San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-15
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~ DOUGLAS GRANT
BY DOUol As GRANT
10 ,ss4 MA SERVICE INC

looking gray roadster had passed and
repassed the house at such brief in
tervals that it could only have gone
around the block, and that its bare
headed driver was staring up at her
window = and seemed to be making
motions to her. 1t was the man on
horseback of the previous day.
With the conviction of this there
came the swift intuition that he
wasn't just some guy trying to get
fresh; lie was waving. signaling to
the girl who should have been in
that window. The real Alya Copeland
Sallie drew back hastily but not be-
fore, almost without her own voll-
ton. she had made a little gesture OF
denial.
Would he drive back again? The
westering sun was glaring straight
upon her window turning the glass
to blurred, dazzling expanse and
doubling that he could distinguish
her features she tried with all her
strength to raise the sash but it had
evidently been fastened with pur-
pose. For all her probability Sal
lies romantic heart had led her
straight to the solution of the mans
constant temperance before the
house and if he were the real Alva
Copeland's sweetheart she meant that
he should know of the substitution.
The minutes heightened with no
further sign of the gray car and at
last low, insistent tapping at the
door made her turn to admit Fitch.
That excellently trained footman's
ewes were fairly bulging from his
head and the tea-tray clattered
slightly as he set it down upon the
little table.
80 that's the game, is it," He
whispered hoarseiy. Fifty thou.
sand they're going to give you
They've decided on it. Who're you
double-crossing. them or the chief!''
Sallie grinned.
"Neither one, Fitch. i gotta lay
low for awhile anyhow. amt r.
that is, if I'm who you think ! am ~
There's no good stalling with me.
Bess!" He glanced behind him and
then advanced to pour the tea. "You
know you can't get away with this
even if you was working under the
chiefs orders, which you're not.
They're leery of you already in
there, at least Sloat is: says your
lingo is more like a crooks than
shop-girls and he's all for having
you looked up more thorough IN that
town where the wreck happened but
the old lady and the solicitor chap
won't hear of it. Your game one,
I'll say that for you Call it laying
low to stick about here with the
Delapierre woman herself in the very
house yesterday"
whats it to you?" Sallie
shrugged. "You stick to your job and
I'll stick to mine. What are you
butting in for?"
Because" he bent suddenly over
her chair. "I'm fair gone on you,
Bess! The others told me about you
but strike me pink if / thought you
was half as pretty as you are. An
easy berth, fifty thou and quick
getaway may look good to you but
you'd never. be able to put it over on
the chief. to say nothing OF those
four sparklers. l saw Chicago Molly
after she'd tried to hold out ON him
in that little matter of the Morgen-
thai bonds and / turned fair sick. /
did. though / ain. the squamish
kind, | couldn't a-bear to see II
come to you-!"
Fitch stiffened all at once and his
face took on its habitual wooden ex-
preston for the door at the end t
the hall had opened without the
single warning sound OF n football
and silken draperies trailed toward
them.
This is very true, thank YOU Sal
lie remarked composedly. "Plesse
tell Mrs.-my mother that I've had
my tea if she asks"
Every good, MISS" Fitch turned
and then paused as Mrs. Copeland
swept in at the open doorway.
"You may go, Fitch" The lat
ter's tones were coldly austece and
then as the pseudo-footman obeyed
she turned to the girl. "If you want
ed your tea, don't>you know that it
would have been the proper thing
for you to ring for Therese
Sallie turned wide eyes upon her.
II did ring twice. if you mean
pushing that button thing there,