Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-20

arms and shouting. But he'd die be-
fore he'd admit it. Isn't that blase ex-
terror delicious !"
Madge Makes a Suggestion
more than that" ! returned, trying
to answer Lillian in kind.
|. But to my. surprise i found myself
secretly criticizing her tone and nan
ner, wondering if they were not a bit
supercilious when characteriziing Tom
Chester's honest young enthusiasm. 1t
was the first time that such a thought
of Lillian's attitude had ever crossed
by mind, and it was but an instant
before the revulsiOn came, and l was
scoring myself ~savagely for my disloy-
atty to my friend, hoping TREMENDOUSLY
that her keen insight had not guessed
my thought.
1 could tell nothing from her voice,
however, when next s<e spoke, for all
it apparently held was reflective curl
osity.
HE found something of Smiths, of
course, up there on the roof, something
from which he probably thinks l can
interpret the strawberry mark on the
left shoulder. l hope, for his sake, as
well as the investigation in general,
that it's something really worth while,
butt haze me dOots. Smiths alto
gether too cagy an individual to carry
anything discriminating about with him"
But, don't you think" l began
d~iffidently, hesitating. for l feared that
Lillian would deem absurd the thought
which had struck me.
go ahead. Spill it," she said, and
in the wavering CLEAN of the flashlight
l saw that the face she turned to me
was attentive.
"Smith is so very conceited and AFRO
CANT" / faltered, that l thought he
might have conceived some plan for
keeping reference data about him which
he would figure no n could interpret
but himself"
"Reading Classes"
That's very true" she said heartily,
land if he has been fool enaugh to vio-
late the first rule of %crookdom, | hope
the boy has it. Hush! Here he comes.
He's simply bursting, he's so sur
charged with mystery and Importance.
We won't say a word, just let him
stage his little drama in his own way"
There was such genuine kindness
in her tone that l flushed in the dark
ness for my d~isloyal mental criticism
of her. And then Tom Chester had
joined us, and we made our way back
into the iving-room and drew our
chairs close to the CHEEKY, leaping
flames in the replace.
IF you don't mind, Mrs. Graham.
I'll get a glass of water" Tom Chester
said. mo. indeed" as l started to rise.
Il can help myself. Shall | bring either
of you a glass;"
He walked abruptly out of the room
at our negative. and / saw Liuian's
eyebrows knit slightly, and knew that
his subterfuge, for it was patiently
such. had puzzled her. Evidently young
Mr.. Chester's little drama needed a
preliminary examination of its proper
ties.
When he came back he drew from his
pocket a small dark object, and handed
it to Lillian with an echo of the re-
mark he had made when coming down
the ladder:
Il think you will find this of inter
est, Mrs. Underwood"
She took it from his extended hand
without comment, and | saw that il
was an eyeglass clase, the finest and
costliest of its kind. Lillian turned it
over in her hands. examining it care
fully. opened 1t. took out the eyeglasses
which it contained, scrutinized them.
then rose, walked swiftly to the read
ing table, spread a newspaper over it
and moved the glasses rapidly around
looking through them the while.
Reading glasses!' she commented
See how the letters flash out. If YOU
had ong-distance glasses here, you'd
see what mean"
She held up the glasses to her eyes
as if fitting them, then lowered them
TO her lap again.
Reading glasses" she said. Now |
why would be be carrying reading
glasses around on an acrobatic stunt
like this? There's something behind
this. Can you figure out the answer,
Mr.. Chester"
Tom Chester took up the eyeglasses
with fingers that | saw trembled per- |
ceptibly. and pulled at the lining.
Look" he said dramatically.
kExT-"The Mission on Which