Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-01-25

49, $1,000
still on the knob. revealed them.
A desk lamp lay on the floor at
the mans feet and he was turning,
relinquishing his hold on the girls
wrist. looking over his shoulder
with a white. drawn face. He posed
so a moment. staring at this intru-
der who showed only In silhouette.
"Well?"-in sharp demand.
Young Belknap did not move;
did not reply for a moment. Then
he said almost casually:
81 happened to o%verhear you be-
ing told to get out. | opened the
door for you"
Gorbel whirled TO face him then,
feet spread. arms held with stiff
turbulence al his sides.
sand who are you?"-bright eyes
searching, striving to identify the
Swallowed face.
THE chap who opened the door"
"Well. Close 1t. then, and
tend to your W affairs"
John shook his head.
NO" he said. mot until the /.
The lady asks me to-"
He could see her standing in the
deeper shadows where she had
swiftly retreated on his appear
ance. She was backed against a
filing case as though In need of
support. he added then:
Il don't hear her asking me to
get out"
Gorbel's hands were knottlng into
fists.
"You id eavesdropperw he
muttered. "You-"
John took the few quick strides
that put him ace to face with Cor
bel. so close to him that he could
hear the mans quick breathing.
mo namesm he muttered. mo
names or any other talk.
Are you going out on your own
legs?'
Gorbel swayed backward. His
right hand swept the desk top. and
with a growl John had the arm
in one hand, twisted the man
about. and wrenched upward on the
wrist until Gorbel doubled over
with q cry.
drop it,"
"The devil with"
"Drop 1t. | told YOU
Gorbel struggled. but the lock on
his wrist was secure. He bent for.
ward for relief as John opened the
door. The cold night surged In on
them. and then the one was running
down the steps to regain the bal.
ance that the others shove had i'm
periled.
AL the bottom he whirled and
lifted bis face, normally handsome.
now %wrenching with rage. :.
"You swiner he cried. You'll
pay for this"
collect. theni But you stay
away from here until you're sen
forI Get that?"
He closed the door and turned
back to the office. removing his cap
as he went.
Brighter lights burned now, for
a cluster In the ceiling had been
switched on. The girl sat at q lii
tered desk In the middle of the
room. pale, shoulders hunched.
head bowed. He stopped, poised In
surprise. She was the girl he had
seen In the station waiting room,
and with her coat and hat removed,
In the jersey dress which exposed a
graceful column of throat, she was
out of place In this office with its
battered desks and dingy walls as
a flower In a wood yardl
John spoke:
"He called me an ea~vesdropper. j
guess, In a way. he was right"
Fortunately, you heard" she
murmured, and then looked up.
"Ohl Oh. | didn't know Ii
was your She brushed al her soft,
short hair nervously and managed q
sort of smile. Il | wanted
to tell you how how sorry !
am that the boys did what they
did Won't you come INF"
She rose, and he could see that
she was rallying her composure rap
idly.
81 feel like an intruder" he said,
advancing. II came over here on
the chance that | might find the
manager and ran into the late IN
~plensantnessr
81 am the manager" she said
simply.
And now surprise had him
wholly; so completely that be
blinked and laughed outright.
"What You. Why, q
girl In this mess?"
She flushed deeply.
81 guess that's what II Is: a mess.
Even strangers know | am Ellen
Richards. This was my fathers
company I've been trying to carry
on for over a year now. since
he since he died"
"Oh," he said duly. "Ohi"-a
biz long drawn. this time, and In a