Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-09-21

bestowed upon Fay. A nameIess pres.
ent, diamond pendant, winking back
the morning sunshine, made Esme re.
coll faintly and drop il back in It's
case. The phone was calling insistent.
iiy little way Off. Lapsley went brisk
ly 10 answer ii and caught an mpa-
tent drone, Hello! That YOU. Fay?
Thank the Lord, Worse than sudden
death TO miss You. Say-X C and o
bonds better than cash to do the trick.
BE sure you turn up heeled with em
else day after tomorrow viii be
Judgment day for fair. Millions wait.
Ing round the corner-only got to turn
1t this one more time So long! Re
member-its play and pay"
Lapsley after the first sentences had
not tried to interrupt He had sense
that his housekeeping wss after a
sort providential. The bulk of Esme's
inheritance was in Y and Q bonds.
Fay must be planning to get hold of
them somehow-he surely would not
dare to ask her to lend them outright
when neither she nor anybody else
knew very much about him. SO John
explained that the call was for Fay
--an impatient friend. wanting to
make sure of his coming home. Esme
said abstractedly "Ile is going.
shall take him to the early train to-
morrow-and say goodby"
Thereafter John excused himself
for the rest of the day. No-he might
not get back for the big dinner, but
she would see him again on that she
might depend Then he rode away
headlong, but not toward his own
plantation His way lay downward. He
knew tracing a long-distance call was
likely to take time plus Influence, and
maybe ready cash. In the sparkling
gray dawn Esme, alone in her road
ster, by Fay's insistence, picked up
her passenger and sped down the long
white road to town They were to go
to a minister living remote, on quite the
other side. Warned by phone, he
would be ready would fill names into
the blank license Fay had got week
back After he had done his office,
and been silenced by round fee,
they would drive blissfully along to-
gether again into the country, circle
about and come to the station upon
its other side. This would shut off
prying or wondering eyes. Esme sat
silent and white. Even Fay's ardent
kisses could. not bring back her color
But she walked firmly beside him up
the minister's steps and on through
the open door. Suddenly she was con-
scious of other heavier footsteps fol-
lowing, of Johns voice saying tensely:
''Can't let you he married, Esme, lit
tie sister, without even a best man.
But before this goes further" step
ping In front of Fay, 81 must know
where and how you expect to get the
bonds you need to save you from
ruin"
you get out of this if you want to
live" Fay Missed, making to draw
weapon. Esme caught his arm, saying,
"Until you answer, this ends an
There is just one answer" John
interjected "He meant to marry you,
force YOU to sign the bonds over to
him, and most likely lose your for
tune, as he has already lost his own"
Then briefly he explained: He had
traced the call, found out things about
the caller about Fay himself, and
therefrom deduced all that was to
happen Better not miss your train"
he finished significantly "Esme knows
] will take care of her"
"How about this?" the minister said,
holding out the license when Fay had
vanished.
an take care of that, too" John
said ut may come in handy-lster
on"
Sure enough it did-the sole salvage
of that adventurous morning.