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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 7, 1922)
V TMK PKE: OMAHA. SUNDAY. MAY 7. 1W2. h .--.iVv:,! .j f "j; ij.- ,f y , -y; .;; :, j -taiu The Romance of a Million Dollars & 1Z rrrspis THE STORY THIS FAR. MARIE ACOVLEME.tl,trU4 Uu, jd almou paaniUu. UarU or An York to rteeuf htr far. tun eur a Karroutnl eieeriewra in Trtnci u trv- ainfculawa diutr. ( Aj train ah MitHt her saira, auf wfa if. ami a aar rrturn by mulaitt eniars lAe Mronf BerlAA ftwlA frupuid by a ssyaferiotM a-oman m esM. aine y unUiht hand grata Ktr throat and iA -eej irtiA difficulty. Anivad in Nam York, tha u oVerted" by an avtiaW tifiad too man ih iMif Jand aoaia Ar. JustmrtoivKejtf, a tman el groat tocial prominanea and tniA an isewns jrom million. Mrs. Dunbvtoi.Knt aier MM nau'Cation sivw MaHa a pa ttiioa m chtgtu. Warn qvirAly as. lien iAer u a iutuer siavMBAare eoom tn htmtholA, tchich cmuiut, in oddi. lion to Mru Dunbar ton-Kant, of bar tmn nrphawt, IT l siut Brarktnridg. and bar niaca Brtto. Mr. Punhtnon-Ktnl i holding in trxut for thtta lAree lha grant fortuna of bar husband. Maria U at tracted to lha tomber Brtck. SECOND INSTALLMENT. Suspicion. AND from an upper back window they wcra also" being observed, for whan -Maria Mid Brock had gone out tba family party In tha library had In stantly dissolved. Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent ha4 rlian without a word and had (tin up to bar room, whera, with door locked and In lowered tones, aha ha4 called a New York number, "la that yon, HaalettT" aha asked. "TeaT Wtll, this Is Mrs. D. K. Somethlnr qnear baa happened. A ftrl appeared thla after noon and applied for tha chauffeur's place." A rrl! " came the answer. Then, after a pause, "That la strange. There waa a trfrl here In answer to our advertisement My stenographer told nfa about It, but no one here gave her tha address who could have done so? " "Mrs. Brant-Olvrtn." " That, cant be Mrs. Brant Olwfn la la Florida." " She says she doesn't know tha womaa'a name who aent her to me, but she described her, and the description fits exactly. She aays ahe rr.ft the woman Just outside your office door," and Mra. Dunbarton-Kent gave the history Marl had given her and related Vvte'a experience with tha woman at tba levator. "If tha woman wasn't Mrs. BrantOlwm, It waa some one exceedingly like her, Haslett," aho concluded. "The girl looks an honest sort and she's pretty. The papers she showed me axe straight; she must have served In France. She looks and talks like a French girl, the better educated sort The thing is, who has put -her up to this and whyT It's reported Mra. Brant-Olwln la In Florida, but la aha? " ' " I know positively that ahe la In Flor ida," tha man reiterated. " Somebody may be personating her, 10 ugh. And the girl may be either the gullible sort or deep, used by them or acting for them. She did coma here to the office, for I have a description of her from my stenographer. No one here In, the office knows that the advertisement was Inserted by ma for you. All they know Is that I advertised for a chauffeur for my . self. They were amused at a girl's having answered it and I think they laughed at her when she appeared. My stenographer told me about It as a great Joke, so she cer tainly didn't get your address from either, the boy or the stenographer. And sly didn't get It from Mrs. Brant-Olwln. The thing's ridiculous anyway, a girl proposing . to take charge of a garage like yours. But they're raising heaven and eartl " ha caught himself up, then went on. : "The right sort of person ought to talk to her, draw her out I believe. You've kept her, ' of course? " "Yes It awtmad the only thing to do. Tou see, ' Haalett I'm certain she knows Brack. I received her in the library; we were all there and aha recognized Breck. the moment she came in. He looked like atone as usual but ahe looked queer, taken aback, I thought" That's curious," he returned, thought fully. "It was certainly the wise thing to keep her, though." " "I was afraid not to. I've sent her out to the garage with Breck. Willeta la there." - That's Just right I think I had better eome out this evenntg. Tou needn't send to the station for me, I'll walk over and back. O, I want the address of that boarding house, too. Ill make a few inquiries." . , "I was going to give It to you. Her trunk is there, and I told her I would send for it." "I'll attend to it It'll be easy enough for us to go through it too. And, whatever you do, don't show her in any way that you're afraid of her. Tou need a chauffeur, you'll give her a trial, and she must prove that she is capable. If she Is not she will get her walking papers let her understand that And, Mrs. D. K., try not to worry over this occurrence. If it leads to trouble we'll do our best to meet it we'll talk it over tonight Remember that suspecting . and proving are two different things." , "Maybe they are," Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent returned bitterly. "At