THE 8EMI.WEEKI.V TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
DDICT
LYRDE
lLLroiMra5CDfflOIIS
eapvtcHrgycHifiUJ soeffyr?J sons
SYNOPSIS.
ivcnnem Grlswold, nn unsuncemiriil
Writer because of socialistic tendencies.
Jiolds iip Andrew Gnlhrulth, preBldent nf
h.. . . Bla,e securities, in tlio presl
lent s private oJIlco and cuenpes with IOO,-
r m': "r onfnnai metnodH Ho es-
nrK s ,v ."ve anu cry nu kos nooani
. I u Ju" na 11 deckhand. Charlotte
P'lrnlia'ii nf Wnim-i,,. mi.,., ,.,i.
. - ',,,,. ...Ill ill...
loor, him cah anlbraltirs check In tho
ijruc, rccoRiilzcs hltn, and sends a lettor
u.betW.a' 10 Qnlbralth anonymously.
JJIflWold l8 nrrosted on tho arrlvnl of the
Cr.ul U'8. ut escupos from lil.i
Mptors He decides on Wahuska. Minn..
fifn,. ,'"ulntf PlRco, and after outfitting
wAiVi ri- ,r'.l rT,y' me train, una
pom rails 111 on Hie olceper nnd Is carci
ti. iV"'1 18X6,1 t0 ner ho'"n In Wahnska
Y&iZ:nrBeTZ Qrlorson, daiiBhter of Jasper
Mnerson, tho financial mnennte of Wu-
UT?;V nt"rKor nna "'""en money
lot. arl;vol1 8 suitcase. UrofMn, detective,
K . tra!l- Margery asks her father
1 a "ayn""" into nnanclal hot
?ir and tllon lle'P "lm out of It. arts
toM recovers to find tho stolen money
rone. lie meets Margery's social circle
Jxt. rms.a friendship with Haymor, the
Jon manufacture, nroffln comes to Wii-
,u a ""-"rcn or tno woman who wrote
Jhe anonymous letter to aalbralth. Mar
tnk2s.arlBWol1 to tho safety deposit
JUL" t.urns ,,,e 8loon money over to
2?l,5:h.rl0.tt0 b,uffs out Hronin nnl
''r,y beRlns to watch him. Qrlswold
?JiiiLhl" mony In rtnymor's plant and
-ammonccii to rowrlto his book. Orlswold
LTf .H.ln'J?r .,lLnoiTtor Farnham's and
Sed hi Charlotte hus not recog-
CHAPTER XVIII Continued.
I
i ii was a man ho wns looking In
ft tho window!" alio returned In low
ones. "I thought I saw him onco hn.
k'oro; but this tlmo I am certain!"
Grlawold sprang from his chair, and
moment later was lottlnn hhminlf nn
olnolesaly through tho hall door.
hero was nothing stirring on tho
Orch. Ho Was Still trrnntnir nmnni.
o bushes, and Miss Farnham hnd
omo to tho front door, when tho doc-
r s buggy appeared under tho
lghta and was halted nt thn hnmn
bitching post.
I "Hello, Mr. Qrlswold: 1b that vou?
eallod tho cheery ouo, when ho saw
tt Dareheadod man beating tho covers
fa nia front yard.
' Qrlswold met hla host nt tho gate
nna wanted up tho path with him.
I "Miss Charlotte thought she saw
Bomeono at ono of tho front windows,"
po oxplalnod; and a moment after-
ward tho daughter was telling It for
ncrseir.
"I saw him twlco," she Insisted;
"onco while wo wore at dinner, and
igaln Just now. Tho first tlmo I
thought I might bo mistaken, but this
Unic M
Grlawold was laughing silently and
Inwardly deriding hla gifts when, un-
nor cover of tho doctor's return, hn
tnnuo accent acKnowicdcmontn for
poncflts bestowed and took his de
parture. On tho pleasant Bummer.
