San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-13
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AN AS
DOUGLAS GRANT,
6N DOUSl NSA ORANN
(0-ns4 MA sSSVIts INC

lie flared up in pretended anger, then
added: "There amt no need of it now
and besides, it's a nuisance"
Nevertheless, my girl, you will
find that it pays" There was a sig
nificance in Mrs. Copeland's tone not
lost upon her companion.
That's what l want to find out"
Sallie remarked promptly. 'How
much?'. =.
She felt elated when Mrs. Copeland
put both hands to her temples in hor-
ror.
Really, you must try to speak so
that / can understand youw she ex-
claimed. Il am prepared this morn,
ing to talk to you quite frankly and
if you are a sensible girl you will see
it is greatly to your advantage that
we brought you here and took care
81 wasn't exactly homeless, but /
amt kicking-yet." Sallie's reply was
noncommittal. "IIl say you treated
Inc fine so far, but what do you want
Of me?"
Merely to stay here with me in
my house as my step-daughter Alva.
and the fiancee-the promised wife
of my late husbands nephew,
Wheeler Sloat. This-yisit-may end
at any time or at most in a few
months hence" Mrs. Copeland spoke
slowly as though choosing her words.
You will be surrounded with every
luxury as you sec; you will have all
the pretty clothes you like and i
shall give you some jewelry appro-
PIRATE for a young girl which you
may take with you when you leave
us. At that time, too, if you will i'm
mediately leave this country and new
err return or communicate with any
of your former associates, and will
never mention this little transaction
between us to anyone, you shall re-
ceive $25,000w
She sat back in her chair as though
prepared to receive the thanks of the
girl but Sallie shook her head.
twenty-five grand is an awful lot
of money just to be adopted and play
the lady for few months; too much,
unless other folks are making such a
killing out of it that it ought to be
worth more to me. l amt asking you
what your game is, Mrs. Copeland, I'd
be willing to play it the way you tell
me and no questions asked, but how do
you know I'd get away with it?'
Il am quite sure of that, my dear
girl, and nothing can 80 wrong, / as
sure you!"
"Mr. Wheeler Sloat," Fitch an
nounced from the doorway with a
slight cough. ..
Sallie turned and gazed straight
past the advancing visitor to the foot
man, and to her surprise he winked
and then made an unmistakable ges-
ture with his head toward the hall.
Dear Aunt Flo !" Sloat bowed over
the hand and then turned to Sallie.
Il see you are wearing my violets,
Alva! And how much better you look
this morning. .r
wheeler, is the door closed?" Mrs.
Copeland interrupted. '.St down.
You are trifle late ut our conference,
although 1 admit that our young
guest here precipitated it. i have
been explaining our little proposition
to her."
"Indeed?" Sloat gave her keen
glance and then smiled at Sallie.
"Then our little Cinderella knows the
good fortune in store for her"
"She does not appear to consider it
in that light" Mrs. Copeland shrugged.
"She seems to fear that something may
go wrong with our PLAN
"Oh, absolutely not" interrupted
Sloat. ''There isn't a chance for
hitch anywhere :"
That's what they all say" Sallie
grinned. II don't know your lay nor
the gang that's working in with you
but s'pose somebody lays down on You.
or SWITCHES, or sells you out? AS far
as l can make out you haven't any of
you see the real Alva since she was a
little kid and you might stall that I'd
been palmed off on you at the convent
you were talking about yesterday"
my dearr' Mrs. Copeland spoke
again in Mortified accents. 1T is I'M
thinkable that you could be recog-
nized as other than my stepdaughter.
but surely you know, that we would
protect you! You would have the best
legal advice, the highest influence
would be brought to bear to explain
your part in our-our little joke.'
SIoat had listened with peculiar
ly shrewd expression TO Sallie's speech.
so vastly different from the, mildly