Mexico Missouri message., 1906-03-15
thacs Just what You and / have rsg


thscs Just what you and have ess
to settle before we go ahead"
''Well, in the first place" said Stack
house, changing HIS tactics, suppose
We settle whether you have any in
formation about the person that
want Describe the woman you refer
tori
ooh, slri I'm no good that way.
She was about %, dark, quite dark
well, medium height, l should say
and what call reasonably cookbook
ing"
"Ahl and what is she doing for liv-
ing7"
ooh, there's where can't answer,
you see, until find out why you want
to know"
stackhouse made en- impatient gss-
ture.
"Has this woman you speak Of been
in Boston lately?"
The feather swayed twice.
II see no harm in saying yes to that,
sir. No harm. But more l won't say.
You see, sir, circumstances are pecul-
lar. She confded me that circum-
stances are peculiar"
'You mean to say, don't you, that
she was here for private purposes, and
that she wanted her presence here kept
q secret?"
81 shouldn't wonder"
"Have you known this woman long?"
The feather swayed twice.
"A good many years, SIR"
"And under that name all the timer"
II decline to state what names she
has gone under" said the woman, with
considerable asperity. "You may be
one of them detective fellers. How do
know? Coming up here to pump evil
dences out Of a poor woman as has
herself to look after. know fast
enough know the woman you want.
knew it the minute read that in the
paper. But 1 amt going to be caught
in no trap, nor amt going to get into
no trouble. So there's how the land
lays, and you may as we'll know 1t first
as last"
Stackhouse seemed to be sitting on
pins and needles.
Hang it," he cried. Don't be a
fool! have no wish to harm her,
nor you, either. / only wish to see
her; that's ALTO talk with her."
"Well?"
els she in Boston?"
"That decline to say, SIR"
"Ah!~ said Stackhouse, coming to his
feet. Il see she is, or you wouldn't be
so cunning about it. Now, where is
she? In this house? Tell the truth.
Didn't she herself send you to answer
that advertisement? AS a matter of
fact, isn't she listening to this very
conversational"
He made a sudden movement toward
the half-open door behind which Lamm
stood. But the woman was quicker
than he was, and she intercepted him.
Don't you dare, sir!" she cried,
standing with her back against the
door, "She may be and she may Lot
be-; but If you attempt to go into that
room, I'll scream for help"
"Ah!" said Stackhouse, significantly,
cas- thought. You are too smart,
woman. You have betrayed yourself"
We'll, then" said the woman, dog
gedly, you can't see her; that's ALL"
ooh; that's what she told you to say,
is it,"
Never mind. You can't see her.
If you've got any message for her,
write it, and I'll see that she gets it, !
and she will reply by mail. You can't
see her. You ought to be ashamed to |
try to, after treating her as you have"
This sole real hit Of inform a tfOr which |
Miss Dallison possessed outside of the !
patent facts of the advertisement, de-
livered at this opportune time, must
have dissipated any doubts still lin
gering in StaclShouse's mind.
Very WELL" he said, in an altered |
tone, Il will write to her." He turned
toward the outer door, and Miss Dali
lion followed him. He had actually
opened the door to pass into the entry,
and she was quite off her guard, when,
with a quick spring he leaped back
into the room, thrusting her aside and
before she could prevent him, had
flung wide open the door to the ad-
joining chamber.
But John Lamm was too old a bird
to be caught in any such trap At the
first intimation of Stackhouse's sus-
picion he had taken his departure.
The room was empty!
CHAPTER XIV.