Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-08-29
, Chapter XVI
- MARoINs.

y ~ some old friends I'm the
IS valley, and Shirley. LEFT
~ alone. carried TO the On
bic several letters that
had come 40 the late mail The events
or tue afternoon dlled her mind. and
Zoe vas not sorry 70 be alone II oc-
CURED 20 her that she was building ur
q formidable tower OF strange secrets
and she wondered whether. having bc
gun by Keeping her own counsel as o.
the attempts she had Witnessed against
John Armltage's life. she ought now g.
unfold all she knew 20 her father or t-
Dick. 10 the twentieth century homi
eide was not n common practice anon
men she knew OF was likely 20 know.
and the feeling OF culpabuty for hcr
silence crossed lances with q deepenir~
sympathy for Armitarc. She ha.
learned where be was hiding. and sd
smiled at the recollection OF the tridine
bit OF strategy she had pracuccd upon
Chauvenet
She had kept Dicks letter tin the
last He wrote often and I'm the key OF
his talk. She dropped n lump OF sugar
into her coffee cup and read his hur-
ried scrawl:
What do you think has happened
D0wG I have Sl4 worth OF telccrams
from Senator Sanderson wiring from
some God forsaken hole in Montana
that it's all rot about Armitace being
that fake Baron Won KIssel The news
paper accounts OF the expose az mv
supper party had Just reached him
and he says Armitace was ON his CAR
mit0ge'sl ranch an that summer the
noble baron was devastating our north
ern scacoast Where may I ask. docs
this leave mc3 And what cad gave
that story 20 the papors7 And where
and who Isl John Armitagc7 Keep this
mum FOR The present even from the
governor. II Sanderson IS right. Armi
tage viii undoubtedly turn up again
he has a weakness Tor turning up De-
your northumberland sooner or later
he's bound 10 settle accounts witt
Chauvenet Now that I think OF It,
who In the devil is heG And why didn't
Armitage call him down there ot the
cluDl AS ] think over the whole bust.
ness my mind grows added. and feel
as though ! had been kicked by a
horse"
shirley laughed softly. keeping the
note open before her and referring Go Sal
musingly as she stirred her coffee. she
could not answer any OF Dicks CUES
tions. but her interest in the contest
between Armltace and Chauvcnct was
intensified by this latest turn in tle
affair She read Tor an hour in the
library. but the air was close. and she
threw aside her book. drew on q Mght
coat and went out upon the veranda
A storm was stealing down from thc
hills. and the htful wind tasted of
rain she walked the length OF "a.
veranda several times. then paused no
the farther end OF It, where steps led
out into the pergola. There was sim
mist OF starlight and she looked out
upon the vague outlines OF the garden
with thoughts OF its needs and the
gardeners work for the morrow. Then
she was aware Of @ light step far ont
IN the pergola and listened carelcssly
10 mark IL. thinking IL one Of the house
servants returning from a neighbour
but the sound was furtive, and as she
waited IL ceased abruptly. She was
about 20 turn into the house 20 sum
mon help when she heard a stir in the
shrubbery Ia quite another part OF the
garden. and In a moment the stoop,ng
figure OF a man moved swiftly toward
the pergola.
Shirley stood quite stlll. watching
and listening. The sound OF steps iu
the pergols reached her again. then
the rush OF flight, and out In the gar
den a flying figure darted In and out
among the walks. For several minutes
two dark figures played at vigorous
hide and seek Occasionally gravel
crunched under foot and shrubbery
snapped back with a sharp swish
where IL was caught and held for sup.
port at corners. Pursued and pursuer
were alike silent The scene was like
a pantomime.
Then the tables seemed 10 he turned.
The bulkier figure OF tho pursuer was