Mght walk to Upper Shawnoo street
fco was congratulating himself upon
underfoot, as ho was nlways obliged to
do In thoso tnlks with her. "1 should
ho discouraged if you didn't keoD on
telling mo that tho story, au a story,
is good,"
it is good; It Is a big story." she
assorted, with kindling enthusiasm.
"Tho plot, so far as you have gone
un It, Is flno: nnd that la where vou
leave mo nway behind. I don't see
now you could ever think it out. And
mo character drawing is fine, too,
some of It. Your Fleming is as far
neyond mo as your Fidelia seems to
bo beyond you."
i ou uon't know Fleming yet. Have
you over met Fidelia?"
4ui iia you navo drawn lmr no.
SllO is too unutternhlv flno. If nhn
"If I know enough about guns to bo
ablo to tell 'em apart, I might buy
ono," he said, half humoroualy. And
then: "You must 'vo been having aj
mignty particular customer to get
so many of 'em out."
"It was Mr. Grlswold, Mr. Ed Ray
mor's now partner." said tho clerk.
,?rl,iwd ik-i.d 2Tar. ""P"0 I directly behind Mlsa Grierson's chair
un inn
leaning
ouiu mm, ho couia mnKn nut Mm I .t .... . .
I. W VA Vvl wuuh uiu
shadowy flguro of a man
ngalnst ono of tho trees.
"That Is my shadow," sho said, low
ering her volco; "Air. Matthew Brof
fin of thoCoIburno Dctectivo agency,
i1(ew uneans. Ho has a foolish Idea
opportunity was snatched nway. Itay
mer, hla business apparently conclud
ed, camo down tho voranda and took
tho chair next to Misa Grierson's.
Broflln dropped back Into tho writ-
open
sat
And ho was pretty particular; wouldn't that I nm commuXntlon wl h 'ng-room alcove for vhlch tho o
have anything but these now-fash- man hr M IS J , w,Uh tho French window was Urn outlet and
loncd automatic,,. Said hn IT, Zl. J" "ff1 for' nnd.. 10 wna down to bide his tlmo.
something that would be quick and expects to nccomS s ! "U'fl shnmo to H you wait this
sure, and I guess he's got lt-I sold ah urd watel upon our hou e and dor Mn1dg0' MC?,Urtry Sald ho
him two of 'cm." Rnr cvcrvlm lv n ,nl tf,, nd dogt ha an appointment with Mr. Gnl-
nmin ., ... . . . r . t. , 'uuu' nuu comes ana goes, i braith for tli
Broflln played with tho Btock lone can't imnirlnn."
enough to convince tho clerk that ho "You havo told your father?" said
was only a counter lounger with no in- Orlswold, anxious to learn how far this
tent on of buying: "Took two of 'cm, now alarm flro had spread.
hnd n ini i..i i. .... I,"..! . ' l" " "uu ""S"1 raaK0 n,m eriamiy; and lio has mndo is nro-
hor. I siiould Z "n "yn"Urn ' Cl": !?..s?Id: .wltb th. half- tcst-. But it too.n't do any good; tho
.... " f -""'"iwun Kiiii still lurKinp nniinr tiin
to bo presumed that much. If not all.
oi tno complacency would havo van
ished If ho could havo been .in unseen
listener In the Farnham sitting-room, fall ZZ w
"""" " io iimo wnon i tt o miss n thn iiiimi . . .....u,ura, uiumuuc tinny- o navo wnnucrca a loni
Oilman pattered off to l,B,i, inavln.r , ",0.um,,,nt,on despair of poor twos, eh? Well, I ain't goin' to trv to your book. l'v
liter sitting to- t 'r Z ip!d your Mr.-Grlscom, did you call to you that I am not fit to
hraith for threo o'clock and ho had to
go to keep It. Dut Ild ought to bo
down again by this tine. Don't wait
for mo if you want to gj back to town.
I can get a lift from somebody."