present Kent house --is hell-rthat I know." And she rang oft abruptly. She rose and walked about her room restlessly. Then she sat down heav- . ily and closed fcer eyee, her expression pained and troubled. TVhen Mra Dunbarton-Kent had left the library. West had taken up the afternoon paper and had gone into the morning room, and as soon as she was alone Bella had . dropped her knitting and had gone lightly . and swiftly to her room. It was a corner room. Two of its win dows looked Into the park. One of the big : oaks grew almost against her window, but from the other two windows she could sea ' the garage and the windows of the chauf- feur's room. With the aid of the field glasses which she took from a locked drawer she watched Breck and Marie disappear In tha reiloo of tha atalnray leading up ta tha chauffeur's roam, ew Marl coma Into tha roam and lay her coat en tha bd, aund and look about her for moment, than dia appear again. When, almost Immediately, tha two cams Into view la tha tarag below, Iletla watched than lnunlly. They stood so plainly In view and tha glasses were ao powerful thai aha could almost a their expreaeiona. When tireck and lha gui disappeared behind one of tha cart, aha continued to weicn. and when they appeared again and Breck left lha ga rage hurriedly and walked off rapidly In tha direction of Kent house farm, aha watched his going until tha treea of lha park hid him. Then aha watched Marts until aha closed tha garage doors. When Itreek took Maria up lo her room, ha had not entered It, and when they caroa down ha had stood In plain view from tha bouse while ha pointed out tha care. " That roadster Is West Dunoartoo Kent'a tha young man you saw in tha library, and the other three cars are Mrs. Dun bar ton Kent's," ha aaid perfunctorily. " Which one will aha wish to drive today t " Maria asked. "Ordinarily aha would take the limousine, 4 W If in tha but today ahe'a likely to telephone you that ahe wants the roadster It's better adapted for conversation," he answered dryly. Marie felt that thla showing her about waa a great nuisance to him. She stole glances at his profile; be waa handsome, but he looked most stern and unhappy, ahe thought Frequently Maria bad disarmed unapproach ableneas by a genuinely pretty speech and smile. And aha had discovered that the American man likes to be called " Monsieur." So ahe said, " If la a most beautiful place, this Kent house, monsieur, and the garage Is ' more elegant than are most houses. .1 shall take great care with the cars and try to please your mother." He was giving her 'the key's and she was looking up at him. smiling, but with tha finished air of respect which Is rarely achieved by an American. But he gave her no answering smile. " Mra Dunbarton-Kent la not my mother,'' ha said coldly. "The two you saw there In the house and I are only her step relations, her nephews and xueoa. We three are cousins." He raised his voios slightly. "Mra. Dunbarton-Kent has a number of millions left her by my uncle. West has a good Income which was left him by his father; Be'ja Is entirely dependent . on Mra Dunbarton Kent and I have nothing, so I am earning my bread by managing the Kent house farm for the present The Allen Colfax whom you chastised is a distant cousin of the Dunbarton-Kent family, and is a much disliked neighbor. His place la called Col fax hall." He studied her face In his shad owed way. "But perhaps I'm telling you things you already know? " Marie's soft, wide eyes had assimilated his information. "No, monsieur, I do not know. Thank you that you tell me It is kind." Then Breck went to one of the cars and stood close beside It. "This car is new it's been used only once or twice," ha said, but when Marie followed him, expecting further instruction, he came close to her and asked very low and swiftly, "Why did you look at me aa you did when you came Into the library?" His black brows had lowered suddenly Into a straight line and , beneath It his eyes were cuttingly keen. Marie caught her breath. Not for any thing would she have explained why for a brief moment she had stared at him. It was his eyes that had startled her, they were such a light blue and the lashes black, like that woman's on the train. It was a mere resemblance, but anything that reminded her of her terrifying experience was suffi cient to startle her, and for an instant she had felt a sort of panic. She flushed warmly ' and took refuge in a half truth. " Tou you stood so like a soldier, mon sieur. I looked, then I thought most cer tainly you had been In France. . Were you not?" He scrutinized her Intently. "Tes," he said, finally, " but most of the time in a' Ger man prison camp." He spoke now without lowering his voice. There was something in his manner aa well as his words that touched her; his eyes were keen yet so somber. -. " Ah, monsieur," she exclaimed with gen uine profound pity. "NowI know why you look so sad." A curious expression crossed his face; ha -.