Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-03-15
CHAPTER XII


In the superstition that he was TO
have less liberty, Eaton proved cor-
rect. Harriet Santolne, TO whose Inn
pulses had been due his first privi-
leges, showed toward him a more rom
strained attitude the following morn
ing. She did not suggest hostility, as
Avery constantly did: nor. indeed.
was there any evidence of ~retrogres
sion In her attitude toward him she
seemed merely TO be maintaining the
same position and since this seemed
difficult If they were cften together,
she avoided him. Eaton understood
that Santoine, steadily improving but
not yet able to leave his bed. had
taken up his work again, propped up
by pillows; one of the nurses had
been dismissed the other was only
upon day duty. But Eaton did not
see Sanfolne at all and though he
learned that Miss Davis or another
stenographer, whose name was West,
came daily to the house, he never was
In a position again to encounter any
outsider either coming or going.
There was no longer room for Ea-
ton to doubt that Harriet had the con-
fidence of her father to almost a com-
plete extent. Now that Santoine was
Ill, she worked with him daily for
hours and Eaton learned that she
did the same when he was well. But
Avery worked with the blind man too;
he. too, was certainly In a confidential
capacity. Was 1t not probable then
that Avery, and not Harriet, was en-
trusted with the secrets of dangerous
and ugly matters; or was 1t possible
that this girl. worshIping her father
as she did. could know and be sure
that. because her father approved
these matters, they were right?
A hundred times a day. as Eaton
saw or spoke with the girl or thought
Of her presence nea by, this obsessed
him. A score Of times during their
casual talk upon meeting at meals or
elsewhere, he found himself turned
toward some question which would
aid him in determining what must be
the fact; but each time he checked
himself, until one morning-it was
the fifth after his arrival at San
toine's house-Harriet was taking
him for his walk In the garden before
the house. She had just told him,
at his inquiry, that her father was
very much stronger that morning, and
her manner more than ever evidenced
her pride In him.
They walked on slowly. II wish
you could tell me more about your
self, Mr.. Eaton"
II wish so too" he said.
"Then why can you not7" She
turned to him frankly; he gazed at
her a moment and then looked away
and shook his head. Did she know
all of what was known ever under
her fathers roof; and II she knew all,
would she then loathe or defend 1t?
A motor sped near, halted and then
speeded on again; Eaton. looking up,
1t was a runabout with Avery
alone In 1t; evidently, seeing them in
the road, Avery had halted to pro-
test. then thought better OF II and
gone IN. But other motors passed
now with people who spoke to Har-
riet and who stopped to inquire for
her father and wish him well.
"Your father does not seem to be
one OF the great men without honor
his own neighborhood," Eaton said
to her after one of these had halted
and rome on,
Everyone who knows Father likes
and admires him I" she rejoiced.
II don't mean exactly that" Eaton
on. They must trust him too,
In an extraordinary way. His asso-
ciates must place most complete con-
fdence In him when they leave to him
adjustment of matters such as
they do. He tells them
Is just, and they abide by his
decision"
Harriet shook her bead. "No: II
isn't quite that" she said.
4What, then7"
You are correct In saying that men
OF the most opposite sorts-and most
irreconcilable to each other - con-
place their fate In Fathers
hand; and when he tells them what
they must do. they abide BY his de
But he doesn't decide for
whnr is inst"
II don't understand. What does he
tell them. fhenT"
He tells them what would be the
oufeonu II they fought. WHO Avonld
and who would lose and By how
much. And they believe him xad