The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-06

ANAHAt - HNh H"t'I HHNNN kNUtAAHn
and have tilam wrlte Il down. BE
back here tonight BY ten. II you can.
yourself"
Haley dismissed, and his own ap.
petite for dinner effectnally diapelled
by his report, Winter Joined bis aunt
Should he tell her his suspicious and
their ground2 Wasn't he morally
obliged, now to tell here She was co.
guardian with him OF the boy. who, he
had no doubt. had been spirited away
by Mercer and his accomplish: and
hadn't she a right to any Information
IN the matter in his possessionY
Reluctantly he admitted that she
did have such n right; and. he ad.
mitted further, being a man who never
cheated at solitaire. that his object in
keeping the talk OF the two men
from her had not been 50 much tho
desire TO guard her nerves (which he
knew perfectly we'll were OF a rohuster
iber than those o. most woTnen 20
or 40 years younger than shel. no. he
admitted Il grimly, he had not 80 much
spared his aunt as Janet Smith; he
GO I'd not bear 20 direct suspicion TO-
ward her, But how could he keep 81.
lent longerg Kicking this question
about IN his mind. he spoiled the flavor
Of his a%ftcr-dinnet cigar, although his
aunt graclously babe him smoke It IN
her parlor.
And ssiil Miss Smith had not 70
turned really, It was only fair 70 her
TO have her present when he told his
story TO HIS aunt no, he was not grab
bling at any excuse for delay; n no
could watch that girls face while no
told his story he would-well, he
would have his mind settled one way
or another.
Here the telephone bell rang: tho
manager informed Col. Winter that
Mrs. Wiggleswor.h lad returned.
"wigelesworth What an extraor-
binary name'' cried Mflicent whom
the colonel shared his information.
Good old New England name; l
know one extremely nice Wiggiek.
worths IN Boston," Mrs. Winter
amended with a touch OF hauteur; and.
ut this moment, there came q knock
'at the door. 4
There 10 all the difference In the
world between knocks; a knock ~
often as not conveys a most unlnten.
tional hint In regard TO the character
Of the M behind the k%nrckles; and
often. also, the mood Of the kn0cker ls
reflected in the sound which he makes.
Were there truth IN this, one would
Judge that the person who Knocked az
this moment must be a woman. for the
knock was not loud, but almost iimid.
iy gentle; one might even guess that
she was agitated, for the tapping was
IN a hurried, uneven measure.
4 believe Il is Mrs. WIgelesworth
herself, declared Aunt Rebecca Der.
tie, I'm going into the other room
she viii talk more freely 70 you, she
would want 70 spare my nerves. That
is The nuisance Of being old. Now open
the door,
She WIS halfway across the thresh.
old before she finished, and the colo
nel's fingers on the doarknub waited
only for the closing Of her door 70
turn to admit the lady In waiting.
A lady she was beyond doubt. and
any one who had travelled would have
been sure that she was a lady from
Massachusetts,. She wore that little
close bonnet which certain elderly Hos.
ton g~entlewomen can neither be driv
en- nor allufed to abandon; her rich
and quiet black sIlken gown might
have been made any year within the
last five. and her furs would have
graced a princess. She had beautiful
gray hair and a soft complexion and
wore classics. Equally evident 70 the
observer was the fact Of her SUI.
pressed agitation.
She waved aside the ~colonel's prof
fered chair, introdnclng herself IN o
musical, almost tfemulous voice with
the crisp enunciatlnn Of hcy Secilun of
the country. u am silva Nlgnles.
worth; | understand. Col. Winter
.youg-yyes, no, thank you, | viii not
oft. I-~I understand Mrs. wintef--ah.
your aunt, Is an elderly woman"
This Is my slsterIniaw, Mrs Mel
Vile Winter explained the colonel.
MY aunt H. elderly Ia years, but Ia
nothing else"
Mrs. Wiggleswurth smiled q faint
smile; tho colonel could see a tremble
Of the hand that was unconsciously
drawing her fur collar more tightly
about her throat. How very nice
yes. 70 bs slrc.' she ialtered 1But
gosi will understand that did not wish
70 alarm her. heard that you wanted
TO speak 10 me. aad that the little boy
was lost
Or stolen" Mrs Melville said,
crlspIy.
The colonel. in a few words, dis
The situation. He had pre-
vailed upon his visitor to sli down. and
while he apuke he noticed that her
hands held each other tightly, Al
though she appeared perfectly com
rused and did not Interrupt. She an
snsfed bis questions directly and
quietly. SHE had been awsy takine
tea with q frIend she had remained
% dine. Her maid had one put ear
l|eT to spend the day and night with q
sister Ii the rltys 10 The VAS
empty between slz and seven nIeIeck