Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-02-10


"Really?" Mr.. Chilvers drawled.
Couldn't put it off, presume-now,
could you"
She lifted a wrist to consult her
watch. "If you have anything to say
to me, l can give you two minutes"
With unblushing effrontery Mr..
Chilvers closed in, caught hold Of her
wrist and bent his head over the
watch, an exceedingly handsome af'
fair in platinum and small diamonds,
pretty thing" he approved with &
nod, letting her wrist fall. "Where
you catch him, Nora?"
She showed him a face like mar
BILE, cold, hard, expressionless. But
inwardly resentment burned so hotly
that fear of any sort was utterly con-
sumed.
my name is not Nora"
$50 l understand" Mr.. Chilvers
carefully deposited his hat. crown
down, upon the table, clipped his sticd
under his arm, and with a flourish
whipped out a fiat gold cigarette case.
He repeated slowly in a voice of deep
amusement: "SO-I- - under - stand.
Mind me smokin'?'
sid rather you didn't. 1 haven't
time"
"Oh, but 1 have-Pve got all the
time there is" He tucked a cigarette
between his lips and lighted it, glanc-
ing appreciatively round the room.
Jolly little nest you've featheIed for
yourself, Nora. Pardon: Mis-; Pris-
ella Maine-anythin' you like. 1 don't
mind what name you call yourself by,
so long as you humor my whim for
Chilvers. Rather fond Of Chilvers,
you know. Don't remember ever wear
in an alias 1 took such fancy to-"
81 don't understand you. Won't you
be kind enough to go?"
Presently, me dear-all In good
time" The Nut unceremoniously
whisked away a dust cloth and sat
down in the chair it had hidden. i've
got to hand it to you, Nora-Priscilla,
1 mean," he observed with a look Of
admiration; for the moment forgetting
to be British, you sure 10 get away
queens taste. Not to mention this
house, and that limousine at the door
l take it, that's yours, too?
Mind tellin' me how you do it, and
how long you've been doin' It? Just
between ourselves, both members of
this club :"
Evidently" said Priscilla, you are
mistaken about me, Mr.. Chilvers.
don't know you, and have no wish to-"
She moved step toward the door.
Good afternoon"
Mr.. Chilvers did not bulge, but
wagged a reproachful head.
''I say, Nora, don't be so up-stage
What's the use? l understand per
fectly how annoyin' it is and every
thin; but you know, the games up
it is as far as Inez and l are con-
| cerned, at any rate-so you might as
well accept the situation gracefully
come down to earth and be sweetly
reasonable
Il tell you" Priscilla began, 81 an
not the person you"
But Mr.. Chilvers, talking steadily
cheerfully, and with persistence, talk
ed her down.
There's no sense your bein' afraid
of my blowin' on you, or Inez, either
you know, Nora. That wouldn't be
pally, would it? Wouldn't be bust
ness, either. We admire your work
we admire 1T no end, so much so that
were all in sweat to know how you
do it, and get in on the graft our
selves. With all the coin that this lay
out stands for, surely you can spare g
little for old friends who are just
maxim fresh start in life"
'Pleasey" Priscilla insisted. &c
don't understand you in the least.
must ask you to excuse me"
"Ah, cut it" An ugly light glim
mered in the rat-like eyes. "Chuck it
Nora. Don't tempt me to pull any
rough stuff; it amt the little thing
do best, somehow 1 haven't got the
polish you might expect. But I've go
you where l want you and you're goin
to come through like a dear girl OF
He paused, his cruel smile playing
round thin, hard lips: How would
you like me to tip off Red Carnehar
where to look for your"
you can't'!" the girl protested wild
| ly. Hes dead"
Really" Mr.. Chilvers puffed con
tentedly on his cigarette. "Sure abou
that?"
A battling twinkle in his look. cou
pied with the innuendo, annoyed anC
confused her. What do you mean?'
she demanded, instinctiveIy lowering
her voice and taking a step toward
him.
"Nothin'. I'm merely inQuirin', arr
you sure Reds dead?"
ut was in the papers"
"Oh, I know Leo identified a bod!
as Reds. But nobody's proved to mt
that Leo didn't tell an awful naught!
f1b for the sake of a friend"
you mean - you think - Red!
alive?"
"Well, if I were you, my dear,
wouldn't take any chances except OF
a sure thing. And, anyway, 1 gues
this crabs the mistaken identity stal
for good You won't try to sling tha
bunk again with your dear old side
kick, Harry the Nut, will your
She gasped and was silent, discoun
tenanced, appreciating how hopeless
| ly she stood committed.
Impossible now to deny to this mai
that she was Leonora
OF a sudden she felt herself upliftet
| by a vast sense of relief. In a twin
king doubts and fear and indecisio1
were all swept away; all that miser!
of uncertainty, heartache and drea(
which had been her portion for man!
! days abolished by the magic wand o.
a settled purpose which had been, a.
| it were, thrust into her hand. Nov
she had something to do, something tt
live for, something to fill the empti
ness that love denied had made IL
| her life.
(TO BE CONTINUEDO