The Taney County republican., 1920-04-08

sue "oHIuu IllNt DIOubll DuCh llc
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 It when It comes. Things
can't be any worse" and thus / fell
asleep without an inkllng Of the
muddle I'd be In before the sun set on
another day.
had gone to bed with quite a bit
Of a crouch on Mrs. Delarlo-I 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
cmperOr's diamonds, and I stood pre-
pared to help her do both; but II I
were willing TO make such cOnces-
si0ns to her It did seem as II she
Oughtn't to so throwing Off her re-
SpOnsibllltieS and her diamonds on me
all the time! 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
compllment-fOr the recipient. And
she hadn't even troubled herself TO
explain why she'd brought them back
to warn me Of what threatened
That was what ranked more than
anything.
| walked up grouchier than ever
II she'd been there I'd have told her
what l thought about her How was
I to hide her diamonds now? I had
exhausted all my ingenuity with the
hyaclnths, so what between racking
my brains and nursing my crouch,
decided I 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 If | went out
and left them In the house they might
be stolen; If took them out with me
I might be robbed.
From being grouchy l got mad at
her; and from being mad it was but
a step to the idea that l was fate's
instrument to save the nation, and by
the time I'd finished breakfast I had
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 Billy
breezed In. He was rosy; he was cor
dial-oh, very! I'm free TO say I've
never seen Billy quite so cordial since
the day rescued him from maternal
spHnks and curled his hair and
pressed his Fauntleroy sult--the day
the boys threw him In the swimming
hole. But his young face was also
clouded with anxiety and he was
puzzled still at the stand I'd taken the
night hefore-that Mrs. Delarlo was to
keep the lamonds-and that I'd had
no chance to explain to him,
He said Hello" four times and
pumped my hand Off.
You're still alive, I see" he cb-
served with sweet smile.
Without waiting TO hear what | had
to say he threw his hat on the table
and ratified of, "Well, I got her back |
TO the hotel all right--she was as--as
gay as anything all the way down.
Her father was standing In the door
looking for us-I guess he was scared |
stiff that she hadn't come-and the |
minute she saw him she threw herself |
In his arms and went into Mysteries !"
Billy's face puckered up with his
anxiety and his sympathy as ex.
Poor childW
II couldn't do anything more 80 /
evapOrated." he continued. "Dldn't
even try to say goodby to her. Do you
think she'll think that was queer of
me?-go off without saying goodbyT"
He was anxious or this point.
"No. She's enough the lady to re.
gard 1t as great delicacy on your
)art."
II hope she WILL" he said fervently.
But do you think the shOck-last
hight and all-was too much for her?
Say--Im worried" he looked at me
n an appealing way.
I answered, amused, II suppose
hat means you want me to 20 right
lown TO the hotel with you and find
'ut all about her. l suppose maiden
lunt has nothing to do but 20 racing
N with jelly end make one big dra.
natic fuss--just MS II faintIng hero.
mes weren't the most ordinary occur.
ences known to felton,"
"Ordinaryl" gnsped Billy. "A faint
Ike that ordinary? I never saw any.
hing like it--and I've seen a good
life."
He jumped up and took a turn
bout the room. He was annoyed.
as amused-so much amused that
ad forgotten my crouch on Mrs. Della.
10 and that ] had the diamonds and
leant to take them to the president.