The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-02-20

He did not see Mrs. Delario that night.
Neither did he see me-but then
he didn't intend toi 1 waited for the
mysterious visit until half past ten,
every minute feeling 1t more unwise
OF me to see him. At that hour, using
Its lateness as my excuse, / locked up, |
determined Id not speak to him at all
until had had chance to talk things
over with Billy. went to bed but
not to sleep. knew something TN
foreseen had happened something
Mrs. Delario must know or sense" or
she wouldn't have brought back the
diamonds after the positive way I'd
refused them In the morning.
kept telling myself, "Oh. well-Tll
know in the morning and I'll find some
way to meet 1t when IL comes. Things
can't be any worse,n and thus / fell
asleep without an inkling Of the
muddle I'd be In before the sun set on
another day.
had gone to bed with quite bit
OF a crouch on Mrs. DelarioI think
anybody would have felt the same in
my place, was perfectly willing that
she should keep her faith in Tibetan
masters or mahatmas along with the
emperor's diamonds, and l stood pre-
pared to help her do both; but IL /
were willing to make such conces-
sions to her 1t did seem as If she
oughtn't to 60 throwing Off her re-
sponslbilities and her diamonds on me
all the timei She didn't seem to feel
she owed me any consideration. Very
complimentary, of course, that ! was
the only person in the world she dared
| to trust; but I've found from expert
ence there isn't much in that sort of
| complimentary the recipient. And
| she hadn't even troubled herself to
explain why she'd brought them back
Ito warn me of what threatened !!
That was what ranked more than
| anything.
walked up grouchier than ever
if she'd been there I'd have told her
what thought about her! How was
to hide her diamonds now? had
exhausted all my ingenuity with the
hyacinths, so what between raclSing
my brains and nursing my crouch, I
4 decided wouldn't hide them at all,
and what did was to turn them bot
tom side up under the cotton and fill
the rest of the box with pens and drop
1t carelessly on the tray where it had
been. And when I'd done that l was,
to all intents and purposes, back in
the same hole again lift went out
and left them in the house they might
be stolen; II took them out with me
might bo zWs,bed.
From being grouchy / got mad al
her; and from being mad it was but
step to the Idea that I was fate's
instrument to save the nation, and by
the time I'd finished breakfast / hat
decided to go to Washington immedi
, ately and lay the matter before the
president and let him attend to Ger
many.
had just settled the laudable In
tention with myself when Bill,
breezed in. He was rosy; he was cor
dlal-oh, very! I'm free to say rv'
AStNA oNtu SAity NulNc So CbEuldl SlIlC'
the day rescued him from materna
spanks and curled his hair an,
pressed his Fauntleroy suit--the da,
the boys threw him In the swimming
hole. But his young face was ais
clouded with anxiety and he wa
: puzzled still at the stand I'd taken tn
night before-that Mrs. Delario was t
keep the diamonds-and that I'd ha,
no chance to explain to him.
He said Hello" four times an
pumped my hand off.
You're still alive, / see," he OF
= served with sweet smile.
Without waiting to hear what 1 ha
! to say he threw his hat on the tabl
and ratified Off. "Well, got her bac
to the hotel all right--she was asa
gay as anything all the way dowr
Her father was standing In the doc
looking for us--I guess he was scare
stif that she hadn't come-and tn
minute she saw him she threw hersel
in his arms and went into Mysteries
Billy's face puckered up with hi
anxiety and his sympathy as / e,
\ claimed, Poor childr'
N Il couldn't do anything more so l.
" evaporated." he continued. "Didn
even try to say goodby to her. Do 70
think she'll think that was queer
me?-go Off without saying goodbyj
at he was anxious on this point.
he mo. She's enough the lady to r
Or gard it as great delicaey on vol
i'd part"
ct Il hope she WILL" he said ferventl
20 but do you think the shock-la
ld night and all--was too much for hel
e. Say--I'm worried" he looked at n
IS In an appealing way.
e. answered, amused, II suppoi
ld that means You want me to go rig
I'll down to the hotel with you and fiji
g. out all about her. ] suppose maidt
40 aunt has nothing to do but go raciI
x Off with jelly and make one big DIR
IN matte fuss-just as IL fainting her