Gunnison news-champion., 1924-02-15
CHkpTER ~

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r1ad. r.u ' r,.,.ln'.5 ru -r" ,-.r
r.u. .n ~ 'Nr -.rI IN" ,r.~H t.r
low, ,- .r. 'Ns concentration 70"
qIl-,.l 's o.. -l,.- s...r,t - d'-la
the n. s...a ... --h,H-l"ns with which
be h.H un' .r'..i bis ,l.!' md over
At .ra.-'.s % r.. club hnr be, tore ~"
tclesra.. .u,o small plrrrs and found
half '"ar'u. pleasure from the thought
o, mr'ur aEnln the woman who. to
g"th'r ".In her terrible story. had
never tpr one moment been out Of
his thoughts Andrew wiIm"rs. who
had observed his action. spoke Of II
As they settled down TO lunch.
50 you are going to keep your en-
gu."m"nt tonight FrancIs1" he OBJ
served
The latter nodded.
After ALL Why notT' he asked. a 1T.
Il" tennn,Iy. It "uCht to BE- Interest
ing"
We'll. there's nothing OF the sor,lid
criminal. at any rate. about oliver
Hilhitch." Wllmore declared. Neither
II on" comes to think Of 1t. does his
wife appear to b" the prototype Of
suffering virtue. wonder II you nre
wise TO 20. FruncIs1"
why notT the man who Ind asked
himself that question dozen times
already, demanded
"Bccnusp. Wumore replied coolly.
underneath that steely hardness OF
manner for which your profession Is
responsible, you have vein Of scnti-
msnt of ChIvHlrous sentiment. should
say. which some day or other Is bound
10 get you into trouble The woman
Is beautiful enough To turn any ones
head As matter Of fact. believe
that you are more thRn half In love
with her already"
Francis Lcdsam sat whore the sun.
light fell upon his strong. forccful
face. shonc. too upon the table with
its simple but pleasant appointments,
upon the tankard Of beer by his side.
upon the plate OF roast beef to which
he was Hlrcaty doing ample Justice.
He laughed with the easy confidence
Of man awakened from some haunt
Ing nightmare. relieved to md his
feet once more firm upon the ground
Il have been fool to take the
whole matter SO seriously, Andrew, -
he declared 81 expect to walk hnck
to Charges street tonight. disIllusloned.
The man will probably present me with
gold pencil case. and the woman--
We'll, what about the womnnr' VII
more asked. after a brief pause.
"Oh. | don't know" Francis de-
clared. little impatiently. The wom-
an is the mystery. OF course Prob.
ably my brain was little over-exCIted
when came out OF court, and what
] imagined TO be an epic was nothing
more than a tissue Of eNagCeratlnns
from disappointed wife. However.
I'm sure I'm doing the right thing to
20 there
The two men returned TO town to-
getner afterwards. Wilmore TO the
club and Francis to his rooms IN
Charges street TO prepare for dinner
At few minutes to eight he rang the
bell OF number 10 b. HIM street, and
found his host and hostess awaiting
him In the small drawing. room into
which he was ushered. II seemed to
him that the woman, stlll colorless.
again marvclously gowned. greeted
him coldly. His host. however, was
almost too ELUSIVE. There was no
other guest, but the prompt announce
ment OF dinner dispelled what might
have been a few moments OF embar.
rassment after Oliver Hildltch's almost
too cordial greeting. The woman laid
her fingers upon her guests coat
sleeve. The trio crossed the little
hall almost in silence.
Dinner was served In small white
Georgian dining room. with every ap-
purtenance of almost sybaritic luxury.
The only Hight In the room was thrown
upon the table by two purple shaded
electric lamps, and the servants who
waited seemed to pass backwards and
forwards like shadows In some mys
FERROUS twilight-even the faces Of the
thrss diners themselves were out Of
the little pool Of light until they leaned
forward. The dinner was chosen with