- "r- Id y r ill ball aha flushed suddenly and painfully, stood for an, uncertain moment then turned en hla heel and hurried out of the garage. - Marie looked after him, wide eyed and perplexed. He was a strange man. Then soberly aho began -to Inspect her domain, the steam heated and luxurious garage . and her own pleasant and well lighted bed room, but with thoughta only half given to what aha waa doing. She waa still warmed by her good fortune, yet ahe waa puzaled and troubled. "Most certainly there la a strangeness -about this entire family," ahe confided to herself. " I do not understand It" As Breck had predicted, Mrs. Dunbarton Kent telephoned to the garage shortly before 4 o'clock that rhe wanted the roadster. " Put In a foot wanner and one of the fur robes, Angouleme," she commanded, "I . dont propose to freeze myself, but I do want a breath of fresh air." Maria waa having her garagV troublaa Outwardly the place looked well cared for, but a doss Inspection of cupboards, mops, sponges, and the like had wrought Marie to a pitch of Indignation. The seats of the cars covered evidences of long continued neglect but worst of all, there was a puz zling absence of necessary tools. Not one of Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent'B cars was prop erly equipped. 'West Dunbarton-Kent's car was in perfect condition, a high powered roadster, shlningly clean within and with out and equipped with every device for long travel, extra tires, a locked contrivance in . the rear which was large enough to carry a small wardrobe and blankets, every imag inable automobile tool, and a gasoline tank and oiler well filled an object lesson to any chauffeur of what a car should be. " It ia quite certain that the same abom inably neglectful person who has not cared for the cars of Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent has had nothing to do with this car of Mr. West's! " , Marie commented to herself in dignantly. ' ' . When Marie brought Mra Dunbarton Kent's roadster to the porte-cochere the glow of haste and irritation warmed her cheeks; the roadster had needed all sorts of things done to it a regular housecleantng, and Marie had been able to give it only a hasty brushing up. Besides, one of the rear tires was in a bad condition. ' She had kept Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent wait ' lng for fifteen minutes, and she was repri manded for it " When I say 4 o'clock I mean 4 o'clock," she said, sharply. " That " is one objection I have to women they're always either fussing around ' before time .. or forgetting that there is such a thing aa a clock. Go down the driveway, then turn on the road to the left I want to go to the farm first" Marie's color deepened, but she said In soft accents: " When everything is new to a person it la a little difficult I shall not again be late, madam e. There was much to be done to this car. I did the best I could in a short time." But Mra Dunbarton-Kent was not ap peased. "What was the matter with the car? Olidden was a perfect chauffeur when he didn't drink." Marie had not meant to tell at once of conditions in the garage to do so gradu ally, for Mra Dunbarton-Kent had Impressed her aa bains In a state of continual irritation. mat Waat. " Wharm naa7n tha oakad. ; ' But Marie possessed a lively temper and , she was seething. '," . '"He must then have been drunk often, madame. I think that same chauffeur was a two face. It is evident that he polished your cars upon the outside, but within they are abominable. Tou yourself are now sit ting above such a condition within the seat as is disgusting, and which I have not had time to clean. Besides, I do not understand certain things about this garage nothing is there that should be." Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent flushed crimson; the young person was asserting herself early. ' " Indeed! My garage doesn't please you, -! eh? Well, that's, quickly remedied," she re turned grimly. "There are several trains into town tomorrow, for as your things have been aent for youH be wise to wait till they come." The big woman's anger set Marie afire; she had done only her duty in telling of conditions In the garage. Why should she be spoken to in this way, as if accused of wrongdoing? She turned hot eyes on Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent . " I think your garage beautiful, madame. It is because of deception to you that I am angry. I think you do not know that in 1 your garage, aside from neglect of cleanli ness, I have found not one full set of tools and not one new tire. The extra tires upon the backs of your cars, so carefully covered, are all worn out tires, put there to deceive you, I think. That same perfect chauffeur! I call him a two face I do not like to apply the word ' thief ' to any one! " Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent's bulk stiffened sud denly and curiously, . and her expression changed to a bleakly gray look, blank and troubled. Marie's eyes became sympathetic. I am sorry that you should suffer such annoy ance, madame." she said softly. " It was thinking of it that made roe so angry." " I haven't thought much about the cars . lately. It's possible Glldden exchanged the ' tires for whisky, but I doubt it," Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent returned dully. "I am, sorry that I should worry you," Marie apologized. " I spoke only because it did not, seem possible that in that beautiful garage everything should be wanting.' It is not so wth the roadster which belongs to Mr. West Dunbarton-Kent ' It is in most perfect condition." " Tes West takes care of his own car he's a mechanical genius," Mrs. Dunbarton Kent answered absently. Then she roused somewhat. "That is the road to the farm, Antcouleme. Turn there." .