m« her story. Thv marriage waa tn < Hally e k is s- Indeed the two klaaea. but crossed the platform with the proper form aud I haven t a tingle ( or apeclflcally the bias received and ereafallen air of a child In disgrace. lie knew nothing save that he was regrell” ¡qbe bleu returned. Hut hto exaltation "What you did, Archie." the Gover­ >«as of brief duration, for there beside enormonualy tired and he »ent to the nor resumed paternally, ''was In marry him stood Isabel like an accusing hotel and crawled wearily Into bed Hally, the incomparable. Hally the a a • a angel, severe and Implacable. Il wa* He was aetttng un tbr edge of the dlvlue. to I "el. llarnsy, the diamond she whoav gentle Impulsion had fact Hated hla exit from the parlor car. bed when a gently Insinuating kaook thief." ' "You mean you mean I married and beyond question she had w itn ess­ caused him to atart. the girl to a crook?" gaaped Archie "Come!” ed the kissing, a disagreeable clrcurn One of the amootheat In the game! "Comal" stance that fell amotherlngly upon hla The door opened slowly, wide And Hally knew he waa a crook! I ecstatic mood. enough to permit a man's head to ba suppose II was the diamonds thst CHAPTgR IX. "You w ere on that train I" he ex ­ thrust In A face wearing an amna’ d fetched her. If you'd looked at his claim ed;—the moat fatuous of ques­ smile, a familiar face but the last he hands you would have noticed that he hadn't the paws of an honeat Green tions and the poorest possible opening expected to see. met hto gate Mountain farmer. Fick pocket ori­ "H letl” ter a conversation. ginally and marvelously deft; hut The Governor widened the op -fln g “I thought I had made to aufflclenlly precious alone* are bis true metier plain at Portsmouth that I resent your In the door and aqueesed through "My dear Archie!" he exclvlmed aa Tha trifling little necklace he bad on following me! The meeting there he lacked the door, "bow In finitely hto person when he struck Walker s couple across state in a wild eight hoped would elicit a promise of fur­ might have been by accident, but see- INTRODUCTION relieved I a m t 1 wae afraid aoma to worth a cool hundred thousand lng you here I am convinced—I am ther meetings. ride. Archie sees Sally onto the train harm had befallen you. but to And H ail bava to break II up aod sell “I'm afraid it will be a long, long convinced that you are spying on m s!“ Archibald Baanatt. wealthy bach Now read on. you here safe and sound (Ills my heart 'em in the usual way and It will take' time before 1 see you." she said with • But. Misa Peery— " Nor. traveto cooatantly in tha tntervat tlaae." "I should think.“ she Interrupted, with gratitude. M hto health. Ha meet* laabal Fairy, Archie laid to his soul the flattering a lingering tendsrueaa and wtatful- Archie sank upon tbs bad; ba had He flung down hto cap and linen "that knowing or suspecting what 1 ■too rmnmmir—*- • Ute of crime, ad unction that Abljah was jealou s Juetl- neaa duster, chose a chair by the 'Window done a horriute thing, hardly second to am trying to do you would show me “I hope you are going to be very Malar«, romance aad u c lM n e o t a* flcaUon of this suspicion was support murder, a n d bla penitence weighed and seated himself with a little sigh And I shall think of aoma consideration k care for hto nerve* Archie goea '<» ed by the bridegroom's sudden anglety happy. Sally “1 hope," Archie ventured timidly, heavily upon him. "But I can explain; really 1 can you always as you ware tost night Bailey Harbor Io Investigate • to depart out of Vermont with the at 'It d o e s n 't s ee m possible that the "that you came alone?" Mar I h m ter hto atoter A heavy most expedition Archie had every I shall never forget our talk by the explain If you will give me a moment- girl would have deceived nee!" •'Oh. yaa; I'm alone! Trust "i understand perfectly that but for norm force« kirn to *P*nd the night laention of ordering as gorgeous a brook” "We never know whan they are "Neither shall V she murmured me you shouldn't I* loitering here! ter that; but my friend Walker waa there During the night he la awak- breakfast as Bennington's best hotel going to deceive n s Archie! Hally not easily shaken And hto provoca­ aaed by (ootatrps. and ta an encounter could