Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-02-07
The MAN
KNEW
HoL WORTHY HALL
copyrioht by Dood Mead a Co. Inc

He took II gently from billiards
hand; replaced It on the desk. How
that boy would have made good II
he had livedi" said the doctor. IN an
undertone. ."Well--they're waiting
for u.s."
Hillinrd. following him outside. en-
countered the two Cullcns In the
hall. and at sight OF his fiorid host,
he collected his WITS and resumed
his part in the play.
"Oh!" he said. II that was from
one-that was a telegram from the
manager Of the syndicate, Mr.. Cul-
len; he said it's decided not to try
to resyndicate any stock, but TO hold
1t ourselves for the long upll-every-
things put off for three or four
weeks anyway. I'm having a copy
mailed to the house-there,s some
news in 1t I thought you might like
to see."
Good! That leaves you free
doesn't It? You'll stay on with US
then? Don't say no. insist on it,"
"No, couldn't do that! It's awful
kind of you, but"
You talk to him, Angelal" laugh
ed Mr.. Cullen. You make him stay.
You've got more influence over him
than I have, anyhow. Ane don't you
dare to let him get away without
promise-understand He passed
en-, and left them together.
"You walk along with me sir!"
said Angela, imperailly. "And you'd
better behave yourseif-Tm f1erce!"
At the same moment that he look
ed yearningly toward Carol, who up
ahead by the doorway was already
captive to the willy Armstrong.
young Rufus Warins wa. glazing
belligerently toward billiard.
The masquerader smiled in defeat,
then smiled with sudden realization
of the woman child clinsing to him.
He squeezed her arm out Of sheer at
lection.
your gallant cavalieru cover me
with horrid welts and bruises for
this!" he said warningly. Don't
make him jealous now!" They were
now bringing up the rear Of the pro-
cession in the hallway.
'T'n make 'em we'll again." said
Angela IT am q good nurse, aren't
II"
He was CONFUSED by her air Of
conquest.
by the fashioned method"
He could hardly believe that this
was the girl he had taught to climb
trees, and make slingsf1ots.
I'll" She stepped and blushed
The others were all on the steps;
these two were in the duslky vesti-
bule Warning was frettiAs i'm
patiently outside.
'Wonld your" asked -Hilliard. He
intended only to tease her; but all
at once her head came UP and he
could see that her eyes were big and
soft and frightened. Sbs was hard
ly seventeen. and to HNf1ard she had
never ceased to be the child..of two
years ago. He bent and kissed her;
her lips were trembling. expressive. .
Nov we've got to hurry" he said.
Come, dear"
It was the tone he would naturally
use to a child, but he had an I'M
easy feeling that he had used 1t to
q woman. Children's lips aren't ex-
pressive.
And he had another intuition
still more upsetting to him-which
was that he had been observed. For
on the threshold Of the outer door
Carol and Armstrong and Rufus
Warning, as tho turned back. to in
quire into the cause Of billiards and
Angela's delay, were standing.
He could not tell, Of course.
whether they had actually seen him.
the hallway he had escaped; GER
tainly there was nothing in the man
ner of any one Of the three, when
billiard Joined them, to convince
him one way or the other. But he
knew that he was In critical sit,l-
alton; he knew that to any reason
able person who had seen him at
that spontaneous little outburst Of
sentiment, his motives wouldn't ap-
pear to be very Opaque.
No, the manner Of those three
who had stood on the threshold was,
astonishingly casual Perhaps too
casual. Hilliard frowned,
and tried to glimpse their various
expressions. All! Warning, striding
stiltedly ahead, had thunderclouds
on his forehead, and as for
Carol
She turned to speak to Armstrong,
and billiard knew.
For the remainder of the first
stage of that walk, he spoke not a
word to Angela, who trudged aleng
BY his side with God knows what
tumults in her bosom. He thought
not Of Angela, nor concerned him.
self with the storm he had stirred
within her. He was absorbed solely
with the puzzle, which lay before
him, which was to detach Carol as
soon as possible, and to explain
himself Otherwise, his reputation
was ashes even now.
And, to his unbounded 10y, the on
portunity came soon-at the end OF
the read. where the party halted for
a moment, to take q referendum ar to
the route. Armstrong strayed q yard
or two too far and on the instant
Hilliard was at Carols elbow. She
said nothing, nor did he; but when
the march was resumed, he was be-
side her-and beating his brains for
an introductory remark. He had to
convince her he had been trffins
with nsitAsr hsrwslf nor Angela, and
ne walked . good furlonS before he
could devise 80 much as an opening
sentence. At length he cleared his
throat.
Tive just decided" ne said, shat