"That would bo nlc., wouldn't It?"
was the good-natured retort. "To mako
tho father and daughter
... . t w a uijtitjk uiiuui iiiu nuuiia tin h 1 1 v i rii' . nn vnu a it e iitir i .t
un ner, laruior aiong drooping mustaches. "Automatic thlrtv- wo havo wnndom,, n , , JU" .V UP yur own horso In town
ntr fn nrnvn ..." .7. ".Juu OUl
gother under tho reading lamp. ..r,... ... .... Urn 7 up none after this. Ho might "No; you mustn
At first their talk was entirely of .., ' " """r ucu. b me. havon't been comlnc
tlln ll-lnilm.r .1 " "l UIUIK, IUU I I WnnrPtinntl hnv n. fm.r.,1 ..... Olom " 1t,nn "!! n, .
insisting upon its reality, and tho fa- L, or ? u " d'slrtlnB her tho ho wanted to know, ho lounged out ent "P1'! and when tho talk threat-
tflt nnrlt l,Tl . UlrC ,n,ItS tr0M HOWhorol 1
t mistake mo I n'n 1 ? ,mySe" doIn such " thl"!
15 to t to B! S?'08' 1 ,mven,t a thlne to do but
u a rather lncoher-
thcr trying to push it over Into tho ;J" un ,17?' g r ? ln,iu'nanly nGaln and went back to tho hotel to ncd to lapse Into tho commonplaces,
limbo of thlncs Imaninnd. Driven Tu y anu nsincero. Then, with nn smoke another of the reflective clears ho took his leave. Oddiv nnn.., D ,
urivun t .. ... ' 1 .... vj. h.d icucuu
finally to glvo all tho reasons for her ' 1 1" . 3 uint .w.as ,1Ko a B,aP in tho ,n 1,10 Porch chair which had
hollof in tho realitiea. Chnrlotto related " 11 y" tmn 1 Bpcn1 80 many bo 1,(3 "V fisht of frequent i
........ a m, uuuiur uuriio s, you WOUIU
got both Fldolia and Joan in better
drawing."
Ho flushed
Mt Wjw Man He Was Looklr.n in
( ttho Window."
4b? boh txnlto comploto fulfillment of
Wio wishing prophecy. Miss Farnham
raa going to provo to be all that tho
mpBt critical makor of studies from
life could ask In a model; a supremely
yerceci original for tho character of
laolla In the book. Mnrnnvnr. ahn
ould bo his touchstouo for tho truths
nd verities; oven as Margery Orlor-
On might. If 8110 Worn fnrelvln..
nough to lot bygones bo bygones, hold
ho mirror up to nnturo nnd tho pure
uraamucs, Moreover, again, what-
vor slight danger thoro might havo
been in a possibility of recognition
ivaa a dangor outlived. If the first
eoting had not stirred tho slooping
emorlos In MIbb Farnham, aubso-
uent ones would servo only to wldon
he gulf between forgetfulness and roc-
liectlon uy just such dlstnncoB aa tho
ahaska Grlswold should traverse in
leaving behind him tho deckhand of
the Bolle Julio.
How much this might havo beon
modified if ho had known that tho man
whose face Mlsa Farnham had soon at
jtho window was silently tracking him
through the tree-shadowed streets is
mattor for conjecture. Also, it La
tho Incident of tho afternoon
ny this time tho good Doctor Hertlo
nnd becomo tho Indignant Doctor Dor
tie.
"Wo can't havo that at all!" ho said
incisively. "You did your wholo duty
in mm uanit mntter; anu it was a
good doal moro than most young worn
on would havo dono. I'm not going
to hnvo you persecuted and harassed
not ono minute! Where is this fel
low stopping?"
i no daughter shook her head. "I
don't know. Ho gnvo mo his card, but
It hns the Now Orleans address only."
"Glvo it to mo and I'll look him up
tomorrow.
Tho card changed hnndB, and for a
few minutes nelthor of them spoke,
men tho daughter began again.
i vo nau another shock this evo
nlng, too," sho said, speaking this tlmo
In low tones and with eyes downcast
HUB Mr. Grlswold did I undorstand
you to, say that ho had lost all of hlB
money?"