- The porte-cochere was at the side of the ' wide front house, off the library wing, and they had come down the drlyeway which circled the slope of lawn and Into the park. Marie had come up through the park when she came to Kent house, so she knew the road and the big stone pillared gateway at the' entrance to the park. Just this side of the gateway there was a road which ran close to the park wall, and this was the road Into which Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent ordered Marie to turn. The farm-house was hidden from Kent house by the semi-circle of wood land against which Kent house backed; the only view Kent house possessed was its fine view of the sound. From the front of the house to the water's edge waa a long and widely undulating slope, a vivid lawn and a green meadow in summer, a dun and snow streaked slope In March. floma distance brond lha entrance is Kent house park waa another entrance with m winding and unkempt driveway through iirgWtfd lucking treea to m huge old bm-k house which Mrle. on her way from tha sta tion had mistaken for Kent houaa and whera aha had encountered Allen Colfax, Colfai hall coliM not be seen from Kent house, hut fnm tha lower and of lha park tha brick pile was d'stlnguUhitbla. Marie had thought It the nearest houaa lo Knt house, hut now, aa they drove along beside lha park wall, aha saw that there waa a small house between tha two places, a modern looking and artis tic house which had been built ao close lo the Kent house park wall that Its win dow lopped tha wall. It waa built Just above the park cottage, a little vine cov ered atone cottage which barked against the park wall, and on a terrace reared against tha park wall, aa If Ita owner waa determined lo overlook both wall and cot tage and gain a view of Kent house park. , The pretty little bouse had an Impertinent air. like a head lifted above tha wall and pry. lng Into tha dignity of a neighboring estata It waa a surprise to Marie, and aha said Involuntarily, "Ah, I did not notice that houee. I thought tha house of Mr. Colfax waa nearest to yours. It Is clnae to tha wall of your park." "' "It la Indeed -fairly elttlng on my cot- rage roof." Mra. Dunbarton-Kent aaid grimly, referring to tha little dwelling near the Kent house park wall. "Soma of Allen Colfax's work. He sold tha narrowest poeslble atrip a . house could be built on to that Smith woman, ' purposely to spoil our privacy. He haa ruined the cottage' which my husband built ' for a quiet retiring place. The men about the place' use the cottage now for a sort of work shopWest has his tools and work bench In one of the rooroa That's what my dear husband's little cottage haa become.. He . loved the little place." . ' Marie discovered that the big woman's '. voice could be low and soft; It waa ao when ahe spoke of her' husband. " She loved her ' husband dearly," waa Marie's Instant con clusion. "In spits of much money, I think : ahe Is lonely and distressed." ';" Marie felt, though severe, Mrs. Dunbarton ' Kent was an upright and honest woman, " It - Is difficult for a woman- with much money to be Without a husband," Marie reflected wise ly. "There are always those who wish to , . take advantage of such a lone woman. She '' looked so shocked and distressed when I told ' 'her the truth about the garage, as if there was no one whom she could trust And as . yet she does not trust me, but I shall lead . her to do so." - -' ' Marie's wiles consisted mostly of a certain sympathetio cheer, tinctured by native shrewdness; of softly bright glances and pretty smllea " . . " I do not think well of a woman who would build a house disagreeable to a neighbor such as yourself," Marie aaid to Mrs. Dunbarton . Kent with genuine sympathy. " She must be a person who considers only herself." " She lives to herself, certainly," Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent said grimly." " There are reasons . why no one here has anything to do with ' her. Happily she's not here much. She's a handsome; ., woman of ths high .colored aort, end a good musician, though," she added as '. if willing to give the woman her due. " They say she is a Russian.".