The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-29
CHAPTER XIX.
The Firo Escape.

tiunal scenes were not supposed to
be precisely In her limo. but che
didn't believe that Pauline Fred
orick or Elsie Ferguson or any
body could have risen to this situa-
ton any better than she did. The
opposition was Just stubborn
enough 20 give her a thrill OF pure
triumph in battering 1t TO pieces.
The chief took-or would have
taken II she'd given him half
chancel-the yachtsman's line OK
actly. and poor Joe's. Bill didn't
hook to him like a fitting bride
groom for any young girl. lot alone
for Leda Swan. How long had she
known him? Who was he anyway?
Luckily the second question
could be taken as cancelling the
frst. "Who Is he!" cried the Prin-
cess in fine burst OF rhetoric.
He's the greatest violinist In tho
world, that's who he isl And you
let common policeman arrest
him and lock him up In jail! IL
you've hurt him anywhere-his
hands or anythlng-it WILT Will
cost you dear" She felt a little
self-conscious over that phrase, but
she got into her stride again at
once. why, he gets $4,000 Just for
playing one concert!'
She turned. now, on Bill. "They
haven't hurt you. have they, BIZ
darling? Feel and see"
Bill was beyond words. He fexed
his hands Just the way he had done
fl, the taxi at the beginning of
their first ride together, and
vaguely shook his head.
Il guess the only one to get
hurt" the chief remarked rather
drily. "was the man he hit in the
eye. But now look here, Miss Swan.
He's told you he's the greatest vio-
linist in the world and maybe he
is, even II he did lie about the
amount he got paid for one con-
cert. There amt fiddler in tho
world ever got paid as much as
that: but talkin' TO n young lady
fellow might stretch three hun
dred. perhaps, with another nought
on the end of It, not meanin' any
special harm. But do you know he's
a fiddler at all? And II so. will you
tell me how Il comes he turns up
from nowhere with a shaved head.
without a cent in his pockets, in
another mans clothes--a pair OF
pants three sizes too big for him
and a sweater with the name
George Gordon Franklin sewed on
the inside?"
Once more the chief had asked
one question too many. The for
mer question was far deadlier than
the one with which he had blank
eted II. The Princess was regally
ready with an answer to the
second.
I'VE left Chicago last night to
gether on a yacht she said, with
friends. And the yacht was ship
wrecked"
"Shipwreckedi" cried the chief.
Last night?"
1--WE ran aground" the Princess
amended coldly. And we came
ashore In a rowboat-in some sail.
ors' clothes that we borrowed OF
them. And Bill bought that little
car, that's fixed up like a cottage,
and gave Il TO me for a wedding
present. And we're going TO drive
out to Hollywood in It. That's
where we meant to go when we left
Chicago. All we came here 10
Crown Point for was to get
married"
"Crovn Point" echoed the chief,
"Thls isn't Crown Point"
"But they have tell u.s." pro-
tested Bill (these were his first
words except the "Princess," he
had cried out at first sight of her),
they tell us We can get married
here"
"Sure you can" the policeman
said. Everybody In Indiana don't
60 to Grown Point to get married.
It's Chicago people do that"
"But-but we wanted TO go 10
Crown Point" stammered the
Princess. She had to Rulp at the
lump in her throat, though she
knew the chief was booking at her.
Somehow the realization that Wal.
ter Patrick wouldn't be able 10 find
her after all, gave her a frightful
wrench illogical, OF course. which
made Il all the more bewildering
What did she want Of Walter II she
was going TO marry Bill? AS best
she could she pulled herself to,
gether. II think we'll carry out
our original plan," she said. at
isn't very far TO Crown Point, Is
it7"
The chief didn't answer her
quec'ion. He rocked back In his
chair and reflectively began thump
ing the arm Of 1t with his thick
palm. mo" he announced at last
"No, by gum! I'm sorry, Miss Swan
but cant o. X. that plan. II you
want to get married, here and now
! don't see as there's anything ]
can do TO prevent you, little as
like IL. You're both OF legal age
guess. and so far as know you're
neither of you married to anybody
else. But | won't turn this young
fellow loose TO ,go trapesing ovel