Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1920-02-19
CHAPTER XII.

before leaving the house.
i oNe you my good wishes be
said -Ahd give then most frankiy.
although perhaps ~ith more difaeuly
than you suppose
you are very good. Mr.. Coward
she scknowledged
Il could Dot wish you anything bot
happiness" be returned. And had !
been 50 Fortunate as Eld.n. In making
your acgua.Htanc, trst ! might have
hoped TO coatr.hg'e 90 your happiness
more directly than can under the
pres.ut c.rrums'ancvS lie vas
sT-aklng 10 bis l1s, seiuioas notss.
and bis words sFt the giri'S blood
rushing In a strange mixturr Of graft
fcation and aHsvr The tribute be
inpliet-that he hlmssi. would have
t.sn glad 20 have been her sutton
vas ssilltgIly planned 20 APPEAL 90
h.r vanity. snd her anger was due 90
- success. She told herself she
should 10, listen 20 such words: she
should hate 20 hear such words And
yet she listened to them. and Sas Dot
sure that she hated them. she could
only say:
You are very good. Mr.. Coward"
He pressed her hand az the door.
and ssain that strange mixture %
emotions sursei through her.
Coward proceeded 10 the business
section ~ the town well pleased with
the evenings events He found his
way impeded by crowds In front Of the
newspaper Offices. lie had paid little
attention 20 the progress of the war
Scsre. sttribgting Il 20 the skillful pub
lefty o. Interests connected with the
manufacture % arnamsnts. To the
last be had not believed tina; var was
possible
Nobody wants 20 feh'." he had as
sured his business acquainiances.
Even the armament people don't
aan' 20 fght. All they want Is 20
Brighten more money ont % the tax
payers - Europe" To Coward this
explanation SEEMED very complete. II
covered the whole ground and lef'
nothing 20 be said.
But toni sht he was aware OF q
keener tension In the crowd atmos.
phere They were good.natured
crowds. TO be sure. laughing and
cheering and making salliss Of heavy
wit: but they we're In some way more
intense than he had ever seen before.
There was no fear Of war: there was
rather. an adventurous spirit which
seemed TO fear that the affair would
blow over. as had so many affairs In
the past. and all the excitement 60
for nothing. That war II IL came %
war. could last no one dreamed; Il
would be a matter Of few weeks. a
few months az the most. until q thor.
Oughly whipped Germany would retire
behind the Rhine TO plan ways of rails
Ing the indemnity which outraged ciyi.
lization would demand.
Coward eIb0wel his way through
the crowds, smiling. in his superior
EnowledSe, over their excitement.
Newspapers must have headlines.
At his office Coward used a tele-
phone. Then he walked 10 a restsu.
rant. where, after a few minutes he
was joined By a young woman. They
took q table In box. Supper was dis
posed Of. and the young woman began
20 grow impatient
We'll. you brought me here" she
said, az last You've fed me, and you
don't feed anybody, Coward. without
4 purpose What's the consideration
I'm pulling of little joke, and
want you to help me. You know Eden
Dave EldenT'
Sure. I've known him ever since
that jolt put him out Of business mp in
your rooms, ever 50 many years ago.
He was too rural for that mixture"
Il want you to get him down 10
your place some night TO be agreed
upon-rll fl the date later-and keep
him there until call for him, with
his fancee"
Some joke" she said. and there was
disgust in her voice. who Is IL on
Eden, me, or the girl?"
"Never mind who it's on" Coward
returned. I'm paying for II. Here's
something on account, and IL you make
a good job Of II | won't be stingy."
He handed her bill. which she
kissed and put in her purse. Il need
the money. Coward, or I wouldn't
take It."
This part Of his trap set, Coward
awaited a suitable opportunity to
spring 1t. In the meantime he took
Mrs. Hardy partially into his conf
dence. He allowed her to believe, how
ever, that Elden's habits would stand
correction and he had merely arranged
to trap him In one of his favorite
haunts. She was very much shocked
and thought 1t was very dreadful. but
"of course we must save Irene"
But concerning another part of his
program Coward was even less frank
with Mrs. Hardy. He was clever
enough to know that he must observe
certain limitations.
At length all his plans appeared to