and perhaps his pulses beat a little
faster —he was a bachelor himself!
Carolita shook bands shyly. Amer
ica seemed to be overflowing with
charming men. j
“Mr. Reynolds has spoken of you.' - :
she said. “I am glad that you have |
come. I will ask you to please ex- 1
cuse me now. 1 am very tired."
Paul slipped tiie ruby into the
pocket of his coat, overwhelmed by j
disappointment. Frank s entrance had (
interrupted him at the crucial mo- j
ment. preventing the reply which had i
hovered upon ihe girl's lips. Had
ihat reply been yes or no?
“For heaven's sake!" Frank Hyatt
exclaimed, as they seated themselves I
in Paul’s section, "what's happening
here? Where’s your step-mother?
How could she have telegraphed me
from * * * on this railroad early
i his morning, unless he had been on
this train?”
“I can't imagine! That was tiie !
.function where Walter and his wife
got off—at least. \ supposed it was
his wife. I've never seen her.
Couldn't it have been Mrs. Walter
Reynolds you heard from?
■‘Certainly not: it was signed |
Cynthia Reynolds."
“You must be crazy. Frank!'
"Crazy nothing! Here are the me?- 1
sages!" lie handed Paul a batch of
\ ellow telegraph blanks.
1. "Meet Santa Fe westward bound.
No. —, to identify young man claim
ing to be Paul Reynolds of Carr &
Reynolds, attorneys. New York. Con
ductor train No. —.
•v "Make every effort to join me
train No. —. Sante Fe. Westward
bound today. Paul.
3 "Imperative you join me on
Santa Fe train No. Cynthia Rev-’
r.olds."
1. 'Have picked up important clue j
in Southwest. Postpone action upon.
father s will until you hear from me.
