The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-19


Kitty Came Downstairs, to Find Bow
yer In the ParIor. J.
face. For an instant Kitty shuddered
inwardly. Her passion for Wilton was
taking her into unrelished companion
ships.
She asked him to sit down. I'm
pleased to see you, Mr. Bowyer," she
said. "It was very good of you to
call"
Bowyer uttered short laugh. I'm
not calling man, Mrs. Bostock," he
said, land the ladies don't like me.
They know too much about me-
''That's very poor taste on their
part" said Kitty
"That's as may be. I came here on
business"
I'm glad to see you on business,
then" said Kitty.
Bowyer looked at her i'm admira-
ton. 81 see we understand each
other" he said. "Thats what like.
You ought to have been man. Not
but what you'd have been spoiled If
you had been," he added, with clumsy
effort at compliment.
Kitty laughed outright 'Now /
know you have come to get something"
she said.
"Not exactly. We've fixed things
so that you'll be able to pull out about
Christmas with your full investment.
But suppose Carruthers makes trouble?
Remember, you've done what you did
for his sake as well as your own. You
want to help him go into more re-
munerative investment. You know that
little affair of his is OFF,"
She started violently, and Bowyer
did not need to await her answer.
"That's what I came to tell you, ~
he went on. $50 1 know we can
count on you to smooth things over if
Carruthers begins to wonder. You're
stanch, then?'
"You can count on me, Mr.. Bowyer,' ~
answered Kitty, loathing herself and
him. "But how about yourself?' I un-
derstand from you that you were going
slow. I hope you're not going too
slow?"
I'm going to speed things up soon, -
he answered, frowning. whats
happened helps things along. / don't
know what the trouble was. thought
at first it was one of those lovers
quarrels. But it's lasted" His face
grew red 81 went there" he said
thickly. "She wouldn't have anything
to say to me. Ordered me off the
place"
Bowyer leaned forward confidential
ly. "See here, Mrs. Bostock," he said
eff get her out of the way-if
guarantee that Will Carruthers and
she won't meet again, how'll that suit
your
you've changed your mind about
marrying?" ..
maybe yes. Maybe no. I'm not a
marrying man. Nobody is. It's general
~ an accident-or a trap. But I can
promise you there'n be no trouble from
that quarter Also, that she'll be out
of the district before winter"
"That won't do" said Kitty with
sudden fierceness. "She may come
back"
'She won't. And If she did, and
went down ON her knees to him, he
wouldn't look at her."
"What do you mean?" asked Kitty
breathlessly.
Bowyer leaned forward again and
whispered In her ear Kitty was as
pale as death. ''How'H that do fol
your he asked triumphantly.
Kitty rose, trembling. ''Pl stick to
my word" she said. But you're the
lowest cur I've ever known, Ton
Bowyer, and hope-I hope some
body fiays you-fays the skin off yoI
before you've run your course"
"rn take my chance of that,
| grinned Bowyer, as he rose.
| Kitty sank back in her chair, he
hands over her face. OF a sudden the
abysmal depths of sin had opened be
meath her. She was tempted to run
after him and call him back. But she
could not stir. 1t was some time be
bore she forced herself to rise. She
went to the window. She guessed thai
Bowyer was going to the bank. He