provide but Abljah promptly Her lashes were wonderful; not tin And you practically acknowledged at hated tha farm and waa crasy to with the Intruder. who aeea Archie * vetoed thia suggestion and they ate that moment had he done justice to Portsmouth (hat you were Interesting tion! O my boy. hto provocation to Hba lifted a couple ot hun youraelf in the affairs of tha Cong- justifiable homicide and all that sort escape ggure reflected ha the mirror and at a lunch counter, which Archie her lashes. drod dollars tha old mao kepi under of thing! Belated passengers were now brush dona!" «hoot*. Archie Area in return, wound- found a moat disagreeable proceeding “Well. I only did what 1 thought a plank m the parlor floor—an am “We are playing at cross purposes iat the intruder, who makes his es­ Abijah left Sally and Archie eating lng past them in the aisle. The con­ was right." Archie declared dogged ergeacy fund In case be aver bad Io cape. Archie plane flight to evade scrambled eggs while he set forth ductor. walking briskly along the plat quite unnecessarily." protested Archie. run for It. A nasty trick. I call It; publicity. H e starts crosscountry to acquire Information about train* form, shouted all abroard with heart- Why not confess just what your In­ ly. "I wasn't weighing the const most unflllal on Bally's part. Tha quencea afoot in the n igh t At dawn he is He returned while they were still at leas flnallty. It seemed like the voice terest to In that family? 1 told you “Splendid, my dear Arrhle, to see Walkers are crushed by her conduct quite plainly at Portsmouth that I had stopped on a lonely country road by the counter to report that a train was of doom to Archie. reason to believe I had shot Putney how beautifully you rose to the situa­ And I had vouched for you at the -T bs Governor.“ master-mind criminal almost immediately available His “Bood bye. Bully!“ Walkers; It'a almost sa had aa though He put out h it hand, but with a Congdon at Halley Harbor! But for tion— a situation that spoke power­ ho m istakes him for a fellow criml-1 a „noyed Archie, who hated be I bad betrayed them piyaalf. You will d. Archie, fleeing, to afraid to tell hurr(er," to whisked across country in a ____ h. had no business what room, where he had no business whai «ton car. Sees story In Newspaper ever, as though trying to create the by the brook under the stars was everything. A dastardly act for which played up to the Seebruok girt (hat That would be rubbing It Is" "I don't want you ta think me ua f killing at Bailey Harbor and. impression that he was traveling as nothing to this. Two young girls I hope yu will pay the full penfllty of you were far too susceptible to be trusted with women. The error ta grateful" ArvMe stammered. "The rlghtened. he decides to say nothing alone. When the train came along he seeking seats giggled at the frankness the law!" I don't girl made a fool of m e ; 1 sea It alt nt stick with his strange friend and climbed Into the smoker with his own and heartiness of the salutation. In This was wholly unreasonable and mine; not yours, t r e b l e ; wait developments. At Concord. N. bag. leaving Archie to assist Sally old tim es Archly would have perished quite beside him self be shook hto blame you a particle. Sally to a win now I" “She made a fool of you but you in some last; she baa a way with her. I.. Archie come* upon Isabel Perry at with humiliation; but an overwhelm Anger In her face. into the chair car. l turn made a fool of use! And while that girl! ke hotel desk hut she refuses to “Tou seem to forget that you ad­ “Abljah'» just a l i t ^ afraid pop tng joy filled hla soul. The giggles of "If you don't mind." said ArcKT* I n not caviling, you will pardon ma. rcogniae him. The Governor, by a might have telephonedFfou know, or bread and-butter m isses who knew vised me to flout the tow; to do just with dignity, "we'll atop talking nos- eon. If I eugm-et that hereafter you lever plan, sw itches stolen money for be coming after us. He'll move in nothing of life and love were beneath the things I have been doing, roving, play square with me I don't mean ood money Archie used sa decoy— here when the train starta." hla notice. Sally's arms were still the world, shooting and plundering!