"Yes; practically all of it," said tho
fathor, without losing his hold upon
what a certain great London physician
vas saying through tho columns of tho
English medical journal.
Uut afterward, long aftor Charlotto
had gone up to her room, ho remem
oored, witli a curious little start of
half-awakened puzzlement, that some
ono, no longer ago than yesterday, had
told him that young Grlawold was
rich or If not rich, at least "well
fixed
continued occupancy.
Grlswold had
como to thought, when ho was unlntchlnc tho
frequent and long- Bito and hnd shifted ono of tho newly
purchased automatic Dlstols from his
hip pocket to nn outside pocket of tho
left tho Merealdo "Ent top-coat ho waB wcarintr. the
BrofTln shifted tho extinct cigar ho
was chewing from ono corner of his
mouth to tho other and pulled his soft
hat lower over his eyes. He, too, could
wait. There wns a little stir on tho
veranda; a rustling of silk petticoats
nnd tho click of email heels on tho
hardwood floor. Broflln could not for
bear tho peering peep around the shel.
u-i twnM nd drW h,m8C,f Up ,,brary C0UE'derably shaken, not in his shadowy flguro under tho lake-shading ,f1ZinS,.PeePIar0Un,Vl,eeI
with atabbed amour propro prompting convictions, to bo suro, but In his con- trees had disappeared. 1 "g ' , 1 w draperles- Mls8 Gr.Iei"
hlm to mako some stinging retort con- fldenco in his
trnstlng tho wells of truth with the
own powora of imagl- 11 was only a few minutes after tho
natlvo analysis. For this cauao it re- lingering dinner guest had eono when
quired a longor aftor-dlnner stay at tho doctor camo out on the porch,
tho Farnham's than ho had beon allow- bringing his long-stemmed pipe for a
ing himself, to re-establish tho norm hedtimo whiff In tho onen air.
of self-assuranco. Charlotte Farnham "You aro losing your beauty sleep,
was never enthusiastic; that, norhans. lltll Slrl," ho said, dronninc Into tho
would ho asking too much of nn Ideal; cna,r lately occupied by the guest. "Did
out wuai sue lacked In warmth was yu Ilni out anything more tonieht?"
mado up In cool sanity, backed bv a Tll daughter did not reDlv at one.
moral aenso that seemed never to wa- and when alio did there was a noto of
Ver. UnorrlnclV ahn nlnr.nrl li freshly summoned h
upon tho human weaknesses In hln voice.
hook people, and unfalteringly she "Wo were both mistaken," sho nf
bade him reform them. Armed. "Coincidences are alwnvs
For his Fidelia, as ho described her. likely to bo misleading. I am Rorrv T
sho exhibited a gentle affection, tem- told you about them. Ho has certain
pored by a compassionate pity for hor lv been a present help in tlmo of need
weaknesses and waverings: an attl- to Edward."
tudo, ho fatuously told himself, forced As before, tho good littlo doctor had
upon her becauao her own HtnminrrU recourse to his n ne. nnd It wna nn) nn.
were so much higher than anv he UI Ills daughter got up to eo in that HoninS comment.
could delineate or conceive. For Joan IlG sa,(1 Gently: "Ono other word, Char-' ,s aU kinds of a good fellow;
thero was also compassion, but it was Ilo slrl: aro you altogether sure that that'B a1' 1 know, and all I ask to
mildly contemptuous. tho wish isn't father to tho thought know." answered Raymer loyally.
"If I did not know that you nro in- about Grlswold?" "I believe that now," said his com-
capablo of doing such a thing, I might "Don't bo absurd, papa!" sho said Panion, with the faintest possible em
wonder It you aro not drawlne vnur scornfully, passing swiftly behind his Phasls upon the time-word.
joan irom mo, Mr. oilswold," she said, Ul"r 10 reacn tne door; and with thnt uromn marked tho emphasis and
a utuo coldly, on this samo evenlnc of answer ne was obliged to be content.
ronanintatlons. "SInco such characters
CHAPTER XX
son had left her seat and was nacinc
a slow march up and down. That sho
had not seen him becamo a fact sufll
clontly well-assured when sho sat
down again nnd began to speak to
Qrlswold.
