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About Heppner herald. (Heppner, Or.) 1914-1924 | View Entire Issue (March 27, 1923)
Tuesday, March 27, 1923 THE HEPPNER HERALD, HEPPNER, OREGON PAGE FIVE 11 I' .... , US i i f :3 4 ! I ', IT IS DIFFICULT to imagine any thing more fasci- nating than our new serial story e Joy of Living I By I Sidney Gowlng j (Continued from page three) "I couldn't help It, Billy!" she said suddenly. "Couldn't help what?" "You saw us getting away, didn't you? And the girl and the Sphinx? Has Monsieur de Jussac explained to you?" "I haven't seen him," said Billy, quietly, "but I guess it isn't hard to see how things were. You might as well tell me, though." Almee, very gloomily, described her encounter with Calamity Kate. "I know," she concluded, shakily, "you're thinking me an idiot. I'd no right to take such a risk with the po lice there and everything. I I sup pose she's a thief. But she's done such a lot for that man, and she was so mis erable. He's her husband. And I couldn't help thinking about you and me, Billy, and how I should feel if you you " She broke down and began to cry quietly. "That's how it was. Are you very angry with me?" Billy gasped and, stepping quickly to Billy Pulled Aimee's Hands Away. her, pulled Aimee's hands away from her face. "Angry with you?" he exclaimed, holding them tight. "I was afraid you'd he mad with me ! You ought to. Why, I did the iiine thing, and I'd no ex cuse ! I ought to have made sure that woman was run In." "You did the same thing?" said Almee, staring. "Yes! Of course, I never dreamed you were In the pits, or I wouldn't have done It. That crippled crook in the cave got over me. They've got him for five or ten years; and he's earned it. But he was all broken up about his wife. Neither of them deserve a scrap of sympathy. But the poor devil was in such a state, that somehow I fell for it. He never whined on his own ac count; he was thinking of his wife. It got me on a raw spot. He knew 1 must have tracked him through her he begged me to say nothing about her. "And I didn't. I gave him that much rope. Never told the police I'd seen her close by. Running down women Is their job. If It's got to be done, let them do It. They haven't any choice but I had. All the same," said Billy, "if I'd dreamed for a moment you were In the pits, I'd have chased fifty female thieves sooner than you should take a chance ! I ought to be horsewhipped for riskln' It." "I think it was fine of you, Billy I" cried Almee with sparkling eyes. "No!" he said. "Its you that were flne." "This," said Almee, "Is what comes of growing sentimental. Neither of us would have dreamed of making such eucb fools of ourselves a week ago. What will become of her? Will she get away?" "I don't know or care. If she made the road, there's Juice enough In the Sphinx to take her a hundred miles from here. I only hope they don't find her with the machine. But I'll bet they don't. She'll get clear and cover her tracks she's the sort that does." "But the Sphinx." said Almee, with Intense remorse, "our Sphinx, Billy ! I've lost her for you !" Billy laughed. "We'll mighty soon have another there's two hundred landed at the docks last week same model ; and a factory being equipped to build the new model over here. Mass production." "What! Yon never told me It had got as far as that I But I wanted the old one, Billy our Sphinx." "Maybe you'll have her yet. Only I'm not golnf? to let her make trouble for you. We're pretty near done with trouble." "But how" "Never mind. I'll tell you some time. Gee ! how you'll laugh ! But I'm giv ing you the cinch it Is so." "Billy!" she cried, "Isn't that splen did! Though I I" "Well?" "I haven't been worrying so much about It lately," said Almee swiftly. "But It's good to know. And what's going to happen now?" "I know one thing that's going to happen now," said Billy, and he kissed her with as de Jussac would say eiijpresseiu. nt. "Billy:" suid Aimee a little breath lessly. 'Aunt s.ud we hud to be decorous !" "So we a iv," replied Billy. lie kissed her again. Had an hour Inter Billy, passing the main porch, encountered Lady Ery thca. 