The state herald., 1920-03-26

y
comfort to have some one you can de-
pend on-some one whose advice one
can seek. on occasions like this I
never thought"
"Thcre, there" he snid. "You must
control yourself. Tell me. 1t viii re-
lleve you. and perhaps I can help"
"Oh. I'm sure you can she re-
turned. "It's all over irene and thnt-
that-I will say it-that COW puncher.
To think 1t should have come to this
Mr.. Coward, you are not mother, so
you can't understand. Ungrateful girl
But blame him. And the doctor. !
never wanted him to come West. 1t
was that fool trip. In that fool mo-
tor"
Coward smiled to himself over her
unnccustomed violence. Mrs. Hardy
must be deeply moved when she for
got to be correct. He had readily sur
missed the occasion Of her distress. II
needed no words from Mrs. Hardy 10
tell him that Irene and Dave were en-.
gagged. he had expected It for some
time, and the Information was not nj.
together dlstasteful to him. He had
come somewhat under the spell Of
Irene's attractiveness. but he had no
deep attachment for her. He was not
aware that he had ever had an abid-
Ing attachment for any woman. At.
tachments were things which he put
on and on as readily as q change of
clothes. He planned to hit Dave
through Irene. but he planned that
when he struck 1t should be death
blow. Their engagement would lend
sharper edge to his shaft.
1t may us well be set down that for
Mrs. Hardy Coward had no regard
whatever. Even while he shaped soft
words for her ear he held her In con-
tempt. To him she was merely q silly
old woman.
From the day he had first seen Mrs.
Hnrly his attitude toward her had
been one Of subtle fiattery. partly be
cause It pleased his whim and partly
on that same day he had seen Irene.
and he was shrewd enough to know
that his approach to the girls affec-
tions must he made by way Of the nc.
quaIntanceship which he would estnb-
lish under the guise Of friendship for
her mother. Since his trouble with
Dave Coward had . double purpose
In developing that acquaintanceshlp.
lie had no compunctions AZ to his
method Of attack. While Dave was
munfully laying siege to the front
gate Coward proposed to burglarIze
the home through the back door Of
family Intimacy. And now that Dave
seemed to hive won the prize Con-
ward realized that his own position
was more secure than ever. Had hc
not been called In consultation by the
girls mother7 Were not the inner af.
fairs Of the family now laid open be
fore him? Did not his position as
her mothers adviser permit him to
assume toward Irene an attitude
which. In sense, was more Intimate
han even Dawes could be? He turned
these matters over quickly In his mind
and congratulated himself upon the
wisdom OF his tactics.
'Its very dreadful" Mrs. Hardy was
saying between dabbings of her per
fumcd handkerchief on eyes that borc
witness to the gcnuineness of her dis.
tress. ''Ircne is not an ordinary girl.
She has In her qualities that justified
ne In hoping thnt-thnt she would do
very different from this. Need l
conceal from you. Mr.. Conward-from
YOU, OF ah men---what have been 10y
hopes for Ircne?"
Conward's heart leaped at the cor
fcssion. He had secretly cnterrIlncd
some doubt as to Mrs. Hardy's pur'
pose In opening her home To him us
she had done; absurd MS the hypothe'
sis seemed. still there was the hy.
pothesis that Mrs. Hurdy saw Ia Con
ward possible comfort to her declln
ing days. He had no doubt TINT her
vnnlty was equal to That supposliion.
but he had done her less than Justice
In supposng that she hnd any directly
personal ambitions. Her ambitions
were for Irene. She hnd hoped that.
by bringing Coward Into the house.
by bringing Irene under the influence
Of q close family acqunintanccshlp
with him. that young lady might be
led to see the folly Of the road she was
choosing. She had hoped that he
would be the successful suitor for
Irene. And Conward's heart leapsd
at the confessio0.