Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-04-12

go uA4 Az Aot<st
had sent Eaton TO the country club
with Avery; there Avery. plainly. hat
forced Eaton into the polo game. BY
her fathers instructionsf Clearly
there seemed to have been purpose In
what had been done, and purposf
self either by her. father or Avery
For how could they have suspected
Eaton would betray himself In the
game unless they had also suspected
that he had played polo beforef To
suspect that. they must at least have
some theory as to who Eaton was,
But hsr father had no such theory he
had been ~expendIns unavailingly, so
far, every effort to ascertain Eaton's
connections. SO her thoughts led her
only Into deeper and greater perplex-
ity, but with them came s~udden-and
u~naccouptabls - resentment against
Avery.
At seven Harriet went in to dinner
with her father. The blind man was
alone; he had been awaiting her, and
they were served at once. All through
the dinner she was nervous and
moody; for she knew she was going
to do something she had never done
before: she Wal going to conceal
something from her father. She told
OF eEaton's reception at the country
club, and of his taking part In the
polo practice and playing badly but
of her WI impression hat Eaton
knew the game and her present con-
viction that Donald Avery had seen
ven more than that, she said moth
ing. She watched her fathers face,
but she could see there no conscious
ness that she was omifting anything
In her account.
An hour later, when after reading
aloud to him for a time, he dismissed
her, she hesItsfpd before going.
'You'ya seer Donald7" she asked
Yea
"Uynat did he tell your"
~The same as you have told. though
not quite so fully"
She was outside the door and in
the hall before realization came to
her that her fathers reply could mean
only that Donald, like herself, had
concealed his discovery of Eaton's
ability to play polo. Why Donald had
not told, she could not imagine; the
only conclusion she could reach was
thet Donald's silence in some way
menaced Eaton for-suddenly now
II came to her what this must mean
to Eaton. All that he had been so
careful to hide regarding himself and
his connections must be obtainable
by Avery now, and Avery, for some
purpose Of his own, was Withholding
betrayal to make use Of 1t as he might
see fit.
She moved once more Il return to
her father; again she stopped; then,
swiftly. she turned and went down
stairs
She looked hurriedly about for
Avery. She did not find him, nor at
first did she nnd Eaton either. She
discovered him presently In the music
with Blatchford. Blatchford at
once excused himself, tired evidently
of his task of watching over Eaton.
Harriet caught herself together and
controlled herself TO her usual man.
ner.
what shall II be this evening, Mr..
Eaton ?" she asked. Music. %billiardsY'
billiards. If you Ike" he respond
ID.
They went UP to the billiard room, |
md for an hour played steadily but I
her mind was not upon the game-nor,
she saw, was his. Finally, as they
lnded a game, he put his cue back in
he rack and faced her.
Miss Santoine," he said. II want
o ask a favor"
What is itT"
II want to go out-unaccompanied.n
awhyr'
II wish to speak to a friend who
will be waiting for me-
How do you known
HE got word to. me at the coun-
ny club today Excuse mel did not
mean to inform on Mr.. Avery; he was
eaIly most vigilsnf. ! believe he only
,ade one slip"
He was not the only one observing
ou."
II suppose not In fact, / was GER
ain of IT. However. L received a mes
age which was undoubtedly anthem
C and had not been 0verseen-"
But you were not able to make
II VIVA able to receive all that was /,
e~cessary." !
She considered for a moment What /,
0 you want mo TO do7" /
Either because OF my presence or 4
scause Of what has happened-or
DormafIy-you have at least .
ur men about the grounds, two Of
HON seem to be constantly on duty
observe anyone who may approach. d
with you 10 order them to let me I
In and 90 to q place perhaps ten
wnIh from here IL you do a
|, | VIII return ~ the latest within
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