The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-03-16
CHAPTER Xl-Continued.

Eaton drew further back into the
alcOve as some one passed through
the hall above. The footsteps ceased
overhead; Eaton, assured no one was
coming down the stairs, spoke swiftly
TO tell her as much as he might in
their moment. "He-Santoine-wasn t
taken i'll on the train, Edith; he was
attacked"
"AttackedI' Her lips barely moved.
HE was almost killed; but they
concealed it. Edith-pretended he was
only ill. l was on the train-you
know. of course; got your wire-and
they suspected me of the attack"
You? But they didn't find out
about you. Hugh?"
"No; they are investigating. San
tome would not let them make any
thing public. He brought me here
while he is trying to find out about
me- So I'm here, Edith-here! Is ii
here too?"
Again steps sounded in the hall
above. The girl swiftly busted her.
self with gloves and hat; Eaton stood
stark in suspense. The servant above
it was servant they had heard
before, he recognized now-merely
crossed from one room to another
overhead. Now the girls lips moved
again.
'It?" She formed the question
noiselessly.
1.-The draft of the new agreement
at either has been sent to him.
or it will be sent to him very soon
here"
where will it be when 1t is here?'
where? Oh :" The girls eyes
went 10 the wall close to where Eaton
stood; she seemed to measure with
them definite distance from the door
and point shoulder high, and to
resist the impulse TO come over and
put her hand upon the spot. As Ea.
ton followed her look, he heard a
slight and muffled click as if from the
study; but no sound could reach them
through the study doors and what he
heard came from the wall itself.
"A safe?" he whispered.
isn't she?-clOsed it just now There
are two of them hidden behind the
books, one on each side Of the door.
Eaton tapped gently on the wall
the wall was brick; the safe undoubt
edly was backed with steel.
"The best way is from inside the
ROOM" he concluded
Csl
Look out Z"
Someone now was coming down
stairs The girl had time only t.
whisper swiftly, IF we don't get 6
chance TO speak again, watch that
vase" She pointed to a bronze an
tique which stood on a table neal
them. 'When I'm sure the agreement
is in the house, I'll drop a glove-but
ton in that-a black one, if l thinI
it'll be in the safe on the right, white
on the left. Now go.'
Eaton moved quietly on and int
the drawing room. Avery's voice i'm
mediately afterward was heard: h,
was speaking to Miss Davis, whom hs
had found in the hallway. Eaton wa:
certain there was no suspicion tina
he had talked with her there; indeed
Avery seemed to suppose that Eator
was still III the study with Harrie
Santoine. 1T was her lapse, then
which had let him out and had giver
him that chance; but it was a lapse
he discovered, which was not likel,
TO favor him again. From that time
while never held strictly in restraint
he found himself always in the sigh
of someone.
Eaton let himself think, idly, abou
Harriet-how strange her life hat
been-that part of it at least which
was spent, as he had gathered mos
of her waking hours of recent year
had been spent, with her father
Strange. almost as his own lifei An,
that a wonderful girl it had mad
'nr-clevei. sweet, lovable. wit
'~ woman's ordinary ca
'tiOn and sef-sacrifice
ice TO her fathe
rsonal side bu
his bust
- "