The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-05-07
q Jane Bunker
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ut was papa-but didn't see him."
'What did you have to let him
know?"
"Whether it was you or Mrs. Della.
RIO"
allow did you manage that?'
Il set my little handbag on top of
the suitcase-that said the box was
there. Then I drew of my glove
that said. in slipper It wasn't
very hard to remember"
"And you had given the signal when
l picked up the slipper?"
"Yes--and was SO frightened. I
didn't know but papa would be
killed"
"And you went home with Mrs.
Delario and tried to see II she had the
right slipper?"
"Yes-but never found out
She looked as IL she were dying to
ask. "Have you found Out?''
was SO afraid she would that
ended the cross-examination hastily by
asking her what she heard from her
mother and signaled Billy to chip into
the conversation and make talk as fast
as he could; and after she'd replied
about her mOther-that her grandpa
tller was still dying and her mother
dared not lcave-she turned to Billy
as though she had really only just then
become aware Of his presence, and
they soon were chattering away like
magpies and the bushes were mostly
on Billy's cheeks. For which he might
be forgiven. He was just twenty-five
and she was just sixteen but in three
years-dear me. what q beauty she
was going to be-what man-killer!
I left them to themselves, going to
my bedroom on some pretext or an
other while one quarter Of an hour fol-
lowed another. and still monsieur did
not return. At nine Claire began to
be restless: at quarter after she blurt-
ed out. do YOU suppose anything has
happened to papa:"
l had been suppOsing it for half an
h0ur-he'd had time to make twenty
trips to the telegraph office and back
but l managed to say reassuringly
'Why. what could happen?" and Billy
supported me with fine courageous,
"N"thing could have happened-he's
a mamie knows how to take care of
himself" and was rewarded with a
look. Even at sixteen Claire's looks
were valuable-Billy wouldn't have
sold that to another fellow for a ten.
dollar bill.
| Yshn p,pvp,1N1n.l
cried, "There he isl Think
George presented me with two
notes and the Information that an au.
tonlobile was downstairs waiting.
handed one note to Claire. tore
open the one addressed to me, and
read:
I'm sending a car for my daughter
| Will you ask Mr.. Rivers to escort her II
the hotel? 1t Is necessary that say some
few words to you alone. beg you ia
await me.
II was signed. III. de RavenOl."
had barely finished this when
heard Claire give cry, "Mamma is
dead!" and l looked up just in time
to see her throw out her arms and
sw"On away al my feet.
People faint away in this story like
the heroines Of mid.Victorian ro
nance. but can't help it. Anyway
l warned you there was another faint
coming. which faint was, under the
circumstances, natural enough.
To be exact, Claire swOOned at my
feet via Hilly's arms. The intention
was all on his side. hOwever-he
caught her as she ,...s regardlessly 60
ing and let her down. A light bur-
den.
'GOt any smelling salts? Quick II
YOU have. Some water. If you haven't,
he ordered.
couldn't help an inward snort al
the cool way in which he took the pro
prietOrship of the situation in my
house--a snort tempered with good
natured elderly amusement at his i'm
petuOsity and its justifiable cause. He
was nearly as pale az Claire and
'lreadfully agitated. but l was already
running to the bathroom for the water
to revive her. as twenty.four hours
previous I'd run for water to assuage
the ammoniacal agOnies of her deaf
papa.
Billy was on his knees. From under
one prOtrutled the note that had
caused the damage. l went down or
my knees and applied the wet towel
Billy fished forth the note and with
out cOmpunction read it aloud.
My child: Ut was In French, Return L
the hotel Immediately. Ask Mr.. Rivers t
escort you. VOTRE PERE.
Nothing very nerve-shattering and moi
q word about her mother; So evident
~ she'd been expecting something and
this had keeled her over on general
principles.
"What was in yours?" demanded
BILLY.
reached out and got II of the ia
BILE where I'd thrown it and gave I,
to him. "NOthing about her mother,
aNi6 I W'T>htS Hott3nur hup a xv0v Il. 1,,ct