Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-10-27
The Case and The Girl
By Randall Parrish

be well under these circumstances for
me to know more clearly whose guest
| ann Suppose, for instance, had to
refer 10 our long friendship, 1t would
be extremely awkward not to even be
able to mention your name"
"My name! Why, of course, you
do not know what II Is, Well, really |
am not altogether certain that | do,
either. We will therefore compromise
Oh the one | am known by, which will
be safer. Allow me, Captain West, to
present to you Miss Natalie Coolidge"
She held out frankly u neatly
gloyed hand, which he rs Instantly
took, and retained in his own, the girl
making no immediate effort TO with
draw 1t.
This is very kind OF you, Miss
Coolidge" he acknowledged, adapting
himself to her present mood, but 1t
seems there is no necessity for me
TO present myself. Apparently my
identity Is already known"
"Otherwise you would not be
among those present" she admitted
frankly.
Then, I Judge you haze not nc
copied me ~hlindly?"
mo, | have not" earnestly, and
now releasing her hand, Il do not
think we ever really know any one
except through personal intercourse
but | do know who you are, and some
thing Of what your life thus far has
been"
"But how could your | signed no
name
She smiled, again quite at her ease,
1.-THE box number at the club was
amply sufficient. | have friends there /;
once possessed of your name and
army rank, the department records Mt
Washington furnished all further in.
formation. so you perceive, Captain,
| am not altogether reckless. Are you
Interested in learning what | know"
~ am will you tell meT
"Wlllingly," and she checked the
points off on her gIoved fingers. "You
are Matthew West, the only son OF
Judge Robert Peel West, of Atlanta
Georgia. Your mother, who was OF
the %well-known Bullock family, dice
when you were about fifteen, and hei
widowed sister has since been thu
h~ousekeeper. You are a graduate o
the University Of Virginia, beinl
fourth in your class in scholarship
Your engineering course was con
pleted In Massachusetts, and you late
became connected with the Wyan
Contracting company, of Chicago, Y0
were here, however, only n very hrie
time, making but few acquaintance
when the war broke out. You In
mediately entered the first officers
training school ut Fort Sheridan, grnt
uatIng with the rank Of first lieutei
ant, and were assigned to a regimen
of engineers, among the earliest t
sail for France. While there you wer
wounded twice, and cited once fo
special g%allantry In the rescue of
seriously injured private. Your las
wound caused your return to IN
United States on a special mission
and also won you the rank of captain
Since then you have been honorabI
discharged, but have made no eifol
to resume professional work. fo
are tw~enty-slx, and unmarried
there anything else you care
know"
81 think not; really your agency h}
been most efficient. And so this r
view satisfied you that | was really II
man you sought?'
mo. It did not wholly satisfy, but
l. looked promising. You were evident
u ~urape and a gentleman, The
qualities were essential whether
n other respects you measured up to II
IL purpose, could only be ascertaln'
through a personal Interview. The
"a was no other way
ID "And now?" he persisted.
n. "Still encouraging, | must adm
although the test l. not yet complel
~ However. we are now approaching Il
s. end Of our journey. Before we tn
In | am going to ask a favor OF you
call me Natalie"
50 ">ot lie; that will be easy
al also forgive me II ! fail
.e alu. addressing you formally
gu Capta'n West. | presume your frlen
ga, % they uott'
on ave rhat habit"
en- | claim also the privilege"
in 81 bewlIdercd him, left hun In VIC
is derment as to what she would do ne
but there was scarcely time In viii
to answer before the speeding lim'
he sine turned abruptly into a privi
driveway, curylng gracefully to I
'or front of a rather imposing stone mi
sion set well back from the ro
a soon they were at the side entran
and a servant. in the same nnobtrns
- -l,,t TaftE NEnE nnl1