Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-06-12
CHAPTER XII.
IA


SAID. And give them most frankly
although perhaps with more difficulty
than you suppose"
You are very good, Mr.. Coward -
she acknowledged.
Il could not wish you anything hut
happiness" he returned "And had |
Oeen so fortunate as Eden. in making
your acquaintance first, | might have
hoped TO contribute 10 your happiness
more directly than I can under the
present circumstances. lie was
speaking in his low, sedulous notes,
and his words sent the girls blood
rushing in a strange mixture of graft
hcation and anger. The tribute he
imptied-that he himself would have
been glad to have been her Suitor-
was skilifuiiy planned TO appeal tn
her vanity. and her anger was dIe 10
It's success. She told herself she
should not listen TO such words; she
should hate to hear such words. And
yet she listened to them. and waS nor
sure that she hated them. She could
only say:
You are very good. Mr.. Coward"
He pressed her land mt the GoCr
and again that strange III ature Of
emotions surged through her.
Coward proceeded to the business
section of the town. well pleased with
the evenings events. He found his
way impeded by crowds in front of the
To- Vt GJDfly Oh LoI i 10
attention to the progress of the war
scare, attributing it to the skillful pub
licity of interests connected with the
manufacture of ornaments. TO the
last he had not believed that war was
possible.
Nobody wants to fight" he had as
sured his business acquaintance.
Even the armament people don't
want TO fight. All they want is TO
brighten more money out of the tax
payers of Europe" To Coward this
explanation seemed very complete. 1t
covered the whole ground and left
nothing to he said.
But tonight he was aware of
keener tension in the crowd atmos-
phere. They were Sood-natured
crowds, TO be sure, laughing and
cheering and making Sallies 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 10 fear that the affair would
blow over. as had so many affairs in
the past, and all the excitement go
for nothing. That war, II ii came TO
war. could last no one dreamed; it
would be q matter of a few weeks,
few months. at the most, until thor
oughly whinned Germany would retire
behind the Rhine to plan ways Of rails
ing the indemnity which outraged civil
lization would demand.
Coward ebowed his way through
the crowds. smiling. in his superior
knowledge, over their excitement.
Newspapers must have headlines.
Al his Office Coward used tele-
phone. Then he walked to a restau-
rant. where, after few minutes. he
was Joined by young woman. They
took table in box. Supper was dis
posed of, and the young woman began
to grow impatient.
"WeiI, you brought me here" she
said, nj last you've fed me. and you
don't feed anybody, Coward. without
Il purpose What's the considerations
Tin pulling off little joke, and |
want you to help me. You know Eden
Dave Elden?'
"Sure. I've known him ever since
that Jolt put him out of business up in
your rooms. ever so many years ago.
He was too rural for that mixture"
II want you to get him down to
your place some night to be agreed
upon-Tll fix the date later-and keep
him there until l call for him, with
his fiancee."
Some joke" she said, and there was
disgust in her voice. "Who is it on
Eden me, or the girl2"
"Never mind who it's on" Coward
returned. I'm paying for 1t. Here's
something on account. and if you make
a good job of it won't be stingy."
He handed her bill, which she
kissed and put in her purse. 81 need
the money. Coward, or l wouldn't
take It."
This part of his trap set, Coward
awaited a suitable opportunity TO
spring #. 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 re had merely arranged
to trap him in one of his favorite
haunts. She was very much shocked
and thought II 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
be complete The city was in tumult
Of excitement over the war, but for
Coward n deeper interest conferred
I'm the plot he was Matching under the
unsuspecting noses of Irene and Eden.
If he could trap Dave the rest would
be easy. If he failed in this he had
another plan TO give failure at least
the appearance of success.
The fact that the nation was now
at war probably had an influence in
nm tho rlnt Exprrfhin0 .ras,