"How Is tho now partnership going,
by this tlmo?" sho aaked, after tho
manner of one who rewlnnowa tho
chaff of tho commonplaces In the hopo
of finding grain enough for the Immedi
ate need.
"So far as Grlswold is concerned,
you wouldn't notice that there is a
partnership," laughed the Iron
founder. "I can't make him galvanizo
an atom of Interest In his investment
All I can get out of htm Is, 'Don't
bother mo; I'm busy.'"
"Mr. Grlswold Is In a class by him
self, don't you think?" wa3 tho oues
. CHAPTER XIX.
Pitfall.
Within n week from tho day when
uaymor, nngrlly jubllnnt, had rescued
his Imperiled stock, It was pretty gen
orally known that Kenneth Grlswold,
mo writing man, hnd becomo tho
fourth member In tho close corpora
tlon of tho Rnymor Foundry and Ma
chlno works, nnd Wahaska was en
gorly discussing tho business affair In
nil itB possible and probablo bearings
upon tho Raymors, tho Grlersons and
nnd tho newly olectod directory of tho
I'lnchoro railroad.
Of all this buzzing of tho gossip bees
tho poraon moat acutely concorned
hoard littlo or nothing. Digging deeply
m tno inspiration field, Grlswold speed
insxanuy tne Primitive Instinct of
Self-preservation 8prang Alert,
brackish waters of sheer worldlinoRa
Then ho saw how Inadequate It would
no; now utterly Imposslblo It was to
moot this charmingly vindictive young
person upon any grounds savo thoso
of hor own choosing.
mat is tho first really unkind
thing I have ever heard you say," was
tho mild roproach which was all that
tho reactionary second thought would
sanction.
,iri i
uuKinu to wnom7 to Vou. or to
Mlaa Farnham?"
"A8k yourself," ho countered weak
ly, and sho laughed at him.
Grlswold did not reply to tho laueh.
e was gathering up tho scattered
pages of his manuscript and replacing
mem m order. When ho snoko nnnln
the pause that preceded It, and leaned
forward to mlsa no word.
"Meaning that thoro was a tlmo
when you didn't beliovo it?" Raymer
asked.
"Meaning that thero was a tlmo
when ho had mo scared half to death."
are to bo found In real life, I suppose
tney may nave a place In a book. But
you must not commit tho unpardonable Broken Links
sin of making your readers condono 11 was on tho second day after the
the evil in her for the sake of thocood. P'stol-buying Incident In Simmons &
Pleaso forgot what I havo said about Klelfurt'a that Broflln, wishful for soli- confessed tho ono who seempd niwnva
your Fidelia and and your Joan. You tudo and a chance to think In perspec- to say the confidential thing as If It
aro trying to mnko them human, and tlvo- took to tno woods. were tho most trivial. "Do you remem-
A letter from tho Now Orleans of- ber one day In the library, whon you
flco had reopened tho nccount of tho found mo looking over tho file of tho
uayou aiate security robbery. The
mail communication was significant
but Inconclusive. Ono Pntrick Shee-
that is as it should be."
Grlawold could scarcely believe the
evidence of his senses. Ho told him
self fiercely that he would never be
lieve, wunout tno convlncoment of
fact, that tho Ideal could step down han' a st- Louis cab driver, dying, had
from Us pedestal. mado confession to his priest. For a
"You aro meaning to bo kind to me DnDe 01 lwo ,lunred dollars ho had
now, at tho exponao of your convic uiaea ana anetted tho eacapo of a
nowapapors for the story of the rob
bery of the Bayou State Security bank
In New Orleans?"
Raymer remembered it very well,
and admitted It.
"Yes; I remember it all very clearlv.
