The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-11-10


I'm so glad happened to run
across you." she said, us they began
to vibrate tremulously in unison will
the fierce little engine that drove them
81 want to hear all the news. Nobod,
knows I'm. home. didn't write OF
telegraph to a soul; and I'll. be a
complete surprise to father and every
body don't know how pleasant q
oneI You didn't seem so frightfully
glad to see me. Nobel"
"Am II" he whispered. 81 mean-I
mean-1 mean: Didn't IT,
mol" she laughed. "You looked
you looked shocked! 1t couldn't have
been because l looked III or anything,
because I'm not; and if l were you
couldn't have told it, through two
wells. Possibly I'd better take your
expression as compliment" She
paused. then asked hesitatlngly, "Shall
II"
This was the style the Atwaters
held Julia responsible for; but they
were mistaken: she was unable to con-
troll 1t. She at once went cheerily on:
perhaps not. as you don't answer. l
shouldn't be so boldi Do you sup
pose anybody'll be glad to see me?"
"I- l." He seemed to hope that
words would come, all in their own
good time.
"Nobler" she cried. Don't be so
gluml" And she touched his arm
with her muff, fluffy contact causing
within him short convulsion, natural
ly invisible. mobile, aren't you going
to tell me what's all the news?"
"There's-some," he managed to In
form her. "Some-some news"
"What Is it?"
It's-it's-"
"Never mind" she said soothingly.
"Get your breath; can wait. hope
nothing's wrong in your family.
Noble"
"No-oh, no."
"It isn't just my turning up un-
expectedly that's upset you so. of
course" she dared to say. Naturally.
l know better than to think such
thing as that"
"Oh, Julia !" he said. "Oh. Julia !"
what is 1t, Noble?"
"Noth-ing," he murmured, dlsjoint-
ing the word with gulp.
"How odd you happened to be there
at the station" she said; "just when
my train came in You're cure you
weren't going away anywhere?"
mo; oh, no."
She was thoughtful, then laughed
confidentially You're the only per-
son In town that knows I'm home.
Noble"
"rm glad" he said. humbly.
She laughed again. 81 came all o.
q sudden-on an impulse. It's little
idiotic. I'll tell you about It, Noble.
You see, ten or twelve days ago
wrote the family more or less indis-
Greet letter. That Is, L told them
something I wanted them to be dis
Greet about. and, of course. when I got
to thinking It over. I knew they
wouldn't. You see wrote them
something ! wanted them to keep n
secret. but the more thought about
It, the more I saw I'd better hurry
back. Yesterday it got into my head
that I'd better hop on the next train
for home"
She paused. then added, $50 l did!
About ten or twelve days is long as
anybody has right to expect the At
water family connection to keep the
deadliest kind of a secret, isn't it?"
And as he did not respond, she ex-
plaIned. modestly, "Of course. 1t
wasn't very deadly secret; it was
really about something of only the
least Importance"
This was so frightful an under
statement that the jar of 1t restored
Mobiles voice to n startling loudness.
"Only the least importancew lie
shouted. with a man named Crum !"
"Whatr' she cried.
"Crumw Noble insisted. That's
exactly what 1t said his name was! |"
"What said his name was?" asked
Julia. excitedly.
1.-THE North End Daily Oriole."
"What In heavens name Is tha.!"
Its the children's paper. Herbert's
and Florence's. your own niece and
nephew. Julia You don't mean you
deny 1t. DO you. Julia?".
She was in great confusion: do
deny what?"
"That his name is Crum !" Noble
said passionately. "That his name Is
Crum and that he's widower anl
he's been divorced and's got nobody
knows how many children'
Julia sought to collect herself. 81
dent know what you're talking
about" she said. "If you mean that
I happened to meet very charming
man while l was away, and that his
name Happened to be Crum, / don't
know why l should go to the trouble
of denying it. But If Mr.. Crum has
had the experiences you say he has,
1t is certainly news to me! l think
someone told me he was only twenty