The St. Charles herald., 1922-12-30

be well under these circumstances 1o'
me to know more clearly whose gues
am? Suppose, for instance, / had tf
refer to our long friendship, 1t wouit
be extremely awkward not to even D'
able to mention your name"
: "My name! Why, Of course. yot
do not know what 1t is. Well, really
am not altogether certain that l DO
either. We will therefore compromise
on the one l am known by, which viii
be safer. Allow me, Captain West, tt
present to you Miss Natalie Coolidge.
She held out frankly a neatly
gloved hand, which he as instantly
took, and retained In his own, the CIR
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 II
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 have not ac
cepted me blindly?"
mo, l have not" earnestly. and
now releasing her hand, II 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 I signed nc
name."
She smiled, again quite at her ease
1.-THE box number at the club We
amply sufficient. have friends there
once possessed of your name and
army rank, the department records at
Washington furnished all further in.
formation. So you perceive, Captain,
I am not altogether reckless. Are you
interested in learning what l known"
II am; will you tell met"
"Willingly," and she checked the
points off on her gloved 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, died
when you were about fifteen, and her
widowed sister has since been the
housekeeper. You are a graduate of
the University of Virginia, being
fourth in your class In scholarship.
Your engineering course was COM
pleted in Massachusetts, and you later
became connected with the Wyant
Contracting company, of Chicago. You
were here, however, only a very brief
time, making but few acquaintances,
when the war broke out. You I'M
mediately entered the first officers
training school at Fort Sheridan, grad
uating with the rank of first lieuten-
ant, and were assigned to regiment
Of engineers, among the earliest to
sail for France. While there you were
wounded twice, and cited once for
special gallantry in the rescue of a
seriously injured private. Your last
wound caused your return to the
United States on a special mission,
and also won you the rank Of captain.
Since then you have been honorably
discharged, but have made no effort
to resume professional work. You
are twenty-six, and unmarried. Is
there anything else you care to
known"
Il think not; really your agency has
been most efficient. And so this re-
view satisfied you that was really the
man you sought?'
"No, 1t did not wholly satisfy, but 1t
looked promising. You were evidently
courageous. and gentleman. These
qualities were essential; whether In
other respects you measured up to my
purpose, could only be ascertained
through a personal interview. There
was no other way"
"And now? he persisted.
"Still encouraging, l must admit,
although the test Is not yet complete.
However, we are now approaching the
end of our journey. Before we turn
In am going to ask favor Of you
call me Natalie"
Natalie; that will be easy"
"And also forgive me II I fail In
always addressing you formally as
Captain West. presume your friends
say Matt, do they nOt?"
"Some have that habit"
"Then / claim also the privilege"
She bewildered him, left him in won
derment as to what she would do next,
but there was scarcely time in which
to answer before the speeding limou-
sine turned abruptly into a private
driveway. curving gracefully to the
front of rather imposing stone man.
sion, set well back from the road.
Soon they were at the side entrance,
and servant. in the same unobtrusive
livery as the chauffeur, was quietly
opening the door. He turned and
,,n,,,o5 r,ts comma nior RI emerge