Also I recollect how tho second newB-
warmly,
"No," she denied gravely. "Listen.
nnd you shall Judge. Once, only a
short time ago, I was brought face to
faco with ono of these terriblo com
promlsos. In a single Instant, nnd by
lly beenmo oblivious to most of his on' U wns of a matter cntiroly Irrelevant. ? fatU,t of mLown; !h? drcadJul "bears
compussmonts; to all of thorn, indeed. 1 ,ma nn oaa oxporlenco tho other : 7;r. ',"'"I"'lu Imuu8
Hum l,o t ji .... .... OVOninc" hn Rnlil "I Y,nA ,- .tii 1 v.uuoi,njiii;-
' " .ti.ou nuiuu uuru UlrOCliy Upon I .wu uuuu uiuiug
tions, Miss Charlotte," ho protested cr,m,nal on a day ad lato correspond- paper notice told how tho robber
-what I havo boon taught
uiti u Liiuou t iiii.il iiii it i ill rnni iv unnn , u w i i uuu uuuh tlinn ir l . . . - -i . .
tho beloved task. Among theso ho w,th tho Rny and was walking t ca" llo Christian conscience-told "om tne very nearness of things. The
counted tho frequent TnftSrnoon Jlsi s back to Shawnee street. A littlo nowa- !? !ttt, wl the ust anlp tho single necessl y now was for absolute
to Mereslde, nn Uho sJarcelTless f e- y named Johnnie Fergua turned up 'read of a man's life And then chance ond ca.bl Identification. To es-
quent evenings spent in the Parnham irom somowhero at ono of tho street1"
hnm Hn wnn i,lnn. u .... crossmKB nnu tried tn qnll m. n I in inuau tuw inumeulB. 1 - " "J"" iuo
young women as a foil for tho other Rt 9a ock at night! I bad thought that there could be no two 1 had failed signally-Mlss
in the outworking of lUs plot and he bought ono and joked him about being "We question between simple right J"1 hor own j
. . " i"- uu no . ... , . ... "-.a nnj TCrnn ,..f imnoi I. t,i ni reasons for nlnnklnp- thn emmo
woicomod it as a n gn of growth that uul ao lulc; anu irora that on I couldn't . " " o- woru p, -; . " " ... D " . '
m,o o i i K UWUI u,.ni irnt Hd nf him nn n .u. tho man convlncod mo that, whntnvnr President Galbraith . . . That was an-
ing vTria'lmnUudrdrcU g g?at: Homo wUh m.", talking a Wuo atrSJ J' thInk " ?? world say, emntaSearnedl T'
fully, and at times, ho persuaded Sm- nnd nct,nB ns lf h wore afraid of bis conscience had fully and freely ac- m
self, quite vividly, human something or aomebody. I remem- ?ltted him. And he proved it; proved was stopping at the Do Soto Inn, and
- i t. u c r thnt i n m n i iiii iinn TTinnnnvfipfin tn hritm iti.
When ho got well into tho w.. n, O0.rou that ho Is tho boy who " ' uuu"1 11 .as 'onB hrn.M. , "A1,"
It and wns turning out a chanter nvnrv .tn. 08 cnro 01 your. bonU lB the any-
throe or four days, ho foil easily into W1VT" fc
the habit of Minn! h,o Miss Griorson had loft her chair and
mont into his pockot whon ho went to 1nd gn l Btand at ono of 0,0 wln"
morosmo. fliargery Gr orson wnn n,i,i. ' '"
Ing gonorouBlv to his lmmnncn i.i. Nothing that I know of." sho said.
tlon to her; hoping only to find n "Ho is n brlRht boy too bright for his
frlondly listener, ho found a hninfui own eooa' 1 ro afra,d- But I can ex
conauorator. Moro than onco, whon " ". juuuhio nas inKon a
his own imagination was nt fault shn vIo,ont fany to yu tQr sorao reason,
. ' DllU nttfl Y - linn fnllrw I ti At. 1 . ..
was auio to onon now v stnu in M.n "u ""a ""-" "" uoyisu nanit
. rt ..... . I ' un vi.u lUUUl'l OS-
lng to the mid-April arrival of tho caDed from thn nm nt a t
' a .- -. . . i ---wwm wv ui,. aju ii i rv.
steamer ueuo Julio at St. Louis. After- But you haven't told mo how you wero
"...u uu uuu uwvou mo man to an up- scared," Raymer suggested
iuvu uiei inamo not given;. Ho could
not recall tho man's name. But the
destination address, "Wahaska, Min
nesota," was submitted with tho con
fession.
