Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1923-11-09
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
(Installment No. 26)

(Installment No. 26)
She looked at him with sad, com.
passionate eyes. Her voice was firm
as she answered him in the one word
that he had desired. The word was
mol"
A knock at the door startled him.
Come in!" he called out, sharply.
He looked up, expecting to see one
of the guests or one of the servants.
1t was Moody who entered the room.
Hardyman laid down his pen. and
fixed his eyes sternly on the man
who had dared to interrupt him.
What the devil do you want?" he
asked.
II have seen Miss Isabel, and spok-
en- with her." Moody replied. "Mr.
Hardyman, believe it is in your
power to set this matter right For
the young lady's sake, sir, you must
not leave England without doing it."
Hardy turned to his foreman. us
this fellow mad or drunk?" he asked
Moody proceeded as calmly and as
resolutely as if those words had not
been spoken. Il apologize for my in-
trusion, sir will trouble you with
no explanations; will ask one Ques-
ton. Have you memorandum Of
the number of that f1ve-hundred-
pound note which you paid away In
France?"
Hardyman lost all control over
himself.
"You scoundrel!" he cried, have
you been prying into my private af-
fairs? Is 1t your business to know
what l did in France?"
'Is it your vengeance on woman
to refuse to tell her the number OF a
bank-note?" Moody rejoined, firmly
That answer forced it's way through
Hardyman's anger to Hardyman's
sense Of honor. He rose and ad
vanced to Moody. For moment the
two men faced each other In silence
You're bold fellow" said Hardy
man. with a sudden change from
anger to irony. "I'll do the lady
Justice. I'll look at my pocket
book"
He put his hand into the breast
pocket of his coat; he searched his
other pockets; he turneed over the
objects on his writing table. The
book was gone.
Moody watched him with a feeling
of despair. "Oh, Mr.. Hardyman,
don't say you have lost your pocket
bookW
He sat down again at his desk,
with sullen submission to the new
disaster. "AlI I can say is, you're at
liberty to look for It," he replied. II
must have dropped it somewhere"
He turned impatiently to the fore
man. 'Now, then, what is the next
check wanted? 1 shall go mad If
wait in this damned place much
longer"
Moody hastened back to the part
of the grounds (close to the shrub
berry, in which Isabel was waiting
his return.
They had advanced nearly as far
as the tent, on their way out of the
grounds, when they were met by a
gentleman walking towards them
from the cottage. He was stranger
to Isabel. Moody Immediately recog-
nized him as Mr.. Felix Sweetsir.
who is that?" Isabel asked.
Lady Lydiard's nephew, Mr.. Felix
Sweetsir," Moody answered, with a
sudden sternness of tone and sud-
den coldness Of manner which sur
prised Isabel.
"You don't like him?" she said.
AS she spoke, Felix stopped to give
audience to one Of the grooms, who
had, apparently, been sent with a
message to him. He turned SO that
his face was visible to Isabel. Moody
pressed her hand significantly as It
rested on his arm.
Look we'll at that man." he whis-
pered. Its time to warn you. Mr.
Felix Sweetsir Is the worst enemy
you have!"
Isabel heard him in speechless as
tonishment. He went on In tones
that trembled with suppressed emo
ton.
you doubt IL Sharon knows the
thief. You doubt II know the thief
Isabel, as certainly as the heaven is
above US, there stands the wretch
who stole the bank-note!"
She drew her hand out Of his arm
with cry Of terror. She looked at
him as il she doubted whether he
was in his right mind.
He took her hand, and waited a