The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-01-25


$50 ''oiehce7 yOur own ni.,. .nd
nephew Julia! You don't mem ~
| "ehS II, q" yOu, Juliafo
| one was In great confusion: .DoI
deny what?" ~
mat his name Is Crum" Noh,.
S C passlonately. THAT his name I,
rum aho that he's a widower AMI
i've oeeh divorced and's got nobody
A"o"s now many children!"
'uiia sought to collect herself -
uIht know what you're talk,n,
a'ou'' she said. If you mean that
happened to meet a very charming
'nah "hlie l was away, and that hls
n"'ne happened to be Crum, l dom.
Know why l should 20 to the trouble
Oh denying 1t. But If Mr.. Crum has
mao the experiences you say he has.
II Is certainly news to me! thint
someone told he he was only twenty.
Elk years old. He locked rather
! younger"
| You think some one told you :.
HSD'e groaned. "Oh, Julia, Julia
AND here 1t Is. all down in black and
~hlte, III my pocketw
i haven't the slightest idea VIVA.
you're talking about" Julia's tone
was cold. and she drew herself Nd
haughtily. though the gesture was in.
enectivs. - far as Noble was con.
! eerneo, In the darkness of the culver.
ing Interior. The quivering stopped
Just then, however, a. the taxicab
| halted before her house.
Will you come in with me q mo.
ment. pleasef" Julia said as she got
our. There are some things l want
70 ask you-and I'm sure papa hasn't
come home from downtown yet.
There's no Light in the front part Of
the house."
There was no light in any other
part Of the house. either. as they dis
covered after abandoning the bell for
an excursion to the rear. 'That's dis
heartening to hungry person." Julia
remarked; and then remembered that
shs had q key to the front door in
her purse. She opened the door, and
lighted q hall lustsr while Noble
brought In her bags from the steps
where the taxicab driver had left
them.
There's nobody at home at ALL"
Julia said. thoughtfully.
NO. Nobody" her sad companion,
agreed. shaking his head Nobody ct
all. Julia. Nobody at ALL" Rousing
himself. he went back for the gof
tools, and with lingering genueness
set them in a corner. Then, dumbly,
he turned to 60.
"Wait, please" said Julia. II want
to ask you few things-especially
about what you've got all down in
black and white in your pocket. Will
you shut the door. IL you please. and
60 into the library and turn on the
lights and wait there while l look
over the house and see II can find
why it's all closed up like this.
ITS chilly. The furnace seems to
be off," she said. 9Th" But instead
Of declaring her intentions. she enact
ed them; taking a match from the lit
tie white porcelain trough on the man.
telpiece and striking it on the heel of
her glittering shoe. Then she knelt
before the crate and set the fame to
excelsior beneath the kindling and
coal. You mustn't freze." she said,
with thoughtful kindness that killed
| him.
atm Robinson Crusoe, Noble" she
said when she came back. II suppose
l might as we'll take off my furs.
though" She did so, first unfasten-
tossing it upon table. Noble was
standing close to the table. but moved
away from 1t hurriedly. This revulsion
she failed to notice; and she went on
to explain, as she dropped her cloak
and stole upon chair. "Papa's gone
away for at least a week. He's taken
his ulster 1t doesn't make any diff
ferences what the weather IL. he never
wears his ulster In this town. but
when he's going away for week, or
longer. he always takes it with him.
except In summer"
II suppose" said Noble huskily, II
suppose you'll 90 to some Of your
aunts or brothers Or cousins OF some
thing"
No" she said my trunk may
come up freln the station almost any
time. and IL close the house they'll
take II back. The servants are hav-
ing holiday, net expecting me
(TO BE CONTINUED0