Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-03-09
CHAPTER XXI.
MOTHER JANE.


here this morning." cried q harsh voice
from amid the tangled walks behind
me. "Seems to me he finds this place
pretty interesting all of a sudden"
l turned upon the intruder with
look that should have daunted him. l
had recognized Williams courteous
tones and was in no mood to endure q
questioning SO unbecOming in one of
his age to one of mine. But as | met
his eye, which had something in it be-
sides anger and suspicion, something
that was quizzical if not impertinent, l
changed my intention and bestowed
upon him conciliatory smile, which l
hope escaped the eye of the good angel
who records against man all his small
hypocrisies and petty deceits.
"Mr. Trohm rides for his health"
said l. "Seeing me looking up the road
at Mother Jane, he stopped to tell me
some of the idiosyncrasies of that old
woman. A very harmless courtesy, Mr..
Knollys."
Very" he echoed, not without a
touch of sarcasm. Il only hope that is
all, " he muttered, with sidelong look
back at the house. 'Lucetta hasn't
particle of belief in that man S friend
ship, or, rather, she believes he never
goes anywhere without particular in
tention, and l do believe she's right or
why should he come spying around here
just these two days when''-he caught
himself up with almost look of terror
'when-when you are here?" he
completed lalnely.
II do not Think retorted, more
angrily than the occasion perhaps war
ranted, that the word spying applies
to Mr.. Trohm. But if it did, what is
there to gain from a pause at the gate
and word to such new acquaintance
as l am?"
Il don't know" he still persisted sus-
piciously. "Trohm's sharp fellow. If
there was anything to see, he would see
it even from his place down there. But
there isn't. You don know of any
thing wrong here, do you, which such
man as that, hand in glove with the
police as we know him to be, might
consider himself to be interested in?''
Astonished both at this laundering
committal of himself and at the certain
sort of anxious confidence he showed in
me, l hesitated for q moment, but only
for moment, since if half my sus-
picions were true this man, above all
others, must not know that my perspi-
caclty was more to be feared than ever
Mr.. Trohms was.
IF Mr.. Trohm is interested in this
house." said l, with a heroic defiance
of ridicule which hope Mr.. Gryce has
duly appreciated, land since period
of two days, beg leave to call your at
tention to the fact that on yesterday
morning he came to deliver letter ad-
been left at his house, and that this
morning he called to inquire how had
spent the night, which, in considera-
ton of the ghosts which are said to
hannt this house and the strange and
uncanny apparitions which only three
nights ago made the entrance to this
lane hideous to one pair of eyes at least,
should not cause gentleman's son like
you any establishment. 1t does not me,
assure you"
! He laughed l meant he should, and,
losing almost instantly his air of doubt
and suspicion, turned toward the gate
from which l had just moved away,
muttering:
"Well, it's small matter to me any
way. It's only the girls that are afraid
of Mr.. Trohm. I am not afraid of any
thing but losing Saracen, who has pinned
like the deuce at his long confinement
in the court. Hear him now; just hear
him.
And could hear the low and unhap-
Ply moaning of the hound distinctly. 1t
was not a pleasant sound, and I was al
most tempted to tell him to unloose the
dog, but / thought better of it.
"Ry the way" said he, speaking
of Mother Jane, have an errand from
the girls to her. You will excuse me if
l speak to the poor woman"
Alarmed by his politeness more than
ever have been by his roughness and
inconsiderate sarcasms, looked at him
inquiringly as hsleft the gate and did
not know whether to stand my ground
or retreat to the house. I decided to
stand my ground, an errand to this wo-
man seeming to me matter of some
interest.