The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-23

nah just then. l had my letter to read
and wished to do it undiSturbed. So l
slipped into the sitting room and care
fully closed the door Then 1 opened
my letter.
1t was, as supposed, from M Gryce,
and ran thus:
Dear Miss Butterworth: 1 am astonished
at your determination, but since your desire
to visit your friends is such as to lead you to
brave the dangers of Lost Mans lane, allow
me to suggest certain precautions which it is
for our credit as well as your own that you
regard.
First-Do not trust anybody
Second-Do not proceed anywhere alone or
on foot.
Third-If the dangers come to you and you
find yourself in a condition of real peril, blow
once Shriily on the whistle | inclose with this.
If, however, the danger is slight or you wish
merely to call the attention of those who will
be set to watch over you, let the blast be
short, sharp and repeated-twice to summon
assistance three times to call attention.
1 advise you to fasten this whistle about
your neck in a way to make it easily obtain
able.
l have advised you to trust nobody.
should have excepted Mr.. Trohm, but I do not
think you will be given an opportunity to
speak to him. Remember that all depends
upon your not awakening suspicion. IT, how
ever, you wish advice or desire to make any
communication to me the secretly
holding charge over this affair in X, seek the
first opportunity Of riding into town and go
at once to the hotel where you will ask for
room g. 1t has been retained in your service,
and once shown there you may expect a Wis
itor who will be the man you seek.
AS you will see, every confidence Is put in
your judgment.
There was no nightmare to this-it
needed none--and in the packet which
came with it was the whistle. I was
glad to see it and glad to hear that I
was not left entirely without protection
in my somewhat hazardous enterprise.
The events of the morning had been
so unexpected that till this moment I
had forgotten my early determination
to go to my room before any change
there could be made. Recalling 1t now,
started for the staircase and did not
stop, though I heard Hannah behind,
calling me. The consequence was that
[ came full tilt upon Miss Knollys COM
ing down the hall with a tray in her
hand.
"Ah," cried; some one sick in the
house"
The attack was too sudden. I saw
her recoil and for one instant hesitate
before replying. Then her natural
self-posession came to her aid and she
placidly remarked:
1--WE were all up to a late hour last
night, as you know. 1t was necessary
for US to have some food"
no further remarks, but 1 had caught
sight on the tray of the half eaten pOr-
ton of certain dish we had had for
breakfast I reserved to myself the
privilege of doubling its exact truth
fulness. To me the sight of this par
TALLY consumed breakfast was proof
positive of there being in the house
some person of whose presence [ was
supposed to be ignorant-nOt a pleas
ant thought under the circumstances,
but quite an important fact to have
established. I felt that in the one dis
covery I had clutched the thread that
would yet lead me out of the labyrinth
of this mystery.
Miss KnoIlys. who was on her way
down stairs, called Hannah to take the
tray and, coming back, beckoned me
toward a door opening into one Of the
front rooms.
This is to be your ROOM" said she,
"but I do not know that I can move
you today
She was so calm, so perfectly mis-
tress of herself that I could not but
admire her. Lucetta would have flush
ed and fidgeted, but Loren stood as
erect and placid as if no trouble weigh
ed upon her heart and the words were
as unimportant in their character as
they seemed,
do not distress yourself" said T.
1T told Lucetta last night that 1 was
perfectly comfortable and had no wish
to change my quarters. I am sorry you
should have thought it necessary to
disturb yourself on my account last
night Don't do it again, I pray you
A woman like myself had rather put