Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner. (Elizabeth, Colo.) 1920-1921, 1920-07-23

throat was dusty dry.
AS he gained the level of the ver-
anda, there was a stir of activity off
to the right, and an erect, middle
aged man clambered out of a ham
mock, and came briskly forward.
Back in the shadows Hilliard could
dress.
YES" The middle-aged man was
politely brusque.
as this Mr.. Cullen? Mr..
James CullenT
Eyes sirl" The middle-aged man
was very convincing about 1t. Yes.
sir. What can I do for your"
billiard bowed stiffiy from the hips
"a touch of foreign courtesy which
had its effect.
IF you're at leisure, Mr.. Cullen.
should like very much to have word
with you. OIL think / may call 1t
so-urgent private matters. My name
is billiard. In brief, I've come up
from New York today to bring you
letter from young man named Rich
ard Morgan"
Morgan /" said the older man
sharply. "Dick Morgan |" Back In the
"Wheres he?"
Hes dead" said billiard. HE died
in France" Mr.. Cullen stood perfect
ly still, and Hilliard. watching him
intently, was overcome by resentment
at the knowledge that two years ago
this man had held billiards. fate in
his thick fingers.
mol" said Mr.. Cullen. "Of all
thingsl Well, what d'you know about
that Dick Morgan dead" There
was surprise, but little poignancy In
his tone. isn't that terriblel And
over in France Angela. did
you hear that7"
More rustling from the shadows. and
a slim figure stepping out of them into
the foreground; It was Angela Cullen,
Just over the brink Of seventeen, ex-
Quisitely small and blonde, and pro-
foundly agitated by the news. Hill
Hard bowed mechanically he had re-
membered her as a vivid little hoyden.
Queer, that his heart should skip a
beat or two at beholding her now.
But she had brought the first remem-
brance of untroubled days back to
him, and the contrast hurt-abomi-
nably.
"Oh, dadl" she said with quick
intake of her breath. "Oh :.
dad 7" And chung to him for refuge.
staring the while with wide and fear
full eyes at the tall stranger who had
delivered the laconic message.
Cullen held her close. and cleared
his throat. he was in the common
enough situation of man who feels
that he ought to be deeply moved and
isn't. and wonders why; and his trans
parent effort to be funereal was slight
ly overdone.
TITS great shock to us-of course"
he said. speaking slowly. "A great
shock. Obi Mr.. Hilliard-my
daughter. Well must say I. {.
Suppose we sit down and talk this
over"
Hilliard bowed again; Mr.. Cullen,
his arm encircling Angela. led the way
to the hammock and its reinforcement
of wicker chairs. The trio was
Scdttu. hillluru CouSheu uciiSdtciy,
and after that. there WAS a brief
silence. Gradually, the air was
charged with constraint. Here he
was, and there was Angela and
Mr.. Cullen-all of them little
older. all of them a great deal more
repressed. but even so, here they were,
these three. just as they had sat In
the same place. on the same sort of
summer evenings, when Dicky Morgan
wasn't yet anathema, and when =. {.
This this thing happened
some time ago, did it7 You were
abroad yourself?"
Eyes. l was"
81 want to hear about Dick" said
Angela in a dry little voice. please I
And and who are you. Mr..
Hilliard?'
angela !" said her father. reproach-
fully, but billiard. coughing with
great vehemence, felt sudden in
rush of triumph which gave him con-
fidence. 1t was the triumph of dra-
matte success: the consciousness that
whatever might come next, he had &C
tually appeared before people who
knew him best. and that they saw n
stranger. He smiled, as church.
man smiles.
"All I pretend to be is friend Of
Dicks. l."
"Oh! A friend" Cullen's intona-
tion was curiously warped.
perhaps you'l understand better IL
go back to the beginning. Shall ~
DO" Cullen motioned him carte
blanche, and billiard took long
breath and hepan