The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1920-01-29
Jane Bunker

mered, "Y-yes-he was there" and
added hastily: "But didn't know he
was there. He told me there would be
someone--to take charge-when | gave
the signal that everything was all
right"
"Oh, there was q slgnalW
"Of course. I had to let the other
one know who had the boz"
"You mean you had to let your ia
ther known"
ut was papa-but didn't see him"
"What did you have to let him
knowT
whether 1t was you or Mrs. Della.
rio."
"How did you manage that2"
II set my little handbag on top Of
the suitcase-that said the box was
there. Then l drew Off my glove
that said. in O slipper II wasn't
very hard to remember"
"And you had given the signal when
l picked up the slipperF"
"Yes-and / was so frightened.
didn't know but papa would be
killed"
"And you went home with Mrs.
Delarlo and tried to see II she had the
right slipperT
"Yes-but l never found out"
She looked as II she were dying to
ask, "Have you found outf"
l was so afraid she would that
ended the cross-examination hastily by
asking her what she heard from her
mother and signaled Billy to chip into
the conversation and make talk as fast
as he could; and after she'd replied
about her mother-that her GRANDPA
ther was still dying and her mother
dared not leave-she turned to Billy
as though she had really only just then
become aware of his presence. and
they soon were chattering away like
magpies and the bushes were mostly
on Bllly's cheeks. For which he might
be forgiven. He was just twenty-five
and she was just sixteen but In three
years-dear me, what beauty she
was going to be-what a man-killerl
l left them to themselves. going to
my bedroom on some pretext or an
other while one quarter Of an hour fol-
lowed another. and still monsieur did
not return. At nine Claire began to
be restless; at quarter after she blurt-
ed out, "Do you suppose anything has
happened to papaT
had been supposing 1t for half an
hOur-hed had time to make twenty
trips to the telegraph office and back
but managed to say reassuringiy
"Why, what could happenf" and Billy
supported me with fine courageous
, Nothing could have happened-he's
: a mamie knows how to take care OF
: himself" and was rewarded with
, look. Even at sixteen Claire's looki
were valuable-Billy wouldn't have
, sold that to another fellow for ten
r dollar bill.
. The elevator rumbled up, and
cried, There he isl think"
George presented me with tive
| notes and the information that an au
tomoblle was downstairs waiting.
1 handed one note to Claire. tor
t open the one addressed to me, an'
: read:
a I'm sending car for my daughter
VIII you ask Mr. Rivers to escort her
the hotel7 1t Ii necessary that nay som
{ few words to you alone. beg you Z
8 await me.
+ 1t was signed, "H. de Ravenol."
had barely finished this when
heard Claire give a cry. mamma !
deadl"' and l looked up just In tim
; to see her throw out her arms an
swoon away at my feet.
People faint away In this story llk
, the heroines Of mid-victorian n
= nance, but can't help II. Anyway
warned you there was another fair
coming, which faint was, under tn
circumstances, natural enough.
= To be exact, Claire swooned at m
feet via BIlly's arms. The intentio
r was all on his side. however,
= caught her as she was regardlessly g
!. ing and let her down. A light bu
:. den.
q "Got any smelling saltsi Quick
q you have. Some water. II you haven't
h he ordered.
IS couldn't help an inward snort I
e. the cool way in which he took the pr
.e prIetorship OF the situation In N
n hOuse-a snort tempered with goo
,r natured elderly amusement at his n
ID petuOsity and its justinable cause. q
N was nearly as pale as Claire aI
r dreadfully agltated. But was alreat
running to the bathroom for the vat