too happy!
ss know could never get time to WI
to of home. / have so many interrI
tons. and this place is so quiet c
soft write, all day long. l came with {
ried of nv friends who are painting. NJ
nder that 7 am q real author the fam
urry won't dare interrupt me when
ther write"
"Allow me to congratulate 20
SUIT said John.
nge- "You're q New Yorker, aren't yO'
eau che asked with seeming irrelevanc
nfee' lam" He was still dazed.
mer, maybe you know my cousin, ov
WelptonT'
81 do! 1 do! You mean the fam
WOW author?"
',,o.,. Eyes. he has been criticizing
a.ad work for me. ! wouldn't let any
,hom. else know and / was so ashar
when YOU found those letters.
,ome. thought l tore everything in bits"
ne Suddenly he remembered she
going home.
It he Let US ceieoia'e soui ','ois
rest morrow by taking long ride d
Nv in the coast. l know place where
maid can get famous shore dinner. v
apers celebrate together, for /, too, |
, the had something fine come to me-"
care "Tell me about It,"
81 will on our drive back"
great world around her. If she b