Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-29

my my hands with affectionate warmth.
HE is much better now. But you seem TO
be well acquainted with Mrs. Falgood, Mr;
Pallingrove.. / was not aware, that you had i
met before" / continued, wishing to seund
my visitor.
"You didn't know it? Why. bless you,
my boy, she was my fathers bousekeeper ior 10,
| seven years." replied Mr.. Pallingrove, with
his customary enthusiasm.
Where was that%' | asked.
/ Down in Maryland where | was raised,
81 didn't know that before" ] remarked
quietly.
''Mrs Falgood is one of the best women
that ever walked this earthly sphere. l owe
my life to her, for she took care of me when
!! had fever. l assure you, she IS an !, angel
if there ever was one in this world
we are about to turn her out of the house,
knowing her to be very undesirable person
to haye in it. She would have let my father
die if | had not ,iinterfered., She Is more
"You surprise me. 1t is not possible that
you would be willing to dispense with her
services" protested Mr.. Paingrove, and he
looked as though he was very much aston
ished.
fT never had particle of trouble with
her till this afternoon, but she has always
regarded me as a cipher in the family. She
does not take proper care of my tather,
explained.
'tShe is the best woman I ever knew; and
l think you will make great mistake IL
you allow her to leave YOU replied Mr.;
Pallingrove. "She is high-minded, moral and
religious, and all that sort Of thing: The hn
cause she would preach to me-"
He continued for some time longer to
speak in praise of Mrs. Falgood. / must
excuse him; but Mr.. Brooks had a failing
and probably It made him unreasonable when
he was sick. He only left when | told him
that ] must go to my fathers room. lie
had said everything. he could to induce me
to retain the housekeeper.
As L was coming out of the, parlor,, Mrs.
Falgood appeared again in the hall. She in
vited Mr.. Pallinger into the back parlor.
did not quite like this action, and concluded
not to go up stairs, as my father was do
ing very well under the care of Mrs. Castle
ton.
Mrs. Falgood looked daggers at me as
entered the room.
"By the way, Charley, think yon said
you were born, and brought up in Hagers,
S'That's what I said. Mrs. Falgood can
tell You all about the place." he replied, with
refreshing promptness.
He had not said anything of the kind. |
had merely mentioned the first town outside
of Baltimore that came to my mind. He
had been-amuslng me with talsehoods, and
making his lies out of whole cloth. The
years before, according to her own state
ments, and I had met her on board OF the
steamer on her arrival
To Pallingrove's appeal Mrs. Falgood re-
piled that she lived at Hagerstown. but she
was not very well acquainted there, and had
forgotten about it, for she had gone from
Hagerstown to England
She saw the trap into which Pdfiingrove
had led her, and she had the tact to crawl
out of il. But was satisfied, and / knew
that / had made another point against the
conspirators. l fattered myself that / was
not the green boy for whom Mr. Pallingrove
had taken me-
His sickness at the opera house. his fire.
quent visits to Itivington Street without a
particle of encouragement, his gushing and
devotion to me were all explained
Charley Pallingrove was another spy.
"How is your father now, my dear Gay%
asked Mr.. ~Pallingrove.
The question was to remind me that |
"He is quite comfortable. He has an ex-
cellent nurse, and is doing very WELL" | re,
piled, as though ] had just come from his
chamber.
sI am very glad to hear it. But think
you have not seen him tiI for half an hour OF
ing smiles. ~ really cannot leave until ]
have heard the latest news from him. You
have all my sympathy, and / don't believe
shall sleep wink tonight for thinking
of you.
This was very considerate of him, but he
had something more to say to Mrs. Fagood
He could not help seeing that the arrange
ments of the conspirators had been knocked
out of gear by Mrs. Falgood, who had over
done her part.
1 thought / knew just what he wanted to
say to her. He wished to tell her that she
had gone too far, and that she must con.
ciliate me, in order to retain her place in
the house. !, was so confident | was right
est news in regard to, my father:
When / went INTO the room. Mrs Castle