The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-08-18

We were speaking of the Rendricks
and she gave me q rather broad hint
that Mrs MAcrae isn't q widow ai
sIl: that her husband Il sun living =
Ny heavens had figured out 3
thousand ways IN which the boss might
set vised Up 10 the dreadful truth,
but never anything Ike this; 10 have
Il dropped on him that way out Of q
clear sky
For a minute o. two be didn't say
anything. but when he did speak, I
saw that the truth wasn't going 10
take hold
THAT is gossip. pure and simple,
Hornaek. The Hendricks are my
friends. and have been as intimate
In their household as any outsider
could be It's merely Idle gossip, can
assure you"
Maybe So" said Mr. Hornack. sort
Of drawing IN his horns when he saw
how positive the boss was about IL.
I'm not beyond admitting that the
young woman who told me Is a little
inclined that way. But the story was
pretty circumstantial: II went so far
as 90 assert that Macrae wasn't Mrs.
sheila's married name at all. and TO
say that her long stay with her West
ern cousins was-and still is-really a
fight from conditions that were too
humiliating 10 be borne
| ,.-au caId nr
who said IT," the boss cut in brusquely.
Its ridiculous 10 suppose that any
woman, and especially a woman like
Sheila Macrae, would attempt 10 pass
herself on as widow when she wasn't
one
'T know" said the traffic manager.
temporizing a little. "But on the
other hand, I've never heard the ma
jor, or any one else, say outright that
she was widow. II seems 10 be just
taken for granted. II stirred me up
a bit on Van Brtt's account. You
don't go anywhere 10 mix and mingle
socially, but it's the talk Of the town
that Upton is In over his head In that
quarter"
shut my eyes and held my breath.
Mr.. Hornack hadn't the slightest idea
what thin ice he was skating over,
or how this easy mention OF Mr.. Van
Britt might be Just like rubbing salt
into a fresh cut BY this time II was
growing dark. and we were running
into Portal City, and ! was mighty
| glad that II couldn't last much longer.
The boss didn't speak again until the
yard switches were clanking under
the car. and then he said:
"Upton Is well able 10 take care of
himself Hornack. and ! don't think
we need worry about him" and then
over his shoulder 10 me "Jimmie, it's
time TO wake up. We're pulling in"
AS he always did on a return trip.
Mr. Norcross ran mp 70 his office to
see II there was anything pressing,
before he did anything else. May
was still at his desk. and In answer
to the boss question he shook his
head.
mo; nobody that couldn't wait" he
said. referring 20 the days callers.
'Mr. Hatch was up with couple of
men that I didn't know, but he only
wanted TO inquire II you would be
In the office this evening after dinner.
I told him I'd find out when you came,
and let him know by phone"
thought. after all that had hap
pened. Hatch certainly had his nerve
10 want to come and make a talk
with the man his hired assassins were
trying 10 murder. But II Mr.. Norcross
took that view Of II, he didn't show
IT, on the contrary, he told Fred II
would be all right 20 telephone Hatch
that he was coming down after din
ner and the Office would be open. as
usual.
slipped out and went TO Mr.. Van
Britt's Office at the other end Of the
hall. Bobby Kelso was there. holding
the Office down. and I asked him where
! could find Tarbell. Luckily. he was
able 70 tell me that Tarbell was at
that moment down In the station res
taurant. eating his supper: so down
went and butted In with my story
OF the Hatch call, and how II was 10
he repeated a little later on.
"rll be there" said Tarbell: and
with that load OF my mind. mOgged
OF uptown 70 the club 20 get my own
dinner.
When I broke into the grfll-room at
the railroad club. found that Mr.. Nor
cross had beaten me TO II by a few
minutes; that he had already ordered
his dinner at a table with Major Ken
drick I suppose, by good rights.
ought TO have gone OF into q corner
by myself. but I saw that the boss had
tipped q chair az the end Of the table
where usually sat. 50 Just went
ahead and took IL
Coming IN late. that way. ! didn't
get the first of the talk. but took Il
that the boss had been saying some
thing about his rare good luck Ii hav-
ing the major for q tsble-mste two
DAYS In succession.
The honoh r. mine. my deah boy
fNs c-antrN nfA Eaweurkaar uras safff~g