Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-04-22
answer SUCH a pretty g1rl:

1lt Is.
what do you mean7" asked she,
quickly.
! think she knew what I meant, for
she grew red, and looked angry.
II mean" said I, that I have no
doubt the visit paid to Netley was In
tended for me. He was in my cabin,
you know, at the time"
Jennie said nothing for, few mo-
ments but she seemed to be thinking
earnestly. Then she asked, in studi-
ously quiet voice, trying to pretend
she did not care:
why should you think that?"
was quite ready to let her know
what thought of her favorite, Dick
Mullion, 80 said:
II think 80 because I'm the only per.
son the man who attacked MS both has
grudge against"
"And who is il that has a grudge
against your" she asked. And through
all her assumed little airs Of calmness
and indifference saw that she was
much excited over my answer.
AS it is person you appear to
honor with some preference, think
I'd better not tell you" said !, per-
haps with some pique. "But l may
just say this: AS long as young Null
lion is i'll with his bilious attack, I'm
not afraid of leaving my door open"
Jennie Atkinson started slightly, I
thought. She paused moment be-
fore answering.
NCr yo,, thipI Nv Nf,,l1:o,, ,,,o ., A.
midnight assailant. both in your case
and Mr.. Netley's2"
said nothing to this; and. pres
emily she began to laugh, rather mock
ingly.
II hope you'll forgive my being
amused. But really, don't you think
It's rather an extraordinary delusion
on your part?"
II am suffering from no delusion,"
said I, stifHy. 81 wish 1 were"
"You really think an English gem
tleman, q man against whom you know
nothing whatever. and Of whom you
do know certainly that he is good
hearted and Woodworking man, Of
whom his uncle can't say enough-you
think such man capab Of commit
ting a most foolish, purposeless and
cowardly. outrage upon two persons
who have never done him any harm?"
paused moment. It certainly did
sound absurd, but to suppose anybody
else had done this thing was more abb
surd still.
II quite allow that what I assert
sounds monstrous; but Is not the
| whole affair monstrous? I am at
tackled at night, half strangled, by
some person who escapes without be-
ing seen. follow him, shoot at him,
hear him. groan."
"What?" stammered Jennie, turning
pale.
eyes," said I. 81 shot him; every
one must have heard the shot. There
were dozen people outside their cab
! ins in moment
II heard nothing about that be-
fore!" said she, looking very much
| alarmed.
mo. haven't told anybody except
the doctors, who appeared not to be-
lieve me. But one Of them had no wish
to believe" added, significantly.
(Which one?" said Jennie, with a
sort of defiance.
cdr. Mullion."
Sand why should he not believe
your"
"Well, I'll tell you frankly. He did
not choose to believe me, so I sug-
gest, because he knew who it was I
shot at, and wounded"
Jennie. very pale, considered mo-
ment. She pretended to take only the
interest anyone would in strange
story; but I saw we'll enough that she
was deeply troubled and distressed
"You have no proof to back up your
suspicions; none whatever" she said,
at last.
young Mullion IS invisible to-day"
suggested, quietly.
"And you choose to fancy he Is SUI
fering from bullet wound?"
II suggest that also"
She was silent for few moments
Then she said, quickly:
HE won't be invisible long"
"You choose to believe his version Of
his illness?" said 1, shortly.
Eyes," she answered, TREMENDOUSLY
Icould not tell whether abe was tell
ing the truth or not.
But in spite Of her confident proph-
ecies, it was not until the evening Of
the following day that, Dick Mullion
appeared among us again. Then he
slipped into the smoking room after
dinner, looking more CHASTITY than
ever.
Everybody near went up and spoke
TO him. was rather indignant to find
that they showed much more sym
pathy to this fellow, taciturn as he al
ways was, than they had done to me.
For some reason or other, the word
had gone roundto doubt my story alto
gether, and those references which
were made to 1t were made in such .
1 half-mocking tone that discouraged
questions on the subject entirely. ]
felt convinced In my own mind, how
ever, that should be able to obtain
proof Of my story before long. =.
I could not complain that no notice
had been taken of my adventure; In
quiries had been made in the strictest
manner, as to. whether any person
from the crew or from the second class
OF steerage passengers had been seen
about, or missed from his place. But
knew beforehand that these inquiries
would have no results.