Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-10-04
CHAPTER X

well, here-here don't be in such
hurry!" Frank said, stopping her
with a big, gentle hand.
1--WE got to go!" Sheila told him,
breathlessly.
"But wait a minute"
"You wouldn't" she told him.
You'd get out if your mother and
sister and brother all double-crossed
you'll"
Gentle and dark and good-na-
tured, he smiled down at her, not
freeing her arm from the grip of
his fingers.
well, I never double-crossed
you, did I, Sheila?"
Let me go!" the girl said angri-
ly. She looked up, and for the first
time in her life she really saw him,
a dark, smiling young man, with
Irish blue eyes.
II never double-crossed you, did
II" Frank said.
The girl spoke dazedly, as if out of
a dream.
mo, you never double-crossed
me-"
"Sit down, then," he said.
Sheila did not move her eyes.
BE good GIRL" Frank urged.
Suddenly she sat down. She still
watched his face expectantly.
my father is very anxious to see
Sheila and you, Mrs. Carscadden,"
Frank said. $50 that we can begin
to get all this Strengthened out. I'm
unfortunately Joe and
l, here, gave the thing to the papers
at noon today" he added with rue
full laugh.
There was no marriage, it seems
now," Joe said.
mo, but the evening papers have
it."
Joe clicked teeth and tongue. Mrs.
Carscadden began a wall, put her
fingers over her mouth again.
What else could we do?" Frank
argued. He had put out big hand
and gripped Sheila's fingers as they
lay on the table, but he was not
looking at her. 1--WE had given the
disappearance story to the police
Saturday night" he said. "Then the
kilograms came. The quickest way
to hush the whole thing up was to
tell them that you and Pete had de-
cided to give your families a sur
prise and get married. We made it
as-as dignified as we could, didn't
we, Joe? We said that this followed
up a friendship begun at Tiller's
Beach last summer-that kind of
thing.
What complicates it," he said,
directly to Joe, sis that when Sheila
and Pete got to town tonight they
went straight to a police station
and turned in the story. The boot
logger story, mean. So that what
ever we do now, it's-well, it'll
cause some little confusion" Frank
concluded, with his grave half-smile
for the distressed and attentive cir
Gle.
"I'n tell the world" Joe said.
Papa telephoned the police sta
tion," Frank resumed, land they
had already sent a man up to the
Broadway place. Well get the dope
on that, and then we'll know how to
go on. Probably the police will take
it up at this point"
All the time his hand rested firm
ly, encouragingly, on Sheila's and it
was as if his spirit had laid quieting
hands upon her spirit as well; she
continued to sit docilely beside him,
her bright eyes moving about the
circle.
She did not, as a matter Of fact.
hear anything that they were say
ing. She was absorbed in strange.
thrilling adventure of her own. The
shabby kitchen, the familiar pots
and pans, the oilcloth-covered table
with the sticky sugar bowl and the
dingy spoons slipped, handle up, into
a red glass tumbler-all these were
before her eyes, but she did not see
them. She did not see her mothers
square, anxious face, under her
thin, well-brlished gray hair, nor
Joe's dark features, nor Angela's
pale skin and Swallowed eyes and
aureole Of gold.
Now and then Sheila looked
thoughtfully at Frank Nc Cam.
studying his face with childlike.
vague, serious eyes. He was Is
dark q Peter, With Peters blue
eyoD. hut his shoul1ars wure ouuar-
rTt|- I