“ sense What happened?" to curb your personal enterprise, or “Just a little curlou«, are you. as taking love to niece of agent sent to •'Everything has gone wrong." she “I don't Uke to leave you like this.-* about hla neck, her lipa were parted set any limit on your nttle affair« of jeet eccentric Congdon here next said Archie mournfully. expectantly. said, "and you may have all the aatla- to what followed you amaslng breach the heart. But le fe have no more ay. Archie and the Governor drive “Tou must go. honey." she whisper­ factlon you can get out of your Inter­ of hospitality? Kan away with a “Oh. It will be all right." Sally foolishness." way without creating suspicion and er and hla kiss fall like a punctuation ference. your Intrusion upon affairs pretty girl, aaalated In marrying her ansewered bravely. "Abljah s nervous, "1 haven't a thing to say for my­ to an undesirable eon In-law. and now peed acraas the state to deliver the upon her last delectable word. of, the greatest delicacy. In which my that's all. That was certainty some CO.000 to train-robber Leary at Walk- If she hadn't given him a gentle assistance and my honor are pledged you want to know bow the old folks self!" blnrtrd Arrhle. who waa at tha ride we had last night. I hope you'll r's farm, where Archje gets new ln- push toward the door he might never That car standing yonder belongs to take It! Ob, Archie, for sheer In­ point of tears. *T waa weak, miserably go up to the hotel now and get a good weak. 1 had no Idea that any ona ilght into workings ot the crime have reached the vtstlbule. Another me and before I leave I want you to nocence you are a wonder!" rorld. At the flrat opportunity Waik- sleep." "Walker bad no rignt to fo.re a girl could lie aa that girl did. And It'a person who shared hto haste to leave walk away from here as rapidly as •‘Oh. I'll look out for that." Archie ■r's daughter appeals to Archie to like Hally to marry an old curmudgeon not fair for me to stay on with you. the train materially aaalated him by possible and not turn you bead!“ replied. teip her elope with a young farmhand. she hated I never hesitated as to the 1 can't ask you to trust me again gentle pressure to the platform. Hla He did not even confirm her state­ •T suppose we'll hardly meet again. ' (Continued on Fog« 7) 9w decides to assist, cutting sw ay brain whirled from the Intoxication ment as to the propinquity of the car course I should take after she told he said with a dejection which he the Governor and taking the THE FARM ERS EXCHANGE Annual Christmas Offering AT For thisoccasion we have reduced Prices so drastically that people of small means can well afford to buy beau­ tiful Christmas Presents for the whole family. Santa Claus Headquarters In Springfield Shop Early as Stock Is Limited Compare our Prices with others and you will find that we will save you $ $ $1.25 Holeproof Silk Hose ------------------------- $1.65 Kyzer SUk Hose, Slipper H e e l--------- ---- $1.50 Men’s Silk N eck ties------ ---- ---------- ----- 75c Men’s Silk T ie s --------- ---- ---------------------- $5.00 and $6.00 Men’s Sw eaters...... - ................. $3 50 Men’s Wool S h ir ts------------------ ---- ——• $4.50 Boys’ All-Wool B lazers--------------- ------ $2.50 Men’s Heavy Flannel Shirts ............................ - $3.50 and $44>0 Boys’ Dress and Work Shoes....... 98C $2.4 8 89c Munsing Rayon VeHtB.... —........ .......................... 89c $6.00 and $7.00 Women’s Smart Shoes, $2.95 ,o $3.95 I $15.00 and $20.00 Women’s Silk Dresses ....... $ 8 .9 5 ' 76c Fancy Turkish T o w e ls................. ......................... 3 9 C $7.50 Girls’ 16-Inch High Top B o o ts ..................... 5 2 .9 8 $6.50 Silk Umbrellas.................................... ............... $ 3 .9 8 18.60 Silk Umbrolloa — ..... ................................ -... $ 4 .9 8 $12.50 Ladles’ IJndenberg R aincoats..................... $ 5 .8 5 $20.00 and $25.00 Ladles’ C oats.................... ....... 5 1 3 .9 8 $3.00 Ladles’ G olashea.......... - ................................... 5 1 .9 8 $1.50 Baby Dolls .............................................................. 79c i $1.50 Women’s Felt Slippers ................................... ....... ALL TOYS AT HALF PRICE THE FARMERS EXCHANGE of Springfield”