The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-02-19
CHAPTER XII

"You are very good, Mr.. Coward"
she acknowledged.
81 could not wish you anything but
happiness" he returned. And had l
been so fortunate as Eden, in making
your acquaintance first, 1 might have
hoped TO contribute TO your happiness
more directly than I can under the
present circumstances" He was
speaking in his low, seduiOus notes,
and his words sent the girls blood
rushing in a strange mixture of graft
ficatiOn and anger. The tribute he
implied-that he himself would have
been glad to have been her sutton
was Skillfully planned to appeal to
her vanity. and her anger was due to
its success. She told herself she
should not listen to such words; she
should hate to hear such words. And
yet she listened to them, and was not
sure that she hated them. She could
only say:
you are very good, Mr.. Coward. >
He pressed her hand at the door,
and again that strange mixture of
emotions surged through her.
Coward proceeded to the business
section of the town, we'll pleased with
the evenings events. He found his
way impeded by crowds in front of the
newspaper offices. He had paid little
attention to the progress of the war
scare, attributing it to the skillful pub
licity of interests connected with the
manufacture of ornaments. To the
last he had not believed that war was
possible.
Nobody wants to fight he had as
sured his business acquaintanceS.
even the armament people don't
want to fight. All they want is to
brighten more money out of the tax
payers of Europe" To Coward this
explanation seemed very complete. II
covered the whole ground and left
nothing to be said.
But tonight he was aware of a
keener tension in the crowd atmos-
phere. They were gOod-natured
crowds, to be sure, laughing and
cheering and making sallies of heavy
wit; but they were in some way more
intense than he had ever seen before
There was no fear of war; there was,
rather. an adventurous spirit which
seemed to fear that the affair would
blow over, as had so many affairs in
the past, and all the excitement go
for nothing. That war, if it came to
war, could last no one dreamed; it
would be q matter of few weeks, q
few months, at the most, until n thor
Oughly whipped Germany would retire
behind the Rhine to plan ways Of rails
ing the indemnity which outraged civil
lization would demand.
Coward eIbOWed his way through
the crowds, smiling. in his superior
knowledge, over their excitement.
Newspapers must have headlines.
At his Office Coward used a teIe-
phone. Then he walked to a restau-
rant, where, after a few minutes. he
was Joined by young woman. They
took table in box. Supper was dis
posed of, and the young woman began
to grow impatient.
''WeIl, you brought me here she
said, at last. you've fed me. and you
don't feed anybody, Coward, without
a purpose. What's the consideration 2"
I'm pulling off little joke, and 1
want you to help me. You know Eden
Dave Elden?"
''Sure. I've known him ever since
your rooms. ever SO many years ago.
He was too rural for that mixture
ST want you to get him down to
your place some night to be agreed
upon-Tll fix the date later-and keep
him there until I call for him, with
his fiancee."
'SOme joke" she said. and there was
disgust in her voice. "Who is it on
Eden, me, or the girl?"
Never mind who it's on" Coward
returned. I'm paying for it. Here's
something on account, and if you make
a good job of it 1 won't be stingy."
He handed her a bill, which she
kissed and put in her purse ST need
the money, Coward, or I wouldn't
take it,
This part of his trap set, Coward
awaited a suitable opportunity to
spring it In the meantime he took
Mrs. Hardy partially into his conf
dence. He allowed her to believe, how
ever, that EIden's habits would stand
correction and he had merely arranged
to trap him in one of his favorite
haunts. She was very much shocked
and thought it was very dreadful. but
"of course we must save Irene.'
But concerning another part of his
program Coward was even less frank
with Mrs. Hardy. He was clever
enough to know that he must observe
certain limitations
AT length all his plans appeared to
be complete. The city was in tumuIt
Of excitement over the war, but for
Coward a deeper interest conferred
in the plot he was Matching under the
unsuspecting noses of Ireae and Eden.
If he could trap Dave the rest would
be easy. If he failed in this he had
another plan to give failure at least
the appearance of success.
The fact that the nation was now
at war probably had an influence in
speeding up the plot Everything was
under high tension; powerful currents
of thought were bearing the masses
along unaccustOmed channels; society
Itself was in a state of fux. If he
were TO strike at all let the blow fall
at once.
On this early August night he ascer.