- - ' Marie welcomed -her first view of Kent house farm as a better Subject It stood a ;r pasture's width beyond the park, waa snowy- white and green roofed and deep ecveC, with tall elms about it and ita white and green barn Even the barnyard, in. Which .were several, horses and cows, auggested spotless -neatnessr ' - . ' ' "Ah, madame! This now is most charm ing!" she exclaimed with genuine pleasure. "It is a little like my pretty Canada, the green and white and the cattle! It aeems so peaceful and plentiful, even more lovely than a great house, I think." Mra Dunbarton-Kent glanced down at her and her face softened. Then she asked with astonishing abruptness: " Was it in France you met my nephew, Breck?", . . Marie's eyes widened, then the color swept into her face. Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent had no ticed then' how ahe had started at her nephew and she had thought it strange, Just as Breck himself had thought. But she could not ex plain to Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent any more than she could to her nephew. Was ahe going to be reminded forever of that hateful experi ence on the train? Marie's annoyance and embarrassment made her denial positive. " I never saw or heard of your nephew, madame, until I saw him in your house today." "Tou looked aa if you knew him. Tou looked as if you'd seen a ghost" Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent asserted vigorously. "He looks like a soldier," Marie returned firmly. " I looked at him, but In one minute I knew that I had never seen him before." " The ghost of a soldier, perhaps," Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent remarked, with bitter sar casm, "come back to haunt his family." Marie caught her breath and crossed her self hastily. " Madame! Tou have not seen them die as I have! Do not say such things!" Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent eyed her in a puzzled and interested way, but all she said was: " Don't drive in at the gate keep to the right Tou know the way to the farm now, if ever I have to send you over here. Keep on up this road. It comes out on the high road which runs behind all these places on the sound." They went on in silence up the road 'which skirted the pasture and passed close to the barnyard. The house and barn had hidden what Marie saw now was a considerable chicken farm, numbers of runs, each with its white and green roofed house. It was feed ing time, and two men, -Breck and an elderly man, were feeding the chickens. They were all white, not a black fowl among them, a pretty sight! Marie wished that Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent would order her to stop, but she did not. "Anderson!" she called to the elderly man, who had paused to smile at her, " come down to the house this evening: I want to see you." And he answered, " I will, Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent" To Beck she said noth ing; she did not appear to see him, though he looked at them in his shadowed way and lifted his cap. They went on, passing a vegetable garden, ' an orchard, and berry patches covered with straw, all in perfect winter Order, then came out upon a broad road, from which there were far views of the sound. But the sight of her well ordered estate seemed to have afforded Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent no pleasure. Her look was grim and, presently, she began to question Marie about her birthplace, up bringing;, and connections; Just where she had been and what she had done In France, and particularly about the last few months, studying Marie keenly meantime. Marie answered her questions exactly, try ing, not to be irritated, and succeeded in emerging from the ordeal with her liking for Mrs, Punbarton Kent lnU t. f- II seemed to Man that there a reathaa distress behind all this queslkmtng; something whkh puuled Maria. " Hut aha tnient lo keep me." Maria to anted herself, for a hen they passed lha reun try rlub, a palatial pbn II eeemed lo Marts. Mra. Punbarlon Kent aaid. "There's not much d-ilng there now. bul you'll drive over hers often In lha warm weather." And when they turned homeward on ths lower road, whlt'h pasted tha elation and led on past the entrance to aeveral eelatea tha road Marie had taken hen going to Kent house, Mra. Hunbarton Kent aaid: " Tou'll coma thla way lo lha atation half dosen Umea a day, for I'm alwa having gueata out from tuwn, or eome one of us la taking tha train In. Tou'll" Mra. Punbsnon Kent etnpped abruptly, for they were approaching the entrance to Col fax hall, and a man stood there, almlesaly tapping I is boots with hla ratio while a big mastiff ciro.rd about hlin. Mnrle recognised the man Instantly Allen Colfax. She felt Mra. Dunbarton-Kent stiffen and aha herself held her head high and looked straight ahead, though she was conscious that ha waa grinning at her and also that Mra. Pun barton Kent maa staring at him and through him In no pleasant fashion. In tha dlmneea of Colfax hall Maria had not aeen hla faturea distinctly, but aha noticed now how dissipated he looked, a reck less looking man. He waa young, aa