The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-07-20

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"Figure?' asked Turpcnce, puzzled.
do you mean tall or short?"
mo. Sum-income"
"Oh. IL haven't worked that out
what about meY'
Your"
"Sure thing"
"Oh, couldn'tr'
"Why notT
ut would seem so unfair"
81 don't see anything unfair about
1t. call your bluff. that's all. adj
mire you immensely, Miss Tuppence,
more than any girl I've ever met.
You're so darned plucky. I'd just love
to give you real. rattllng good time.
Say the word, and Wen run round
right away to some high-class jeweler,
and fix up the ring business"
81 can't" gasped Tuppence.
Because of BeresfordT
mo, no, mol"
well then2"
Tuppence merely continued to shake
her head violently.
you can't reasonably expect more
dollars than I've got"
"Oh, 1t isn't that" gasped Tuppence
with an almost hysterical laugh. But
thanking you very much, and all that.
I think I'd better say no."
ard be obliged If you'd do me the
favor to think 1t over until tomorrow"
ITS no use.'
"Still, l guess wen leave it like
that"
VERY We'll" said Tuppence meekly.
Neither of them spoke again until
they reached the Ritz.
Tuppence went upstairs to her room.
She felt morally battered to the
ground after her conflict with julius
vigorous personality. Sitting down in
front of the glass, she stared at her
own reflection for some minutes.
Fool" murmured Tuppence at
length, making a grimace Little
fool Everything you want-every-
thing you've ever hoped for, and you
go and bleat out mo- like an idiotic
little sheep. It's your one chance
Why don't you take it? Grab 1t?
Snatch at it? What more do you
want?'
As If in answer to her own question,
her eyes fell on a small snapshot Of
Tommy that stood on her dressing
table in shabby frame For mo-
ment she struggled for self-control,
and then abandoning all pretense, she
held IT to her lips and burst into a
fit of sobbing.
'Oh, Tommy, Tommy" she cried, Il
do love you so-and / may never see
you again. -.
AT the end of five minutes Tuppence
sat up, blew her nose, and pushed
back her hair
That's that" she observed sternly
Lets look facts in the face. l seem
to have fallen in love-with an idiot
of boy who probably doesn't care
two straws about me-" Here she
paused. Anyway" she resumed, as
though arguing with an unseen oppo-
nent, II don't know that he does. He'd
never have dared to say so. I've all
ways jumped on sentiment-and here
l am being more sentimental than any
body. What idiots girls arel I've al
ways thought so. / suppose l shall |
sleep with his photograph under my
pillow, and dream about him all night.
It's dreadful to feel you've been false
to your principles
Tuppence shook her head sadly, as
she reviewed her backsliding.
II don't know what to say to Julius,
I'm sure. Oh, what fool / feel I'll |
have to say something-he's so Amer |
lean and thorough. he'll insist upon |
having a reason. I wonder If he did |
find anything in that safe"
Tuppence's meditations went off on
another tack. She reviewed the events
of last night carefully and persist
emily. Somehow, they seemed bound
up with Sir James enigmatical words.
Suddenly she gave a great start
the color faded out of her face. Her
eyes, fascinated. gazed in front of her,
the pupils dilated.
Impossible" she murmured. I'm
possiblel l must be going mad even
to think of such a thing :"
Monstrous-yet 1t explained every
thing.
Afrer moments reflection she sat
down and wrote note, weighing each
word as she did so. Finally she nod
1ed her head as though satisfied, and
slipped 1t into an envelope, which she
addressed to Julius. She went down
the passage to his sitting-room and
knocked at the door. AS she had ex-
Dected, the room was empty. She left
he note on the table.
A small page-boy was waiting out
side her own door when she returned
% 1t.
Telegram for you, Miss"
Tuppence took 1t from the salver,
md tore ii open carelessly. Then she
rave cry. The telegram was from
rommyl