The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-07-29

Dan, I believe you've gone crazy
"And I believe" said the secretary,
who read his Bible on occasion, 'that
Mr. FitzrandoIph shows a very keen
wisdom. Furthermore-weII, there is
a verse in Saint Matthew, which runs:
'Ye are the salt OF the earth. >"
Jonas, the valet, touched his sleeve.
"a special delivery letter, SIR
Taking the square envelope from
| the servants Salver, without observ-
ing the superscriptiOn, the secretary
| opened 1t and perused the contents.
He knitted his brows
''Puzzling." he murmured, scratching
| the back of his head. Its anonymous,
has neither beginning nor end" He
looked suddenly at the envelope. then,
with an apology. handed the message
TO his employer. 81 didn't notice it.
It's marked personal "
One glance at the sheet Of note
| paper, and Daniel sank into his chair.
With his strong fingers he pinned the
| note TO the table, breathing rapidly
through dilated- nostrils. Hunt, sitting
next to him, recalled afterward that
| 1t was the only time in all the years
he had known him that he had ever
seen the mans hand tremble.
Daniel looked up, stared blankly a
moment at the two silently questioning
faces. His lip quivered slightly.
'BOys, I've received startling news.
I've changed my mind about giving
everything away. I'll go ahead with
those houses. But I'll go little saner.
In a little saner manner, you under
7
| that big thing"
He sprang up.
Jonas! Call a good livery stable.
want their best saddle horse at
| twelve sharp. Craig make an appoint
ment for tomorrow morning with
Stanley Graham, the architect Phone
for the head barber downstairs. Jonas.
Mention ten dollars to him."
Then. without any of them know
ing what it was all about, the specu-
latOr, the secretary, and the valet, had
their hands seized and wrung with a
vim that crushed their fingers.
Hunt, burning with curiosity, per
mitted his eye to rest mOmentarily
upon the opened note lying on the
table. He could make nothing out Of it.
It began without preface and was IN
signed. It consisted Of two questions,
written in a flowing. girlish hand:
DO you remember our last appoint
ment? Will you keep it today?"
AS the superbIy 1.-THE. red-haired
young woman mounted with cool COM
posture on the sorrel horse, cantered
serenely past the Grant monument In
Lincoln park she glanced at her watch
| and saw it was one o'clock A garden
er spading the soft ground beside the
bridle-path stopped his work, as well
anyone might, to follow her with ad-
miring gaze. There was a delicious
'earthy" smell Of spring in the air,
vernal quickening all about
Presently-she had passed the end
| Of the hillock just north Of the monu-
ment-she turned in her saddle, and
| perceived far to the south q dark
shape growing rapidly larger. She jerk
ed the reins precipitateIy, wheeled
about. started back in alarm Her ad-
mirable tranquility had vanished.
Goose What did he mean? He was
full hour early.
Escape was cut off. Quickly she
| guided her horse into the concrete
| arch mOnument-and waited Her per
| turbation increased. Her gloyed hand
toyed nervously with her riding crop.
Her heart pounded against her side.
She smoothed for the fifth time her
stylish riding-habit. adjusted for the
tenth time the pointed hat atop her
| Titan hair.
What did he meant He was an hour
early
Now she could hear the rhythmic
thud of the hoof-beats. They were
coming with break-neck speed. Louder
and nearer, louder and nearer, louder
and nearer
A form shot past. Her heart Ieapt
| to her throat.
Then the scuf1e Of horse checked
in a headlong gallop, swiftly return
| ing sounds, and the archway was dark
ened by a broad-shOuldered, athletic
man astride a heaving, foam-fecked
| steed.
His age sat lightly upon him. He
looked much younger than he was. He
| had swept OFF his hat, and his thick
black hair, matted dampIy against his
4 SnChSO never trace OF
gray. He was distinguished rather
than goOd-looking, and the skin OF his
newIy-and whOlly-shaven face was
as fresh, as clear. and as glowing as
| her own.
Stirring within the minds Of these
two, who had beyond question proved
their love for one another, who had
known sorrow and bitterness and de
SPAR, who had, travelled years to reach
this moment, treading a long circle
| to fuse it at last, Were-who shall say
what thoughts and emotions?
But suppose 1 tell you what the
gardener, spading the soft ground be.
| side the bridIe-path, overheard?
- Well, Kate, how are your
You came little early. Two was the
| hour, you know. :"
Dan. like you ever so much
better without the beard. :"
| (THE ENID