The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-11-20
The TWICE
By ELEANOR NJ. G r

friends, you are innocent as 8
girl. Would you fight in thu
open against a barricaded enemy
Wait, watt"
Let us go to Dom David"
I'VE will tell him, presently
Now, he is going outwith your ac.
quaintance, there, and two other
gentlemen who are this moment
with him in the library"
Going out? lie is going out
with that, that thief?"
with Dom Jacinto Meyer
Valdez corrected the question,
whose political views sometimes
class with these of Dom David, as
will happen with statesmen. Yes,
they are going out together. List
en!"
Voices issued from the drawing
room as the doors opened. Milo
Valdez drew Bruce back into the
little music room, turned to the
desk and caught up a sheet of pa
per. On it he hurriedly traced a
few lines in his individual scrawl
OF authorizations scarcely compre-
henslble to one who did not know
has system. He showed it to Bruce,
who gathered its import, not with
out difficulty.
You see? 1t will tell Dom
DAVID enough to put him beyond
Meyers trickery, should the man
attempt any" Valdez hurriedly
murmured, as the voices came
nearer. 81 think he will do moth
ing, though. He will await our
move
lie folded the sheet, thrust it in
to a used envelope taken from his
pocket ,and motioned to Bruce to
remain where he was. AS Noel
across the patio, accompa-
med by two elderly men and pre-
coded by a servant who sped to
attend at the door, Valdez stepped
forward with his usual air of alert
nonchalance.
Pardon one moment, gentle
men," he saluted the group.
Dom David, may | beg an in
slant before you leave? The mat
ter OF this letter-have I answered
it correctly?"
Noel took the offered envelope
with a word of apology to his
guests; who politely turned aside
to admire the lilies floating in the
fountain. Bruce, watching
between the door curtain, dried
his face, streaming with the heat
OF recent exertion, and settled his
in anticipation Of be-
ing summoned to bear witness
against Jacinto Meyer, in spite of
Valdez's opinion. He could not
understand why the man should
be allowed to go unchallenged.
waited, his expectant eyes
fixed upon the four men standing
beyond in the hall in the soft vet
ample light which flooded through
the rose and blue shades, meta
morphosing hot noon to blended
dawnlight and twilight. But he
Was disappointed in his vengeful
expectation. Noel returned the
note to his secretary without a
change { expression visible in mis-
dark face.
You understand the matter
perfectly, Nilo,' he observed.
Continue as you are DOING
Valdez bowed and escorted the
group out to the limousine. Bruce
heard the laughing voices, heard
the false mildness of Meyers yoice
joined with the others, until the
car rolled away.
When Valdez returned TO Bruce.
he sat at the desk smoothing out
the wrinkles from his outraged
letter before placing it in a fresh
envelope.
81 can't e why he wanted
this he ehafed. Why anyone
should want it!''
He did not want it, Valdez
promptly returned. "He believed
you had something else. Now,
why did he believe that, and what
did he think you had that he did
want2D
You must be right. agreed
Bruce thoughtfully, Because he
abandoned the letter as soon as
the envelope tore and he saw the
contents
Did be say nothing2 Nothing
that might serve ais a c1ueY
Yes Bruce ran his finger,
through his hair. He said some
thing, but it had no sense. He KEEP,
repeating a Stag phrase I SPOKE
before | saw he was in the room
What was itf'
Why, was careless about get
ting the letter evenly, and it pu'
me- ont Of tnnrnnr - Rr.,oo oo1,raI