young aa the two Dunbarton-Kenta, and ha ahowed hla Dunbarton Kent blood plainly; save for hla mustache, looked much like Breck, for he waa dark. He twirled hla cane between hla fingers derisively and grinned broadly at Marls aa they passed, then aaid aomethlng to hla dog which made It bark. "He ta making fun of ua, tha deaplcablt man!" Marie thought, Indignantly, " ' A spar row driving a hippopotamus,' he says to him self." "Drunk, of course," Mr. Dunbarton-Kent muttered, with vivid contempt Then aha aighed heavily and aaid to herself, ao low that Marie barely caught It: "Thla genera tion of Dunbarton-Kenta! The Lord help ua!" Marie brought the car to a atop beneath the porte-cochere, her heart warmed by a feeling of aympathy for her huge mlatrees. "There is here some great family trouble." ahe thought. " It is a pity It should be so la the midst of ao much wealth and beauty." Then Mra. Dunbarton-Kent heaved herself out of the car. " Make a list of the things that are needed for the garage, Angouleme, and give It to me tomorrow. I've given Gibba orders you will take your meala la the servants' dining room. Glbbs will tele phone you half an hour before each meal, ao you'll have time to get ready," and ahe went slowly Into the house. In the hall she met West She looked at the satchel he was carrying. " Where now?" she asked. " To Washington to aee about my patent I told you I was going, didn't I?" " I don't remember- I suppose you did, ' v ' West, you went through the supplies In tha ; garage after Glidden left, didn't you, and found everything all right?" "Tes why?" " That girl tells me that there isn't a new tire In the place, and the tools are gone, -too." She had lowered her voice. They looked at each other, West's pleas- , ant face grown as anxloua as hers. " That's something new," he said, slowly. " A bit of defiance, I suppose. Tou're worried over this girl, too, aren't you?" - . "Tou heard what she aaid." His eyes grew merry. " A quaint little feminist! " He mimicked her softly, " It aeemed to me quite aa possible for me to . be a chauffeur as for a man.' She's a charm . ing little thing keep her for a day or two and If, by that time, she hasn't had enough of It and doesn't go of her own accord, pay her well and persuade her to go back to , Canada New Tork's no place for her. Ill wager anything she's as straight as a die. . Mrs. Brant-Olwln had nothing to do with her coming here; she's in Florida. I had a " letter from her this morning. Some plump, black eyed acquaintance of yours in town Is playing a Joke on you, that's all. Tou've ' probably remarked at some tea that you'd a deal rather be chauffeured by a baby 'than - , by such a whisky soak aa the magnificent looking Glidden. I've heard you say some- ' thing of the kind myself. ' Some one haa taken you at your word." Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent did not relax. "Pos sibly. Did you see how she looked at Breck?" ' . ' West's face grew grave. "Tes; Breck's a striking looking man.", ' " She told me she had never aeen him or '" heard of him before." " I'd be'tieve her, I think. He made an impression -on her another good reason for not keeping her, Aunt Bulah." "She wasn't telling me the truth," Mra. Dunbarton-Kent said decidedly. "I know an open countenance when I see one." " A still better reason for assisting her back to Canada," West persisted., "I'd be willing to swear that she's Just a sweet honest, little thing. If she knows anything about him, it will be far better to have her out of the country." " I shall take Haelett's advice," Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent said firmly.- "A misstep may , have tragic results." - West shrugged. "Haslett's apt to be overly suspicious in some ways. I fancy , it'll be too much for her, poor child, and ': she'll pack her small belongings and depart within the week. Wish me good luck, Aunt Bulah, and a speedy return." Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent's face softened. " I . do, West. I wish you every success." " Success may come later," he said cheer fully. " There's one member of your fam ily who may amount to something, after all." A spasm of pain crossed her face. " God " grant it! We seem to have reached a pretty low ebb!" " It's bad. of course," he said sympathet ically, " but try not to worry over it so , much. And. Aunt Bulah, take my advice: don't keep that child here." " I ahall take .Haslett's advice," she re- ' iterated. West shrugged again. " So be It! I'm going to take the roadster. Aunt Bulah. It's at the cottage now I'm going there to pack my model. If the weather's good I may motor to 'Washington." "Very well." Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent said indifferently, and went on towards the stair way. West paused for a moment, watching her . ascend. He smiled slightly his aunt climb ing the stairs did resemble the ascent of an ' elephant Then, with shoulders squared, ha went out to meet the March chill. (Contlnufd Nxt 8un1y.) . tCopyrlsht. 122.)