Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-05-06
cHAPTER IX (Continued.)

for an opening of this sort. Ana
what did you mean by hoaxlng NE!
'tHoaxing you?"
"That's the word. l was in your
house that night; was there as sure
ly as am here tonight.
Nell, am 1 crazy, or is it Jack?'
..Sometimes," said Mrs. Sardfor't.
'when you put the chauffeur In the
tonneau. I'm inclined to thihk 1t is
you"
Hillard looked straight into the
placid grey eyes of his hostess very
SLOWLY one of the white lids dropped.
His heart bounded.
"But really continued Sanford.
seriously, unless you bribed the care
taker. YOU could not possibly have en-
tered the house. You nave been
dreaming"
Very well, then; it begins to look
as If | had 1t was apparent to Hill
1ard that Sandford was not IN ms
gife.s confidence in all things. He
also saw the wisdom of dropping the
subject while at the table. To take
I'm the thread of that ronlantace
again! He needed no wine to tlngle
his blood
They took coffee and liqueur in the
glass-inclosed balcony All Naples
sparkled at their feet, and the young
moon rose over the Sorrento nils.
Sanford and Merrihew and the other
two ladies began an animated ex
change of experiences. Hillard fouhn
a ouiet nook, not far from the lllt.
He saw that Mrs. Sandford's cha1r
was placed so that she could get a
good view of the superb night he
sat down himself, slipped his laueur
meditatively, drank his coffee, ana,
as she nodded, lighted a cigarette
~Well?" she said, smiling into MS
brown ewes. She was rather fond OF
S Hillard; a gentleman always, and one
Of excellent taste There was never
any wearisome innuendo in his VII
nor suggestion in his stories
"You deliberately winked at me, ne
began.
81 deliberately did"
"Sandford is in the dark; l suspected
as much"
Regarding the wink
"Regarding the mysterious woman
who occupied your house by your ex-
press authority, and who rode the
hunter in the park"
.sWas there ever more beautlfu.
picture?" sweeping her hands toward
the city.
"The beauty of 1t will last several
hours vet Who and what was she!
..I wish i could find you wife; yot
wo,,ld make a good husband.
suThank you. am even willing, WEI
vour assistance, to prove it: VINO was
she and how came she in YOU
house?"
aShe wished that favor, and that ne'
nresence In New York should not 81
known. Now, describe to me exactt!
what happened am worrying aboa
the plate and the silver.
He laughed. "And you will NEE
me half way?"
81 promise to tell you all
dare
"There Is mystery!
eyes. so begin with your side OF 1t.
He was a capital story-teller. n
recounted the adventure In al II
color. the voice under his Wlndo"
the personals in the paper, the inte'
change of letters, the extraordlnar
dinner, the mask in the envelope. On
followed him with Dreathless lnte'
est.
"Charming, charming" She clay
ned her hands. "And how wen yo
tell it! You have told 1T just as
happened
aJust as it happened" confounde
for a moment.
.Fxactly. have had letter, tW'
IN fact You did not see her face!
ssOnlv the chin and mouth: But
ever meet her again l shall kno
her by her teeth
Heavens! And how?"
.sTwo lower ones are gone; othe
wise they would be beautiful
aPoor man. You have builded yo'
house upon the sands. Her teeth al
perfect. She has fooled you.
"Rut I saw with these two eyes!"
.There is a preparation which tn
atrical people use; kind of gum ST
mentioned the trick. Isn't she Gle
er?'
seYet shall know her hair" dc
gedly. ).
She nut her hands swiftly to h
head. "Now you have known me t
wears What is the color Of my hair
why, it is blond
osNothing of the kind. 1t is aubul
you tell hers?'
II shall probably run after eve
red-headed woman in Europe TIL
find her." humorously.
.'If you can keep out OF jail 10
y enough" :,
Il shall at any rate remember
voice.
"That is better. Our ears never
ceive half SO often as our eyes"
"Her face is not SCARED, is it?'
Scared" Indignantly. "She is
beautiful as Raphael, as lovely
a Bouguereau. If | were man
should gladly journey round
world for the sight of her
81 am willing, even anxious.
81 should fall in love with her"
81 believe ! have
..And should marry her, too
The Health of Your Horse.
will be best promoted-best preser
If YOU are ready to give the pro
remedy at the proper time. The pre-
remedy for all strains, sprains, or c
-1.tIN W.