The Arizona copper camp., 1919-08-09
sy cEoReE BARR MccurcHeoN



hadn't gone ana made a fool Of hi1n-
self.
The few minutes conversation she
had with the stranger only served TO
increase her alarm. Miss Ca1neron's
voice and smile-and her eyes were
positively alluring.
she had had night letter from Tom
that morning in which he said that he
was bringing a young lady friend down
from the north-and would she meet
them at the station and put her up
for couple of days? That was all
she knew of the dazzling stranger up
to the moment she saw ner. ImTnedi-
Iateiy after that she knew by intuition
a great deal more about her than Tom
could have told in volumes of corre-
spondence. She knew, also, that Tom
was lost foTeverl
"NoW tell me-" said the countess the
instant they entered the Courtney
apartment. She gripped both of his
arms with her firm little hands and
looked straight into his eyes, eagerly,
hopefully. She had forgotten Mrs.
Courtney's presence, she had not
taken the tine to remove her hat or
jacket.
Let's all sit down." said he. "My
knees are unaccountably weak. Come
along, Eide Listen to the romance Of
my life"
And when the story was finished the
countess took his hand in hers and
held it to her cool cheek. The tears
were still drowning her eyes.
"Oh, you poor dear! Was that why
you grew so haggard and pale and
hollow-eyedY
Partly" said he with great signif-
cance
"And you had them in your pack
all the time? You"
II had Sprouses most solemn word
not to touch them for week. He is
the only man 1 feared. He is the only
one who could have"
'May I use your telephone, Mrs.
Courtney?" cried she suddenly. She
sprang to her feet, Quivering with ex-
citement. "Pray forgive me for being
so ill-mannered, but II must call up
one or two people at once. They are
my friends. You will understand, /
am sure"
Barnes was pacing the floor nerv-
ouSly when his sister returned after
conducting her new guest to the room
prepared for her. The countess was
at the telephone before the door
closed behind her hostess.
81 wish you had been little more
explicit in your telegram, ToM," she
said peevishly. "If 1 had known who
she is l wouldn't have put her in that
room. Now I shall have to move Aunt
Kate back into it tomorrow and give
Miss Cameron the big one at the end
of the hail" Which goes to prove
that Toms sister was a bit of snob
in her way. "Stop walking like that
and come here" She faced him ac-
rcusingly. "Have you told all there is
to tell, sir?"
Cant you see for yourself, EIDE,
that Pm in love with her? Desperate
y,
Don't giggle like that! l couldn't have
told you while she was present, could
II"
"That isn't what want to know. Is
she in love with you? That's what I'm
after.'
eyes," said he, but frowned anx-
iously.
"She is perfectly adorable" said she,
and was at once aware of a guilty,
nagging impression that she would not
have said it to him half an hour ear
lier ior anything in the world.
She was strangely white and SUBJ
dued when she rejoined them later on.
She had removed her hat. The other
woman saw nothing but the wealth
of sun-kissed, hair that rippled. Barnes
went forward to meet her, filled with
sudden apprehension.
"What is it? You are pale and
what have you heard?"
She stopped and looked searchingly
into his eyes. A warm flush rose to
her cheeks; her own eyes grew soft
and tender and wistful.
''They all believe that the war will
last two or three years longer" she
said huskily. 81 cannot go back to
my own country till it is all over.
They implore me to remain here with
them until-until my fortunes are
mended." She turned to Mrs. Court