'Spencer,'' she said, "1 was about to send for you. The person from Scot laud Yard, who has just left, informed me that he had not only captured one of the thieves, but that you had ren dered him invaluable assistance. It reajly seems u remarkable ending to the affair but it does not surprise me in the least ! I said from the first that you were more likely to make a suc cess of this problem than all the po lice in the country, if they would only consult you. I was perfectly right my judgment, in fact, is never wrong." "Yes, my ludy." "I am quite capable of reading be tween the lines," said Lady Krythea with suppressed triumph. "It is my conviction that the capture of this abominable thief was due entirely to you. The police are imbeciles." Billy shook his head. "On the contrary, Inspector Ark nright Is an uncommonly clever man, my lady," he said respectfully. "As for me, I had luck. Luck's a queer thing. KveD cleverness won't always beat it." Lady Erythea looked a little out of her depth. "In any case," she continued, "I am very pleased that this absurd suspicion of the police regarding you is cleared up, and that you come out of the affair with such credit. It confirms my opin ion of you." Lady Erythea-contemplated Billy's tall figure and serenely handsome face with a certain regret. "I am sorry," she said, "that you are leaving Jervaulx." Hilly smiled. "The week I have spent In your lady ship's service," he said gently, "has been the happiest time of my life." Lady Erythea was not given to ex pressing her emotions. But her aus tere face positively tinged a faint pink color with pleasure. CHAPTER XXVI "Where Is My Daughter?" "Why can't we stay on for another week, Billy?" said Almee, leaning a little farther out of the study window, duster In hand. "Go to Aunt the Missus, I mean and ask her to let you keep the job. She'll Jump at it." . "Nothing doing!" said Billy sternly., Almee sighed. The hour was nearly noun on the day following the Odyssey of the crag pits. No news had been heard of Calamity Kate, who appeared to have drifted out of history on the Sphinx. A brief interval of peace had settled upon Jervaulx. "There'll be a vacancy for a parlor maid an' chauffeur," announced Billy with decision, lie was standing on the gravel just outside the window. "All the bother with- the police is wiped oft the slate. It's only a fool that backs his luck too far. And It's time to quit the game and turn the lights out." "That means Aunt lias got to know who I am, ami who (ieorgle Is; and and all the rest of It." "There's no way out of that, I'm afraid." "1 know. But I do rather funk it, Billy. The worst if It Is poor old Oorgie is in a tighter place than 1 am." "We'll have to see her throuch it." "I'on't you think," said Aimee, dis tinctly worried, "that it would he best If (ieorgina arranged to cut short her visit and went home and Amy Snooks gave notice, or just cleared out. You as well. Then we we could explain it all by letter, or something. I think It would look better that way." Billy looked at her a little oddly. "I am In a funk, Billy," suid Almee, trembling slightly. "I don't care for myself, hut it's awful to think of poor Oeorgle having the storm break on her. She Isn't built for It. I believe if the thing isn't sprung on us suddenly, nnd we manage it at the right time, we we might get away with It." "Right again," said Billy, "but I shan't go. I shall stay and put It through myself." "No!" said Almee quickly. "I won't hear of that." 'You Just leave it to me," said Billy, soothingly, "there's another way. I'll show you " The whirr of a motor Interrupted him. A large automobile was ap proaching up the park road. Almee looked at it. Such an expression of horror came over tier features that Billy was startled. "What's the matter?" "That's absolutely torn it!" said Almee In strangled tones. "Eh !" "It's Dad :" Almee dived back Into the room like a rabbit retreating into Its burrow. The automobile swept up to the main entrance; the Very Reverend I.nrd Scronpe descended. "Is Lady Erythea In?" he said, al most curtly, to the butler. "Announce me at once, please. Lord Scroop." Mr. Tarbeaux showed him Into the emptr. drawing room. Lord . frnnpe deposited his hat among a cluster of Dresden ornaments. His brow, usually white nnd serene as alabaster, was clouded. Lady Erythea entered ma jestically. "Anthony !" she said. Lord Scroope, omitting any greeting, regarded her fixedly. "I received your letter by last night's post, Erythea. announcing Aimee's en gagement to Alexander. I borrowed the bishop's car, and I have been trav eling from Closeminster since seven this morning." Lady Erythea received the news w Ith a smile of approval. "The silly child wished me to delay announcing her betrothal. But that, of course, I could not consent