Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-26

with vivid memory of the adOring
way her eyes always dwelt upon him.
You think it sounds a little brutal?"
! and he smiled gayly. 1T isn't, IN the
/ least. You've put Cecily on too high
pedestal They have an axiom down
there. Nee de famOur. In file de cou-
! leur nit d'amour. de rireS, ct d'oublis'-
her life is a thing of love. laughter
and forgettings. | think it's essentially
true. At the same time" he added
! more seriously. Il don't wish 10 be
needlessly cruel. That's the reason I'm
telling you all this. It's Il sort of intro
duction."
All" l said, and looked at him.
iii burt it out in word. I'll be
out of town next weck-all week-my
business demands it-and it's absurd
for me to think OF taking Cecily with
me it's absolutely impossible - it
would ruin the whole affair. What l
want to ask YOU is this-look in on
her occasionally, cheer her up. take
her to the theater, If you'll be so good.
She knows no one here. and she has
ridiculous need of cOmpanionship, of
chattering 10 some one. of having soEle
one to admire her. It's born in the
blood. / suppose: it's an Inheritance
from two centuries of ancestors. Left
to herself. she'll soon NOPE herself sick.
Will you do this for me, my friend?"
There was Il compelling wiZardry in
his eyes as he looked at me, yet had
self control enough To pause and reflect.
Still, saw no reason why l should re
fuse, even had my own inclination not
greatly urged me forward. Here
would be an opportunity 10 unveiI such
secrets OF his as Cecily might know
especially as to where they had been
on the evening of the murder. Per
hapS she even knew the victim; could
give me a clew to the connection be-
tween him and Tremaine, if such Il
connection existed. There were unlimit-
ed possibilities. And yet a feeling of
shame held me back. To take advan-
tage in this way of a man who trusted
me, against whom there was nothing
but the merest, most intangible sus-
picion-
/ looked up and met his intent gaze.
You were reflecting?" he said.
Merely that it is n delicate trust.
I'm not at all unwilling to undertake it,
only
Again he misunderstood; again he
did not wait for me to finish. 1t was
the only weakness 1 ever detected in
him-he made a false step that could
never be retraced
"Only you are flesh and blood, you
would say" and he shot me Il smile |
which illumined as a lightning flash |
the depths of his character. ''On that |
score. do not worry. 1 beg Of you. l |
am not of a jealous disposition. 1 shall |
not
a knock at the door interrupted him |
or 1 might have answered in Il way !
that would have wrecked Godfrey'S
plan forever. l flung the door open I
and saw Higgins standing there.
a call at tn telephone fer you, Mr. |
Lester" he said.
Excuse me. please" l called over !
my shoulder to Tremaine, and strobe !
down the hall after the janitor.
1t was Mr.. Royce who wanted me;
he had been called suddenly out of |
town and wished to give me some in
structions for the next day. Our CON
versation lasted perhaps five minutes; |
then 1 hung up the receiver and mount
ed to my rooms. With hand not
wholly steady, 1 opened the door. Ire
maine was sitting in the chair where
1 had left him and was just lighting
another cigarette.
He arose with Il smile as l came in.
Il must be going" he said. And
you will keep an eye on Cecily?'
Yes, I'll be glad to. Good night"
and closed the door
As I turned Godfrey walked calmly
out of the bedroom.
What do you think of him?" l
asked.
Il think" said Godfrey slowly, that
he's one of the most consummate
scoundrels / ever had to deal with.
However, We'll unmask him. He's let
ting us into his CITADEL
did he sit still while was awayI"
"Not for an instant. 1 was sure he
wouldn't. Therefore as soon as
caught Higgins GRAND 1 dived behind
your raincoat. Luckily. it's a long
one
"Yes. And then?'
"And then he took n quick look
the bedroom. L heard him
open the closet door and drop on one
knee to glance under the bed. Then
ne went on mo the bathroom ana
finally came back again to the sitting
room"
"WellP' asked, for saw that there
was something yet untold.
"Well," continued Godfrey, latter a
minute or two thought it safe to ven
ture out from under the raincoat more
as certain peculiar sounds
from the other room awakened my
curiosity The sounds We're a sort of
slow, regular scraping-"
He paused a moment to look at me.
could only stare at him.
81 crept to the door and peeped
through. Guess what I sawi You new