White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-01-10
CHAPTER v-continued

III
Eyes, such q nice man. That's
your bathro0m-yOu needn't be afraid
to use 1t, IT goes with this room We
have another one at the back. Mar
Jory emptied the closet for you, and
the bureau drawers are empty. We
have supper at six o'clock, and Oh,
forgot to introduce the girls. But
they didn't come down. did they?"
Beneath the bed, Marjory writhed
IN helpless fury at the poor woman's
1uttering anxiety. But she went out
at last, and closed the door behind
her. Marjory lay rigid beneath the
bed. hating the young preacher, hating
Miss jenkins, despising herself for
her childish curiosity. Her only hope
was that quick-witted Ginger, missing
her, would guess her predicament.
and devise scheme to get the new
boarder out of the room for while.
Unfortunately, Ginger was In pre-
dicament of her own.
But Hiram Buckworth knew moth
Ing Of these unpleasant complications
He put his bag on a chair, and
opened it, leisurely. Then he went to
the closet, and looked In. Crossed
to the windows, and looked out. Stood
before the bookshelves, examining the
titles Of books, now and then taking
out volume for brief inspection.
"Oh. dear heaven" prayed Marjory,
fdon't let him get inspired to write
q sermon"
Hiram Buckworth left the book
shelves, and had look at the bath
room. He was whistling softly be
tween his teeth. No hymn the tune
that he whistled. something light
something catchy. with rolling ca
dences. Presently he broke into song,
low song, barely more than a hum, In
pleasant low voice.
SNOW ask you-very con-fiden.
hally-Ain't she-sweetY"
Slowly, he removed his coat, shook
It out, and hung 1t over the back of
the chair, and took OH his collar and
tie. From his bag, he drew out a
fresh lot OF ties, and selected one with
nice, discrimination, his eyes flashing
quick comparisons in color tones from
sox to tie.
"Oh, hope he isnt going to change
his Clothes" thought Marjory, and
shut her eyes very tightly indeed.
Hiram Buckworth went to the bath.
room, and turned both faucets into
the tub. Marjory could hear the
trickle of the water over his fingers
as he tested fhs warmth OF 1t.
"'Very-con-fidentially-'"
MarJory, beneath the bed, was
bathed in cold perspiration. He came
deliberately back into the room, took
shoes from the bag. removed the
shoetrees noisily, shook out fresh
shirts and placed them In the drawer
Finally. from the rack, he chose g
thick bath towel. Marjory watching
through the sheltering lace fringe saw
him return to the bathroom. The door
would he close It? Fills hand was
on the knob. Yes. he pulled IT.
slowly. II was ajar--a little-just 8
very little
The door slammed shut.
Not one moment did Marjory Tol-
liver finger beneath that bed. She
gathered together all her 1.-THE young
muscles, and with one vigorous Jerk
propelled her slim body from be.
meath the bed In the direction of the
door, the hall door. She Ieaped ia
her feet, and flashed into the hallway
Hiram Buckw0rth hearing the sligh,
sound, the click OF the latch, opened
the bathroom door.
"YesT he called. "What is it?"
The door to the hall stood open
He crossed the room. and looked down
the corridor Al the farther end. he
saw, or thought he saw. the flying
French heel of white slipper
Haunted" he sud to himself.
"That's nice"
But when he went back into the
room, he not only closed the door
carefully. but turned the key In the
lock as well.
I ask you-very n-Hden-tially :
The vhlstled softly as lie turned
back into the Bathroom Ain't--she
-Sweet7 r.
Miss jenkins had gone straigh,
from her reception OF the new min
lister to the rescue OF Ginger Ella
for she had rightly interpreted bot Il
the sudden crash and the ensuing
silence as Indicative Of. disaster Ii
that direction. Unfortunately fol
that young person, the apple barre
had nails 10 II, nails that stuck In
ward. Ginger. bleeding on both arms
bruised on both knees and altogether
furious, was further annoyed by the
fact that she was pinned into rhe bar
rel BY the inturning nails. At ever,