Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-05-16

thinks so," 1 retorted, injudiciously.
1--WE both think tinge of madness
is the best excuse we can offer for
your extraordinary conduct"
Young Mullion's face flushed still
deeper red.
''She never said that, I'm sure"
said he, in a low voice.
"She did, though. You ask her what
we agreed that time that we both
caught you peeping in at the window
of the hotel at Cape Town, and then
Sinking away as you did when you
met my oyssl That was the most
charitable thing we could think"
He was listening In the most sin.
gular fashion. AS I went on. insteadoe
seeming annoyed by my statement, as
one would have expected any man in
his place TO be, he just clasped his
hands loosely together, and bending
his head and frowning steadily with
what looked more like perplexity than
anger, he stared at the floor, and, even
when had finished speaking, neither
answered me nor moved.
I grew quite restless as watched
him.
"Well?" said I, in querilous tone.
Then he looked up, and instead of
frowning more than ever, as had eX-
pected, his face cleared q little as he
looked steadily and grawely into my
eyes.
"Ohl So that was what you
thought" said he.
I was so much surprised by the way
he took 1.-THE mad way, surely-that
I could only nod by way of answer.
"And suppose you have made that
kind suggestion to Mr.. Atkinson also?"
NO." said I, II haven't Mean and
spteful as you and Miss Atkinson
make me out to be, 1 neither spoke to
him about it nor about any of the
other curious things I know about
you"
OF course I thought he would say:
aWhat things?" But he didn't. He
seemed to have lost all interest in me
and my opinions, if indeed he could be
said to have had any to begin with
And when he presently rose from his
seat and walked toward the door il
seemed to be only by an afterthought
that he turned to say:
you'd better lie down again and
keep quiet. AL this talking is very bad
for you"
"Yes. And If I'd had proper doc
tor, he wouldn't have allowed me to d.
it." piped out as he disappeared.
was getting cheeky now, for thu
presence of the Atkinsons treasured
me. No attempt would be made upol
me while they were near, felt quit
sure.
For the notion that Dick Mullion wa
insane was gradually giving place il
my mind to the theory that he was jus
a very cunning knave. bent on getting
pretty Jennie to himself at all haz
ards, and not averse from helping
himself to the ready cash of a helpless
chap like myself to forward his owl
| ends.
| 1t was very clear that his sending Q
my letter had been an artful contri,
ance to get the girl into his power, an
I wondered whether even the presenc
| of her father would be a sufficiently pre-
| lection against such a rogue as be
l gan to believe him to be.
It seemed to be my duty to warn OIL
Atkinson of the dangerous neighbo1
hood he was in, but MuMion thwarte
me here again. Finding that wa
bent on having an interview with A
ldnson by himself, Dick set to wor
to circumvent me inn the most inge1
tous manner.
Finding it impossible to get so niue
as half dozen wordsteither with Jel
ME or her father while remained
bed, insisted, on tine day followin
my return to consciousness, upon ge
ting up; and although Dick declare
1T was too soon, insisted, and afte
being pitchf orked into+my clothes wit
the help of June, who was not-a hrs
class valet, stumbled and cFawle
into the Kitchen and proclaimed m.
I self conyalescent.
They were all there, Dick Mullion az
old Atkinson and pretty Jennie, b'
it was only the old man who receive
me with any heartiness. l wondere
how he could be SO blind as not to st
that the other two were over head az
ears in love with each other. The vel
way in which they avoided meetlr
each others eyes, or even addressir
| each other, betrayed them every N
ment to my jealous gaze.