Gunnison news-champion., 1923-01-26
rsIc-FT ~ ITr-lt- s-o1oi. l,.o co-'.lS'

Nay come In. slrF
Come In"
Tie ruan ahU had attended him the
evening before entered
Your hath. sir, hot or cold In the
morning. sirT-
Hot Eaton answered.
"Ur course. slr. I'd forgotten you'd
Just come fruIu the Orient. slr shall
tell them TO bring breakfast up. sir:
or VIII you 20 DOWN" n. man asked.
Eaton considered. The manners or
servants Hr- modelled on the feelings
Of their masters. and the mans defer
enc. told plainly that. although Eaton
might D" prisoner. b. was not 10
be treated openly as such
i think ! Cun go down" Eaton re
piled He found the hall and the
rooms below bright and open but un-
occupied servant showed him to
blue Delft breakfast room to the
east lie had half finished his bacon
and greens before anyone else ap-
peared.
This was a tall carefully dressed
man o. more than Hrty. with hand.
some well-hrcd features plainly a
man ~ position and wealth but With
out experience Ia affairs. and with.
out power. He WAS dark haired and
worr n musiArhe which. Ike his hair.
was beginning 10 gray. As he ap-
pcared In tn. hail without hat or over
coat. Eaton Understood that he lived
in tn" huus" he came directly into
the breakfast room and evidently had
not br~akfn~ted
II am Wallace Rlatchford" m.
stranger volunteered ss Eaton locked
up He gave the name In Il manner
which seemed to assume that he now
must be- recalled; Eaton therefore
rc!Eucd recognition as he CAV. him
his name In return
"Easil SHntoIne Is better this morn.
ing HlHtrhforh announced.
II understood he was very comfort.
able last evening" Eaton said. Il
hnr" not seen either Hiss SAntoine
or Mr. Avery. This morning"
Il saw Basil SantoIne the last thins
las, night" the other boosted He
was very tired, but when he was
home, Of course he wished me TO be
beside him FOR time"
.'Of course" Eaton replied. as the
other halted. There was humility
In the boast OF this mans friendship
for SanioIne which stirred sympathy,
almost pity.
Eaton finished his breakfast but re-
malned at the table while Blatchford.
"ho scarcely touched his food. con
tinued TO boast, In his queer humility.
OF the blind man and OF the blind
mans friendship for him. He checked
himself only when Harriet Santoine
appeared IN the doorway. He and
Eaten AZ once were on their feet.
My dear! He wants to see me
now7" the tall man almost pleaded
We wants me to be with him this
morninET"
"Of course, Cousin Wallace" the
girl said gently, almost with com.
passion.
you viii excuse me then, sir"
BlntChford said hastily to Eaton and
hurried OF. The girl gazed after
him. and when she turned the next
instant to Eaton her eyes were wet.
Good morning. Miss Santoine. You
are coming to breakfastY'
"Oh. no; I've had my breakfast; I
was going out to see that things out
side the house have been going on
well since We have been away"
May I 20 with you while you do
tbatT' Eaton tried to ask casually.
Important TO him as was the plan OF
I the house. 1t was scarcely less es-
sential for him TO know the grounds.
She hesitated.
y understand its my duty at pres
ent to stay wherever I may be put
but III hardly run away from you
while inside your own grounds"
This did not seem TO be the ques-
ton troubling her Very WE'LL" she
said at last She was distracted as
they passed through the hall and n
| man brought Eaton's overcoat and
| hat and q maid her coat. Harriet
| led the way out 10 the terrace The
/ day was crisp. but the breeze had
/ lost the chill 1t had had earlier in the
I morning; the lake was free from ice /;
only along the little projecting break.
waters which guarded the blufT against
! the washing of the waves. some ice
still clung, and this was rapidly melt.
Ing. A grayeied path led them around
the south end of the house
Eaton saw at little distance a
/ powerful. strapping man. half-con.
cealed-though he did not seem to
be hiding-behind some bushes. The
man might have passed for an under.
gardener: but he was not working
and once before during their walk
Eaton had seen another man. power.
fully built rs this one who had looked
keenIy at him and then away quick.
! ly. Harriet flushed slightly as she
saw that Eaton observed the man
Eaton understood then that the nan
| v'ps guard. one Of several, probably,