to. I wrote to you tit once, Anthony. I commend the energy you have shown in hasten ing to congratulate them and nie. One so seldom sees you in a hurry." Lord Scroope .deliberately placed a pair of gold-rimmed pince-nez on his nose and stared at his sister-in-law. "The news of this engagement," he said earnestly, "is unwelcome to me. Entirely unwelcome." Lady Erythea stiffened in every limb. Her ear-trumpet was presented in one hand ; with the other site raised her lorgnettes and directed them at Lord mini ii mm Regarded Each Other Glassily. Scroope. The two regarded each other glassily. "I do not understand you," said Lady Erythea with frigidity. "Alexander Is a young man of unexceptionable char acter and prospects. Jervaulx will be his. The Scroope estate is entailed, and I am sufficiently an fait with your af fairs to know that when your two sons in the Service are provided for there will be no overpowering fortune left for Aimee. It appears that if there Is any complaint, it should come from me." "The financial aspect of the question does not weigh with me," said Lord Scroope with asperity. "I object to the match Itself. If Alexander Is to marry at all" "If he Is to marry!" interrupted Lady Erythea warmly. "Of course he Is to marry. Though I confess I was very much afraid he never would. I'enult nie to tell you, Anthony, that in taking up this attitude as to the marriage of priests, you stand on a very shaky foundation. You yourself are a Clerk In Orders, and an extreme Ritualist. Shall I remind you that if you had not married Delicla and an excellent thing it was for you this situation would 'never have arisen !"' "I am not conscious of having ex pressed any such argument," said Lord Scroope very stiffly, but with a certain pinkness about the ears. "As for Alex ander, he Is In every way an excellent young num. But if he Is to marry, the Inst thing I should have desired is bis alliance with my daughter. Their tem peraments are so opposed that I am convinced nothing but unliappincss could result in fact, your news seemed to me almost incredible. I do not know what to do the position is very dilll cult for me, if the child has really be come attached to him," concluded Lord Scroope, with visible distress. "CJood gracious, man, what did you expect?" exclaimed his slster-ln-law. "It never entered my head," said Lord Scroope. emphatically. "I thought thut your Influence, and that of Alex ander, would have a steadying effect on Aimee, who was In some need of it. But this I" Lady Erythea showed Increasing ex asperation. "You are talking rubbish I" she ex claimed, sharply. "Of all the girls known to me, no more suitable mate could be found for Alexander. Indeed, during her sojourn here Almee has en deared herself to me scarcely less than to him. Her piety, her quiet devotion the complete absence Id her of all slanglness all these speak eloquently In her favor." Lord Scroope gazed at her In bewil derment. "I really do not follow yon, ErythPn. And I am greatly disappointed," said Lord Scroope heavily, "greatly disap pointed. I did not foresee this." "I am not responsible, my dear Anthony, for your lack of foresight," said his slster-ln-law, acidly. A shadow darkened the window, and she turned. "But your daughter ciin answer for her self." Georglna stepped In through the open window, followed by Mr. Lambe. Suddenly observing Lord Scroope she halted and became rigid. Every scrap of color left her cheeks. Alexander halted also, and slowly turned a deep plum color, (Continued next week) 7, ,i n " r .V' ..&-" '-t v.T.Vk v"" y ' -' i,: 'pTBS L so. i ' 0n ill i 1 u MHil LT1 ill!!!' LU-i'-Ck JL, .ILsJc" -" 1 - " "' -'WW For Your Easter Breakfast Some of our delicious Premium Bacon, fried to a crisp, served with toast and coffee, will make you an Easter breakfast well worthy of the occasion. And when you buy it here you are sure you are getting only the best. We solicit your order today High Quality - Low Prices Central Market G. B. SWAGGAET lb if E-aster Greeting's We extend our Kaster Greetings to you. Wc hope this occasion finds you happy, healthy and prosperous. And may the future look equally bright to you. And let's not forget the story of sacrifice that the Kaster day symbolizes. While our sacrifices can never be so great, wc should think of the day ahead when we no longer are able to toil for our daily bread. Then is when the sacrifices wc make now will count. 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