The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-03
Our Daily Sbcrt Story

! tue uoube not at all comment Lhat | should be able to prove 1t ell a mis- in his office. Hiilard was an arehi- | tect
 ecome for spin in my new Pan- hard" said. It was early in the afternoon.
 Very weII--if you'u get me back ] for an engagement have at 8 o'clock 1 this evening" he agreed. | We talked on general subjects aa | we dashed across the country for bad no intention of arousing his sus- l picfons--yet. As the late shadows began to fall he grew strangely nerv- ous. brought the machine to an abrupt stop. Hilliard, as knew, was l completely ignorant of the workings | of an automobile.
 l We've broken down." lied cheer. fully. Can't go any farther. we'll get a farmer to drive us in to town and I'll send for the machine tomorrow" arranged that it would be after 10 o'clock when we reached town. l Hillard was in a rage. He said several upcomplimentary things about | myself and my machine.
 1t was a lonely road---and I thought It an excellent place to have our l scene. E
 'TIillard-were you to spend the evening with Miss Jeanne Dare?" I He started.
 How the devil did you find it out?. he gasped
 wonder now that I didn't stransle him as he stood before me in the moon light.
 Jeanne has told you-all?" I asked. l my voice thick with rage.
 Yes--she has," he answered in . cool voice.
 'Then you are a scoundrei," I said. T think I'll kill you"
 What do you mean?" he demanded with peculiar expression on his face. she didn't think you would cara-. especially as she had good reaS6n for telling me"
 "A reasonT I laughed wildly.
 Miss Dare--or I suppose sI should now call her Mrs. Jerome--told me of her marriage to you in consulting mo about plans for house she desired to build at Newport. It was to realize an Ideal of yours--she had intended it as surprise, but your peculiar atti. tpde has forced 1t from me. was to go there this evening to make the finat .l plans"
 knew Hillard spoke the truth and 1t was all now qute clear but the let. ter Jeanne and I intended to an. nounee our marriage very soon, but had up to this time kept 1t for req . sons that have no bearing on this. ! Did anyone know of this save you and my wife?" I asked. 'T mean of your going up this eveningT
 Olivia Gordon was with her, I be. ieve," he said. By the way-you'd better tip Jeanne off not to have much to do with that woman" ! ''Why? demanded, at last on a trail, ;....'
 Because" he said with impatience, ] she is dend. I may as well tell you frankly have a personal knowl- ! edge of what I'm talking about"
 Then she wrote the note that Mrs. hiIlard found addressed to you and supposed from Jeanne, said sink l ing back in the cushions of the auto- back in and slowly started the ma. , chine homeward.
 T know nothing of any note." said
 Hilliard now alarmed. But she's cap- I able of anything. She vowed she
 would part Mary and I--but as yaave never cared for her never gave 1t a thought. She was bringing it about another way, 1t seemsr' We were both impatient to get home-now, put on more power. We . sprang forward and whirIed through the blackness. Night had now set- tied down for the moon had gone be- hind clouds.
 As we drew up in front of Billiards S we saw Mary HilIard walking nerv- ously up and down the floor. Outlined against the window was also Olivia $ rather piQuante head.
 We entered noiselsssIy. T must be going, Mary dear" we heard Olivia saying. "But--my dear. don't see why you win be 50 blind saw Dick Hillard going in the Dare $ as l came by with my own eyes"
 You must have seen someone who looked like me-" sad Dick stepping in- to the room. I've been autoinr with old Jerome here. We broke down and sat in the woods several hours!" |. You had an engagement this even- ing with Jeanne Dare," declared Olivia throwing tact to the winds. Can you deny it?"
 He doesn't have to-" I said quietly. As it happens. Miss Gordon, Miss Dare was Kind enough to marry me several months ago when we met abroad--but you may not be aware of that. It was a business affair upon which we desired to consult the famous arohitect--Diek Hillard!"
 Mary HiIlard flashed an amazed glance at mel knew she was think ing of the note.
 You write a hand remarkably like Jeanne's, don't youT I asked apropos of nothing. But Olivia lied from the room. The next day she called for Europe-duite suddenly, her friends said in some perplexity.