Broflln felt himself short-slEhted
na I live. Ho mado mo do whnt mv orauu iace to raco with Grlswold In
conscience had been tolling mo I ought 1110 GrlQrson bank on tho day after tho
to do Just as your Fleming makes Ptol-buylng. To his astonishment
Fidelia do." and disgust the president had shaken
"And ho was taken?" he said, and ho hls hoad irritably, adding a robuko.
strove desperately to mako tho saying a na' raan! yur trade makes ye
completely colorless. ovcr-susplcloua. That'B Mr. Grlswold,
"Ho was; but ho mado his escano tno writer-man and a friend of the
again, almost at onco. Ho is still a u"crsons. MIsb Madge was tolling
Humanities ror nim, appnrontly draw-
Ing upon a reserve of lntultivo rnn.
elusions compared with which his own
hard-bought Btoro of oxnerinmntni
knowledgo was almost puorllo.
"I Wish you WOUld toll mo tho nnnrnf
of your marvelous cleverness," ho ex-
ciuuuuu, on ono or tho Juno afternoon
free man."
Instantly the primitive instinct of
self-preservation, tho instinct of tho
hunted fugitive, sprang alert In the
listener.
"How can you bo suro of that?" he
other day thnt ho was suro eomobodv Mkod, and in his own ears his voice ?jnB t?ueI or 1
was 'spotting' you." ' sounded like the clang of an alarm "XZJ?
I vfJiiuinvi iMf wu HU1IOUUIUI.J UL Wiring
. ., ... . ur juuuauu wnen ne passca tno last
.igai?,rJftV to houses on tho lakeside drive
ot weaving an sorts or romances
around you. I think ho reads too many
oxciung stories ana trios to mako you
tho hero of them. Ho told mo thn
unsworn iookou up quickly. Mian
Grlerson was Btlll facing tho window,
me about him last week. He's no moro
llko tho robbor than you aro. Haven't
I told ye tho mnn was bearded like a
tyke?"
With two of tho threo eye-witnesses
rerusmg to testify, thoro remained
only Johnson, tho paying toller of the
.
thn rnnl lmir.ulm, .... , .." nurvoua HUin. DllltleB. UnCO more tho lnntlianmn ij .... i j . . .
tho cool half-shadows of the Mereslde
library. "You nro onlv a ni,n,i
years; how can you know with such
iiiiiutuiuutj certainty what other
people would think and do undor con
ditions about which you can't possibly
know nnythlug experimentally? it's
boyond mo!"
"There nro many thlnga beyond you
yet, dear boy; many, many thinKs "
wns hor laughing rejoinder; from
which It will bo Inferred that tho on
sodo in tho Farmers' and Merchants'
burglar-proof had bocomo an episode
forgotten or at least forgiven. "You
know men a littlo; but when It comes
to tho womon . . . well, if i uidn't
keop continually nagging at you, your
two heroines with neither of whom
you nro really in lovo would degen
erate into rag dolls. They would, ao
tually," "That'B true; I can soo it clearly
enough when you point it out," he ad
mitted, putting hlo craftsman prldo
'Spotting' mo?" he laughed. "Whom
did ho got that Idea?"
