The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-04-09
CHAPTER XII.

E . @Uo ~
IT,
Coward paused to speak to Irene
before leaving the house.
II owe you my good Wishes" he
said. "And I give them most frankly.
although perhaps with more difficulty
than you suppose"
"You are very good. Mr.. Coward"
she acknowledged.
II could not wish you anything but
happiness" he returned. "And had l
been SO fortunate ms Eden, in making
your acquaintance first. l might have
hoped to contribute to your happiness
more directly than I a under the
present circumstances" He was
speaking In his low. sedulous notes,
and his words sent the girls blood
rushing In q strange mixture of graft
fcation and anger. The tribute he
tmplied-that he himself would have
been glad to have been her suitor-
was skillfully planned to appeal to
her vanity. and her anger was due to
Its success. She told herself she
should 0 listen TO such words: she
should hate to hear such words. And
yet she listened to them, and was not
SIRE that she hated them. She could
only eAy:
"Y"1 are very good. Mr.. Coward"
and again that strange mixture of
emotions snrged through her.
Coward proceeded to the business
section of the town. well 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 1t to the skillful pub
iicity 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
van to fight. All they want Is to
brighten more money out of the tax
payers OF Europe To Coward this
explanation seemed very complete. 1t
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 afIalrs III
the past, ard all the excitement go
'or nothing. That war. if It came to
a could last no one dreamed; it
would be a matter of q few weeks, a
'ew months. at the most. ur til q thor
aughly whipped Germany would retire
iehind the Rhine to plan ways of rails
.ng the indemnity which outraged civl-
'lzation would demand.
Coward elbcwed his way through
the crowds, smiling, in his superior
knowledge. over their excitement.
Newspapers must have headlines.
At his Office Coward used a tele-
phone. Then he walked to a restau-
rant. where. after a few minutes. he
war joined by q young woman. They
took a table In a box. Supper vas dis
posed of, and the young woman began
10 grow impatient.
well you brought me here" she
said. ct last. you've fed me. and you
don't feed anybody. Coward. without
= purpose. What's the consideration r
I'm pulling on ! little joke. and !
want you to help me. You know Elden
Dave Elden1"
"Sure. I've known him y since
that Jolt put him out Of business up in
your rooms. ever % many years ago.
He was too rural for that mixture"
Il want you to get him down to
your place some night to be agreed
upon-I1l az the date later-and keep
him there until ! call for him, With
his nancee."
sSome joke" she said. and there was
disgust u her voice. "Who Il It on
Eden. me. or the giFlr'
"Never mind who It's on" Coward
returned. I'm paying for Il. Here's
something on account, and II you make
Z rood Job Of It I won't be stiagy."
He handed her . bill. which she
kissed and put In her purse. II need
the money. Coward, q ! wouldn't
take 4"
This pat Of his trap set, Coward
awaited 4 suitable opportunity to
spring Il In the meantime he took
Mn. Hardy partially Into his conf
1enco. He allowed her 70 believe, how
ever, that Edenss habits would stand
eosroctioo and 10 had merely arranged
. trap hin - ~ ~ hls favorite
heunts. ~ W. vegy much shocked
ond thoueht ( was vsfy dreadful. but
~ couroo " mnDe aave Irens."
HI concesnlng anothee part o biz
peoGFam ConWar1 Wqq evo0 lesD frank
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