The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-25


Josiah Auchincloss of st. Louis,
Missouri" read Mr.. Ransom. "No,"
the pane Is new to me. Didn't she
tell you anything about him when she
gave you her instructions?"
mot a word. She said, You will
hear from him If ever this will is
published. He has right to the
money and l entreat you to show your
respect for me by seeing that he gets
1t without any unnecessary trouble
That was all she said or would say.
Your wife was woman of powerful
character, Mr.. Ransom. My little arts
counted for nothing in any difference
OF opinion between U.s."
"Auchincloss!" repeated Ransom.
Another unknown quantity in the
problem Of my poor girls life. What
a tangle! Do you wonder that l am
overcome by it? Anitra-the so-called
brother-and now this Auchincloss!"
Right, Ransom, share your con-
fusion"
do you?" The words came very
slowly, penetratingly. Haven't you
some idea-some strange, possibly
half-formed notion or secret intuition
which might afford some clew to this
labyrinth? have been told that
lawyers have knack of getting at
the bottom Of human conduct and af.
fairs. You have had a wide expert
ence; does 1t not suggest some an
swer to this problem which will har-
monize all its discordant elements and
make clear its various complications? 2"
Mr.. Harper shook his head, but
there was a restrained excitement in
his manner which was not altogether
the reflection of that which dominated
Ransom, and the latter, observing it,
leaned across the table till their faces
almost touched.
do you guess my thought?" he
whispered. Look at me and tell me
II you guess my thought"
The lawyer hesitated, eying the
trembling lip, the changing color, the
wide-open, deeply flushed eyes so near
his own; then with a slow smile of ex.
traordinary subtlety, If not of compre.
pension, answered in barely audible
murmur:
II think do. I may be mad, but I
think do"
The other sank back with a sigh
charged with what the lawyer inter.
preted as relief. Mr.. Harper reseated
himself, and for a moment neither
looked at the other, and neither
spoke; 1t would almost seem as II
neither breathed. Then, as a bird, de.
ceived by the silence, hoped to the
window sill and began it's cheep,
"cheep," Mr.. Ransom broke the spell
by saying in low but studiously bust.
ness-like tones:
Have you thought it worth while
to study the ground under her win.
dow or anywhere else for footprints?
1t might not be amiss; what do you
think about it?"
Let us CO." readily acquisced the
lawyer, rising to his feet with an
honest show of alacrity; "after which
must telegraph to New York. l was
expected back to-day"
II know 1t; but your duties there
will keep; these here cannot. Your
hand on the promise that you will re-
spect my secret till-well, till l can
assure you that my intuitions are de.
void Of any real basis"
The lawyers palm met his; then
they started to 60 out; but before
they had passed the door, Mr.. Ransom
came back, and lifting the comb from
the table he put 1t in his pocket. AS
he did this, his eye flashed sidewise
on the other. There were strange
hints and presentiments in it which
brought the color to the usually i'm.
rerturbnble lawyers cheek.
In going out they passed the Office
door They rounded the corner of
the house and entered narrow walk,
tagged with brick, which connected
the space in front with the rear of.
fees and garden. This walk ran close
to the walls which were broken on
this side by All ell projecting in the
direction of the mill.stream. It was
declared Georgian to have slipped and
.alien.
Their FIRST caro- was to glance up
at Tie roOt. 1t was siOping one and
Anitras story seemed cIeulDie enough
wuon they noted now mucn easier 1t
would be 10 uiOp upon 1t from the
little balcony overhead than TO ira.
verse the roof itself and reach the
ground beneath without slipping. But
as they looked longer, each face be.
trayed doubt. The descent from the
balcony was easy enough. but how
about the passage from Georgian's
window to the balcony? This latter
was confined to the one window, and
was surrounded by an ornamental bal.
ustrade, high enough to offer a decid-
ed obstacle to the adventurous per.
son endeavOring To lean unOn it from