"How should I know? But ho hnd
mado himself bollevo It; ho even went
so far as to describe tho mnn. Oh, I
can nssuro you Johnnie hna nn Imagi
nation; 1'vo tested it in other ways."
i snouiu minK sol" said tho mnn
who also hud an imaglnntlon. nmi
snortiy nrtorward ho took his leave.
bllltles. Onco moro tho loathsome
fovor quickened tho pulses of tho mnn
at bay, nnd tho curious noodlniivn
prickling of tho skin camo to stgnnl
tho roturnof tho homicidal fear-frenzy.
Tho reaction to tho normal racked him
llko tho passing of a mortal Blckness
whon his accusing nngol said in hor
most matter-of-fact tone:
"I know ho Is froo; I havo It on tho
best posBlblo authority. Tho detectives
led by cool and shaded forest wind
ings to theiresort hotol at the head ot
tho southern bay. Presently a vehlclo
overtook nnd passed him. It was Miss
Grierson's trap, drawn by the big Eng
lish trap-horse, with Miss Griorson her
self holding tho reins nnd Raymer
lounging comfortably In tho spare
soat.
Half an hour later Broflln had fol
lowed tho huge hoof-prlnts of tho
"There Wasn't the Littlest Thing."
"I'm coming to that. This escape
wo read about happened on a certain
day In April. It wob the very day on
which poppa met mo on my way back
from Florida, and we took tho eleven
thirty train north that night. You
haven't forgotten that Mr. Grlswold
was a passenger on thnt samo train?"
"Dut, goodness gracious, Miss Mar
gery! any number of peoplo were pas
sengers on that train. You surely
wouldn't"
"Hush!" she said, and through the
lnce window hangings Broflln saw hor
lift n warning finger. "What I nm
telling you, Mr. Raymer, is in the
airiuiBBi commence; wo mustn t let a
An hour later the samo afternoon, wlio are seaclung fwhlm h.v. b..n gr EngllsS trap hor o' to he drive ,Ut- Uut "'at wasn't
olfln from his post of observation on hero to see me-or, at least, ono of S ' porta ot tho D Soto Jwundt S i ?' Blck
o Winnebago porch, saw tho writing them has." vhLn thnv " w J S a.nd' of course, ho couldn't tell us any.
nroffln
A
mo winnoongo porch, saw tho writlnc
man cross tho street and ontor a hard-
waro ahop. Having nothing bettor to
do, ho, too, crossed tho stroot and, In
passing, looked into tho open door of
Simmons & Klcifurt's. What ho saw
brought him back nt tho end of a ro
flectlvo stroll around tho public square,
Tho hunted ono laid hold of tho nar-
tlal ropriovo with a mighty grip and
drow himself out of the reactlonnry
whirlpool.
"It is nn outrago!
annoyance past."
whero they wero lost on tho pebbled
enrriago approach. Strolling on
through tho grounds into tho lake-
fronting lobby of tho Inn, ho went in
fionrch of Miss Grlerson. He found
I hope It la an her on tho broad veranda, alono. nnd
thing nbout himself. But whijo he was
delirious he was always muttering
something about monoy, monoy; mon
ey that ho had loat and couldn't find, or
money that ho had found and couldn't
lose, inon when wo thoutrht ho
Mia Pnmnillllnn InnnnH fA.. - , I , . .. . '..
Whnn im nntnm.i i, .i , 7 . , . luiwuru iu iiiuKu mo aitacK so uiroct anu so over-
was puttlnT T formidable irnW cnutlous,y Parted tho whelming that It could not be with-
as putting n formldnblo nrray of leafy vino Bcroon. stood w thn nniv rnm.inin.
oacK into tholr ehowenso "Tnk nnr,H .t, j I i. 7i .. .
uromn iouiikcq un nnd beenn I thncn tnu. .., . j . I . . ..
to handle tho nistnlB - l"u cugo; uo nia own sauBiacuon, ana waB auvanc-
nu,c tno pl8to18' 'yo" soo him?" I inC through an open French window
!iv-fk' hiss, p-.bt , -ssz
weapons
niches
tlo and I ransacked his suitcases for
cards or letters or something thut
would toll us who ho was and where
ho came from. There wasn't tho llu
tleat thing!"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
