The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1921-10-21
THE BINGHAM COUNTY NEWS
I'm glad" he said, humbly.


d sudden-on an i'm pulse. It's little
idiotic. I'll tell you about it, Noble.
You see. ten or twelve days ago
wrote the family a more or less indis-
Greet letter. That is. told them
something wanted them to be dis
Greet about, and, of course. when got
to thinking It over l knew they
wouldn't. You SEE. wrote them
something l wanted them to keep a
secret, but the more l thought about
It, the more I saw I'd better hurry
back. Yesterday 1t got into my head
that I'd better hop on the next train
for home"
She paused, then added, $50 did
About ten or twelve days is long az
anybody has right to expect the AT
water femily connection to keep the
deadliest kind Of secret, isn't IT."
And as he did not respond, she ex-
planned, 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 it restored
Mobiles voice to a startling lOudness.
"Only the least Importance he
shouted. "With a man named Crum!"
"Whatl' she cried.
"Crum!" Noble insisted. That's
exactly what It said his name was!"
"What said his name WASP" asked
Julia. excitedly.
'"rhe North End Daily OriOle."
"What in heavens name is that"
ITS the children's paper, Herbert's
and Florence's, your own niece and
nephew. Julia You don't mean you
deny 1t, dc you, Julia"
She was in great confusion: do
deny what?"
"That his name is Cruml" Noble
said passionately. THAT his name Is
Crum ana that he's a widower an1
he's been divorced and's got nobody
knows how many children !"
Julia sought to collect herself. II
dent know what you're talking
about" she said. IF you mean that
happened to meet very charming
man while I was away, and that his
name happened to be Crum. l 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 | think
someone told me he was only twenty
Elk years old. He looked rather
younger
"You think some one told YOU"
Noble groaned. "Oh, Julia, Julia
And here it is, all down in black and
white. in my pocket"
II haven't the slightest idea wha.
you're talking about" Julia's tone
was cold, and she drew herself up
haughtily. though the gesture was in
| effective so far as Noble was c,n-
| cerned. in the darkness of the CULVER
ing interior. The quivering stopped
Just then, however, as the taxicah
halted before her house.
xviii you come in with me mo-
ment, please?" Julia said as she got
out. "There are some things I want
to ask you-and I'm sure papa hasn't
come home from downtown yet.
There's no light In the front part Of
the house."
There was no light In any other
part of the house, either, as they dis
covered after abandoning the bell for
an excursion to the rear. ''rhat's dis
heartening to hungry person." Julia
remarked and then remembered that
she had a key to the front door In
her purse. She opened the door, and
lighted a hall luster while Noble
brought in her bags from the steps
where the taxicab driver had left
them.
There's nobody at home at all,
InI,a said. thoughtfully.
mo. Nobody" her sad companion
agreed, shaking bis head. "Nobody ut
all. Julia. Nobody at ALL" Rousine
himself, he went back for the golf
tools, and with q lingering gentleness
set them In a corner. Then, dumbly.
he turned to go.
wait, please" said Julia. II want
to ask you few things-especially
about what you've got all down In
Dlack ana white IN your pocket. VIII
you shut the door. IL you please, and
go into the library and turn on the
lights and wait there while | look
over the house and see IL / can find
why it's all closed up like this.
ITS chilly. The furnace seems tc
be off," she said 'I'll--" But instead
Of declaring her intentions, she enact
ed them; taking match from the lit
tie white porcelain trough on the man
telpiece and striking 1t on the heel OF
her glittering shoe. Then she knell
before the crate and set the flame II
excelsior beneath the kindling ant
coal. you mustn't freze," she said
with a thoughtful kindness that killed
him.