Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-05-04

paratfve strangers, but I am not that
kind Of woman. Mr.. Trohm, friendly
as he has proved himself and worthy as
he undoubtedly is Of your confidence
+, and trust, will have to learn from some
one else besides me anything which you
may wish to have withheld from him. !"
For reply she gave me an impulsive
kiss. II thought 1 could trust you," she
murmured. Then with dubious look,
half daring, half shrinking, she said:
"When You come to know and like
us better, you will not care SO much to
talk to neighbors. They never can I'M
derstand us or do us justice, Mr.. Trohm
especially"
By which I knew there was some
thing more between these two than !
had yet found out.
Late in the afternoon William burst
in with news from the other end of the
lane.
"Such lark!" he cried. 1.-The in
vestigation at Deacon Spears house had
been mere farce, and just made them
repeat it with q few frills. They had
dug up my cellar and they should dig
up his. Oh, the fun it was! The old fell
low kicked, but had my way. They
couldn't refuse me- you know. hadn't
refused them. So that mans cellar bot
tom had stir up. They didn't find
anything, but it done me lot of good
and that's something. I do hate that
Deacon Spear-couldn't hate him worse
if he'd killed and buried ten men under
| his hearthstOno -
"There is no harm in Deacon Spear"
said Lucetta quickly.
"Did they submit Mr.. Trohm' s house
to a search also?" asked Loreen, asham-
ed of Williams heat and anxious to
avert any further display of it.
Eyes they went through that too.
I was with them. Glad l was too.
I say, girls, / could have laughed to see
all the comforts that old bachelor has
about him. Never saw such fiXings.
Why, it's as neat and pretty from top
to bottom as our old house is not. It's
silly, of course, for man, and I'd
rather live in an old rookery like this,
where can walk from room to room in
muddy boots if l want to and train my
dogs and live in freedom like the man
I am. Yet l couldn't help thinking it
mighty comfortable, too, for all old fell
low like him who likes such things and
don't have chick or child to mcddlc.
Why, he had pincushions on all his
bureaus, and they had pins in them.
The laugh with which he delivered
this last sentence might have been heard
quarter of q milo away. Lucetta look
ed at Loreen and Lorecn looked at me,
but none of us joined i'll the mirth,
which seemed to me very i'll timed.
Suddenly Lucetta asked:
did they dig up Mr. Trohm's Gel
lar?''
William stopped laughing long
enough to say:
His cellar? Why, it's cementcd as
hard as an oak floor. No, they didn' t
polish their spades in his house, which
was another source of satisfaction to
me. Deacon Spear hasn't even that to
comfort him. Oh, how l did enjoy that
old fellows face when they began to
root up his old fungi!'
Lucetta turned away with a certain
odd constraint could not but notice.
Its humiliating day for the lane, ]"
said she. "And what is WORSE" she
suddenly added, nothing will ever
como of it. No band of police can ever
reach the root of this matter"
thought her manner odd, and, NOV
ing up to her, took her by the hand
with something of a relatives familiar
ity.
"What makes you say that? Mr..
Gryce seems very capable man."
Eyes, yes, but capability has nothing
to do with it. Chance might and pluck
might, but wit and experience not.
Otherwise the mystery would have been
settled long ago. wish p
"Well?' Her hand was trembling
violently.
Nothing. don't know why have
allowed myself to talk on this subject
Loreen and l once made a compact new
er to give any opinion upon it. You sea
how have kept it..
She had drawn her hand ava
suddenly had become quite com
| To be Continued.