The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1908-11-06

ism the other evening"" she said.
'Oh, 1t was nothing" / answered
lightly. ANY one would have done
the same"
"Perhaps-but zone the less We are
pected that anything Of the kind could
have happened. | should never have al.
lowed them to 60"
felt r~ebelliously glad that she had
not suspected.
Il blame myself for It all" / bowed.
1T was very careless of me-"
I'm afraid SO, after all the warning
you have had" said Mrs. Knapp.
But as 1t turned out, no harm was
done" / said cheerfully.
81 suppose So" said Mrs. Knapp alb
sently. Then she spoke with sudden
attention. do you think your n
mics followed you there?"
I was taken aback with the vision
Of the Wolf figure in the grimy pass.
age, a iend in the intoxication Of OPT
um, and stammered for a reply.
my snake-eyed friend made himself
a little familiar, I'm afraid" l ad.
mitted.
ut is dreadful that these dangers
should follow you every where said
Mrs. Knapp with feeling. You must
be careful"
81 have developed eyes in the back
of my head" | said, smiling at her con.
Germ.
81 fear you need more than hat.
Now tell me how it all happened, just
as you saw it. I'm afraid Luella was
a little too hysterical to give a true &C.
count OF it."
gave her the story OF the scene In
the passage, with a few judicious
examinations. l thought it hardly
worth while to mention Doddridge
Knapp's appearance, or a few other
items that were more precious to me
than to anybody else.
When I had done Mrs. Knapp sighed.
There must be an end of this some
day." she said.
Il hope the day isn't far off," 1 con.
fessed, unless it should happen to be
the day the coroner is called on to
take a particular interest in my per.
son."
Mrs. Knapp shuddered.
"Oh no, no-not that way"
Then after a pause, she continued:
Would you not rather attack your
dangers at once, and have them over,
than to wait for them to seek you?"
l felt a trife uneasy at this speech.
There seemed to be a suggestion in it
that l could end the whole matter by
marching on my enemies and coming
to decisive battle. l wished l knew
what she was limiting at and how it
was to be done before l answered.
81 haven't felt any particular dis
position to hunt them up" l confessed,
but if l could cut off all the heads of
the hydra at one it would be worth
while. Anything for peace and quiet,
you know"
Mrs. Knapp smiled.
well, there is no use challenging
your fate. There is no need for you
to act, unless the boy is in danger"
"Oh, no, none at all" l replied un.
blushingly.
"And we'll hope that he will be kept
safe until the danger has passed"
l hoped so d%evoutly, and said as
much. After a few more words l took
advantage of the lull to excuse myself
and make a dive irto the next room
where l espied Luella.
Yes, you may sit down here" she
said carelessly. Il want to be amused.
l was not at all certain that l was
fattered to be considered amusing;
h,,t 7 uac WILLING RI Stau or INV arn,g
so we fell into animated conversation
on nothing and everything. In the
midst of this entertaining situation
discovered that Mrs. Knapp was
watching us, and her face showed nc
easy state of mind. AS l caught her
eye she moved away, and a minute
later Mr.. Carter appeared with
Excuse me. Miss Knapp, but your
mother would like to see you. She
and my wife have some conspiracy on
hand"
was pleased to see that Luella
did not take the interruption grateful
ly, but she surrendered her place tc
Mr.. Carter, who talked about the
weather with a fertility of common
places that excited my admiration
l But as ever the weather has its limits
as a subject of interest and the hour
grew late l suppressed a yawn anC
!, sought the ladies to take my leeTe.
: "Oh, must you go?" said Luella. ris
, ing. And, leaving Mrs. Carter to hel
mother, she walked with me to the
hall as though she would speak witt
me.
7 But once more alone, with only thu
, hum of voices from the reception-roon
as company, she fell silent, and
could think OF nothing to say.
ITS very good of you to come sh'
said hesltatingly.
My mind went back to that otheI
evening when l had left the door IL
humiliation and bitterness of spirit
Perhaps she, too. was thinking of thu
time.