The Ordway new era., 1920-09-10
CHAPTER xIi-continued.


Rufus-and Jack-handle 1t together.
Between them. they'll make rather an
exhaustive study. don't you think? And
they might turn up something that all
OF us would want 10 know"
THAT'S right It's thought. Well
-" Cullen looked at his watch. Il
can't waste any more time on this tom
fool business. / ought to have been
in The Office an hour ago. Anybody go
ing downtown
Il am-but I'll walk" said waring
suIenly.
-Can I stayT' asked HilIiard of An
gela, in an undertone.
~ want you TO-" she said. Her eyes
followed Waring to the doorway.
After they had been alone for full
minute. and neither of them had ut
tered syllable. 1t came to Hilliard
that the chief difficulty in being evil
is to make an end of II. but that the
chief difficulty in being virtuous is to
begin. His brain was active and his
emotions were placid; but 10 his mild
perpleXity he had no compelling de-
sire to make a start. There was no
restraining impedlment working
against him. as ON the occasion of his
interview with Carol; his Impulses
were merely lazy. Indeed. he was
rather highly gratified ut the course.
OF things this morning; he argued
that Warnings zeal and Armstrong;
Itinerary had relieved hun from any
necessity Of an out-nnd-uut uvoWul of
his innocent fraud; It was much more
satisfactory. {nce all the issues were
so confused, to turn his affairs over
to Cullen, and to await the Inevitable
verdict on an impersonal basis. In the
meantime. he was deeply touched by
Cullen's confidence in him: Cullen and
Carol Durant alike hnd refused to be
iieve the obvious truth; he wondered
stolldly what 1t would have meant to
him to have had such reputation
from his youth onward the gratifica-
tion now would have been superlatlve
provided only that he had been en-
titled to his pride
Hes jealous of you" said Angela
abruptly. That's ail-he's Jealous.
Simply wild with it. You know that
don't you?"
emboldenlng beginning. Not the least
SO; 1t implied exactly the sort of rival
ry which he had feared, and which he
had come to relinquish.
.'Who is? Oh! Rufus warIng?"
TERRIBLY jealous. Perfectly cruzy
with 1t. That's what all this whole
mess Is about" She tossed her head
willfully. 81 don't care; do your
The unreserved bluntness of 1t near
ly took him of his feet; renewing the
devastating suspicion that Angela had
grown to care too much for hm--too
much for her own good.
why, Angela !" he said lamely. "of
course 1 do. 1t hurts me-"
She hammered a gold embroidered
sofa-cushion with one tiny fist.
."Oh. he's jealous of everything and
everybody. That doesn't count any
more. only It made me perfectly
furious. :. wanted to scratch him
:. the very idea of his daring to say
anything like that about youl Even
IL you do like me lotr' She sighed
heavily. And yet If you stop to think
about 1t, 1t was sort of brave. too
three to one. and he was wrong-poor
dearl'
HIlliard looked down at her with
deep affection md troubled relief.
''As long as I'VE defender like you
l wouldn't worry" he said. but I'm
afraid it won't be for so very long
Angela. that you'll feel like defending
me-"
why potT she asked.
Just notioc Of mine. 1t strikes
me that you're fonder of Rufus than
you let yourself think. And he needs
a champion worse than / do I'm more
used to taking care of myself"
The corrars OF her mouth were pc
cu'iarly sensitive.
such queer notion!" she said
"whered you ever get it?"
"oh, 1t came of its own accord
=. :"
ITS been such funny day." she
said. musng. Rufus was funny and
Dad was funny, ana you're SO funny,
and Carol WAS funny this morning,
and Tn funny now, and"
"Carolp' he echoed involuntarIly.
She laughed at him, enjoying his dis
comfiture with the sweet insolence of
naughty Juvenile; and 1t was note
worthy that her arraignment of War
ing stopped short at this point.
81 know something about your she
taunted wickedly.
what do you know. bright chiid?"
he demanded. red to the temples.
II know!" Her tone was singing.
$50 do you! Look at the man blush
Why. you guilty thing! Why. you red
geranIum I"
He sat down beside her, staring at
ner vivid, fower-iIke face.
"a nnoIa ratI ltfla damnn ctan