Phoenix tribune., 1922-12-02

CApCHoS ~ IheCc VI odu Juusincnt
and go on about my business"
He started 20 rise. and Barnham
scrambled TO his feet
''Please don't" he begged, thrusting
forth IA fat hand. please, please don't.
This is a very Important matter. One
-f;sa kas % be careful in going
about Il thing as important as this is.
The person is in very peculiar posi-
tion.t
''I,gt I'm tired of the way you beat
around the bush. As / told you before,
don't like it--and I'm just about at
the point where / don't care what in.
formation you have"
''But just be patient a momentum
coming to it. Suppose" then he
cupped his hands and stared hard at
the ceiling. Suppose that l told you
that there was some one who was will
ing to see ycu through all your trou.
bles. WHO had arranged everything for
rou amt all you had to do would be to
say the word to find yourself in the
midst Of comfort and riches?"
Fairchild blinked in surprise at this
and sank back into his chair. Finally
he LAUGHED uneasily and puffed again
on the dubious cigar.
''l'd say" came finally, that there
isn't any such animal"
"Bnt there is She has" Then he
stopped. ms though to cover the slip.
Fairchild leaned forward.
'She?"
Mr.. Barnham gave the appearance
of very flustered man.
"My tongue got away from me;
J shouldn't have said it. really
shouldn't have said it. If she ever
fnds it out it viii mean trouble for
me But truly" and he beamed, "you
are such tough customer to deal with
and so suspiciOus-no offense meant,
Of course-that l really was forced to
1t. feel sure she will forgive me-
"Whom do you mean by 'she'T
Mr.. Barnham smiled in a knowing
manner.
''You and 1 both know" came his
cryptic answer "She is your one great,
good friend. She thinks a great deal
of you, and you have done several
things to cause that admiration. Now,
Mr.. Fairchild, coming to the point,
suppose she should point a way out
of your troubles? In the first place,
you and your partner are in very
great difficulties"
"Are we?" Fairchild said 1t sarcas-
tically.
"Indeed you are, and there is no
need Of attempting to conceal the fact.
Your friend, whose name must remain
a secret, does not love you-don't ever
think that-but-"
Then he hesitated as though to
watch the effect on Fairchild's face.
There was none; Robert had masked
it. In time the words went on: "But
she does think enough of you to want
to make you happy. She has recently
done thing which gives her a great
deal of power In one direction. In an
other, she has connections who pos
sess vast money powers and who are
looking for an opening here in the
West. Now" he made a church
steeple out Of his fingers and leaned
back in his chair, staring vacuously at
the ceiling, "if you will say the word
and do a thing which will relieve her
of great deal of embarrassment,
am sure that she can so arrange
things that life will be very easy for
you henceforth."
I'm becoming interested"
I'm the first place, she is engaged to
he married to very fine young man.
You, of course, may say differently,
and do not know-I am only taking
her word for it. Buff l understand
1t, your presence in Ohadi has caused
a few disagreements between them
and-well, you know how willful and
headstrong girls will be. l believe she
has committed a .few-er-indiscre-
tions with you"
That's lie!" Fairchild's temper
got away from him and his fist banged
on the table. That's a lie and you
know it ~
Pardon me-er-pardon mel l
made use of word that can have
AtethJ iuCOAiilSS, anu dl1 sure IudC III
using it, l didn't place the same con-
struction that you did in hearing it.
But let that pass. l apologize What
| should have said was that, if you
will pardon me, she used you, as
young women will do, as foil against
her fiance in time of petty quarrel
| ing between them. Is that plainer?"
1t was too plain to Fairchild 1t
hurt. But he nodded his head and
the other man went on.
Now the thing has progressed to a
place where you may e-well-what
one might call the thorn in the side
of their happiness. You are the
other man. as it We're, to cause quar-
rels and that sort of thing. And she
feels that she has not done rightly by
you, and, through her friendship and
a desire to see peace all around. be-
lieves she can arrange matters to
suit all concerned To be plain and
blunt, Mr.. Fairchild, you are not in
an enviable position. / said that |
had information for you, and I'm go
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