The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-04-24

have agreed to almost anything lust
then-she pushed her advantage
little further. Lets forget about
everything that's mysterious and de-
pressing, will you? Will you agree
that the burglar was just a plain bur-
glar who was perfectly satisfied with
my three hundred dollars, and that
Mr.. Forster and Mr.. Lewis were only
trying to find me-to settle q bet, or
for some silly reason like that? And
then, Martin, will you take me some
where for the rest of this evening
where we can dance"
"You bet WILL" he said. "IIl
agree to the whole program-for the
rest of the evening-if you'll let me
say just one thing first"
She considered this request a little
obviously, but finally said, "All right:
just one. though"
IF you're really eighteen years
old ;"
Il really ann she interrupted, all
most. My birthdays in two weeks
October thirty-first; Halloween, it is"
"Hurrah!" he said. "WeU have a
party! Well then, on Halloween
you'll come of age and you'll have
no more reason to be afraid of your
uncle than have. He'll have no more
authority over you than he'll have
over the king of England. And even
in the meantime l don't see that he
n Nh,
let's go to the Alhambra. And heaven
help LeaLder Higgins, or anyone else
who tries to cut in on us tonight"
Downstairs in the tiny vestibule she
noticed that there were some letters
in their mail-boX. The pOstman had
come, she remembered, while they
were so excited about the burglar that
they both forgot to go down and get
the mail. She didn't want to be
bothered with it now, though. All she
wanted to do was dance
She forgot the letters again when
she came home from the Alhambra,
but Martin remembered them and
went downstairs with the key to bring
them up. When he came back he'd
merely said, after looking at her
minute, Good night, Rhoda," and
gone away, although the idea of a kiss
had hung palpably between them for
an instant She wouldn't have mind
ed his kissing her good night. but she
got real thrill out of the fact that
he didn't, although he evidently want
q ho% n
kiss her he'd mean more by it. and
there was touch of real Scotch thrift
about Rhoda that appreciated the
economy.
1t was the same quality in her that
made her put off letting herself drift
away into a pleasant day-dream over
the hours just passed until she should
have finished her evening tasks and
OF into bed. Otherwise she wouldn't
have looked at the letters at all.
One of them was addressed, in al
angular feminine hand she didn't
know, to her, Miss Rhoda White"
1t was with a rather Indifferent feel
ing of perpleXity that she sliced open
the envelope. But with her first in
credulOus stare at what was written
on the stiff folded sheets of note
paper it contained. she felt a fright
ened wish that Martin hadn't gone
home, for the thing began: Dear
Miss Mcfarland"
She was trembling so that she went
over and sat down on the couch be-
fore she read any sfurther She felt
as if things were closing in on her
haps, when the beaters are driving it
toward the wall behind which a man
is waiting with gun.
81 hope / haven't frightened you.
beginning like that" she said, ''but
you do not know me-yOu may never
have even heard of me-and ] wanted
to make sure that you would read this
letter, because it is important to me
whether it is to you or not.
81 am going to ask you great ia
vor. 1t has got nothing to do with
money. I have got money enough.
thank heavens! to put this through
even If it costs a whole lot. But i
am simply desperate for something /
am sure you can help me find. 1t was
a paper that / asked your father to
take care of for me when l was work
ing for him in his laboratory.
1T makes too long story to tell
this way and l want you should have
my whole confidence in this matter.
Will you come to lunch with me to-
morrow in the Tip-Top inn? l will
be there from twelve o'clock on, at the
table to the right of the door in the
Dutch room. will be wearing black
hat and dark blue dress.
''Yours most sincerely,
CLAIRE CLEVELAND.
"P. S. l want to say this in addition.
l think it will be as much for your
advantage as mine if you come. The
man who treated me so shamefully is
the same man who played a mean
and treacherous trick on your father
and practically ruined his life in order
to make himself rich; and / think If
YOU and | work together we can force
him to make things right for you as
we'll as for meat least as far as
money can make anything right. Let
me warn you of one more thing. and
hope it is not too late. Do not an
swer any communication of any sort
from any stranger until you and /
have had our talk. | have reason to
believe he now has designs on you,
foo. You may not have found out
vet what some men can be like, but
believe me (not slang) l know!
"Yours. CLAIRE"
(To BE CoNTINUED.)