The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-11-10
PART TWO.

On her visitors departure. Florence
her parents. that her aunt. Julia Atwater.
idol of the greater part of the male popu-
lation of the place. but at present out of
engaged to a gentleman of the name of
Crum, altogether unknown to the At
water family. Indulging in speculation
Mrs. Atwater concede that for oil they
know he may be widower. or divorced,
ss yses nans of Of ets Flor
In her room that evening Florence
finds two brief notes used in the after
ly lost by Miss Fairchild. To-that young
lady's query as to whether they did not
think they had pretty eyes. both Herbert
affixed their signatures to the statement
Realizing that neither of the young gen.
tlemen. would care to have it known
possession of pretty eyes," Florence per-
ceives. what a powerful weapon has been
placed in her hands. for among the
youth of the town is boy, Wallie Tor
bin, gifted with remarkable talent for
mimicry and an altogether malignant
The has tRa
threat to put Wallie Torbin In possession
of the secret concerning their pretty
groveling at her feet and probably lead
to her greatly. desired participation in
their journalistic enterprise.
AcQuainting the two unfortunates with
her knowledge of their awful secret, they
make complete submission and Florence
becomes the undisputed master mind Of
In the next issue. with which the erst-
while proprietors Of the sheet have little
to do, editorially. among the news
Julia Atwater to Mr.. Crum. the gentle
man being referred to as a widower, also
divorced. and with a great many chill
dren."
Among the most ardent and hopeless
admirers of the beautiful Julia is youth
eommonpiaee co ns % az and nis SDinterestne indiyidua
notable only among his fellow townsmen
for his devoted attachment to the object
en encss es idea and thas scuns sSy
Gus of breaking the news of Julia's en-
gagement gently" herself presents him
announcement.
PART THREE.
The Atwater family connection being
extensive and its position in the town
prominent, the news of Julias engage
ment spreads rapidly. An outbreak of
suicidal mania is freely predicted as a
result, particular apprehension being felt
. concerning Noble Dill, conceded by all.
and openly referred to by some. as the
''nuttiest" of all the fair Julia's admirers.
Mr.. Joseph Atwater. to whose gift of the
printing outfit to Herbert the whole trou-
BILE is traced. feels himself social out
cast and shuns the society of his fellows.
Florence's threat to divulge the guilty
secret of Herbert and Henrys admission
of their gift of beauty. to the dreaded
Wallie Torbin is sufficient to seal their
lips as to her part in the tragedy. and
the whole blame is placed on the Two
boys. Driven TO desperation, however.
Herbert reveals F1orence's completely,
not to say her complete responsibility in
the matter. his statement at first not be
ing believed but later is seen to be the
truth. The luckless Herbert feels that
he would rather spend the rest of ms
life running away from Wallie Torbin
than endure the ,reproaches OF his fam,
lily and the predictions of what would
probably be the untimely end of Noble
Dill.
Stunned by the knowledge of Julia 8
fckleness, Noble Dill is conscious only of
n keen desire to get away from every
thing that can remind him of the blight
that has fallen on his life. At the rail-
road station, where his apparently aim
less mutterings and actions are the occa-
sion for unkind comment, he meets
Julia returning Unexpectedly from her
visit. The young lady perceives his state
of mind. with which she is not entirely
unfamiliar and kindly invites him to her
home, unaware of the tragedy of which
she Is the center-