Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-16


by his report, Winter joined his aunt
Should he tell her his suspicious and
their ground Wasn't he morally
obliged, now, to tell her? 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 right to any information
on the matter in his possession?
Reluctantly he admitted that she
did have such 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 SO much the
desire to guard her nerves (Which he
knew perfectly well were OF robuster
fiber than those Of most women 20
or 40 years younger than she): no, he
admitted it grimly, he had not so much
spared his aunt as Janet Smith; he
could not bear to direct suspicion to-
ward her But how could he keep ST.
lent longer? Kicking this question
about In his mind, he spoiled the eayor
OF his after-dinner cigar although his
aunt graciously babe him smoke 1t In
her parlor.
And still Miss Smith had not re-
turned: really, 1t was only fair to her
to have her present when he told his
story to his aunt; no, he was not grab
bling at any excuse for delay; II he
could watch that girls face while he
told his story he would-well. he
would have his mind settled one way
or another.
Here the telephone bell rang; the
manager informed Col. Winter that
Mrs. Wigglesworth had returned.
"Wigglesworth? What an extraor-
binary name!" cried Millicent when
the colonel shared his information.
Good old New England name:
know some extremely nice Wiggles-
worths In Boston," Mrs. Winter
COZ cou.e-, no ILLUSIONS are mace to
any real NJ. 20lS9.
amended with touch Of hauteur; and.
at this moment, there came . knock
at the door.
There Is all the difference in the
world between knocks; knock as
often as not conveys most uninten-
tional hint In regard to the character
of the one behind the knuckles; and
often, also the mood Of the knocker Is
reflected in the sound which he makes.
Were there truth in this, one would
Judge that the person who knocked at
this moment must be woman, for the
knock was not loud, but almost timid-
ly gentle; one might even guess that
she was agitated, for the tapping was
In hurried. uneven measure.
II believe it is Mrs. Wigglesworth
herself" declared Aunt Rebecca. Der
tie, I'm going into the other room;
she will talk more freely to you. She
would want to spare my nerves. That
is the nuisance Of being old. Now open
the door,"
She was halfway across the thresh.
old before she finished, and the colo
fnel's fingers on the doorknob waited
only for the closing of her door to
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 lady from
Massachusetts. She wore that little
close bonnet which certain elderly Bos-
ton gentlewomen can neither be driv-
en- nor allured 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 soft complexion and
wore glasses. Equally evident to the
observer was the fact Of her sup
pressed agitation.
She waved aside the colonel's prof
fered chair, introducing herself in a
musical, almost tremulous voice with
the crisp enunciation of her section of
the country. II am Mrs. Wiggles-
worth; 1 understand, Col. Winter
you?-y-yes, no, thank you, will not
sit. IL understand Mrs. Winter-ah,
your aunt, is an elderly woman"
'This is my sister-in-law, Mrs. Mel
Vile Winter" explained the colonel.
"My aunt is elderly in years, but In
nothing else"
Mrs. Wigglesworth smiled faint
smile; the colonel could see tremble
of the hand that was unconsciously
drawing her fur collar more tightly
about her throat. "How very nice
yes, to be sure" she faltered. "But
you will understand that did not wish
to alarm her. heard that you wanted
to speak to me, and that the little boy
was lost"
cor stolen" Mrs. Melville said.
crisply.
The colonel, in few words, dis
played the situation. He had pre-
vailed upon his visitor to sit down, and
while he spoke he noticed that her
hands held each other tightly, al
though she appeared perfectly COM
posed and did not interrupt. She an
swered his questions directly and
quietly. She had been away taking
tea with friend; she had remained
to dine. Her maid had gone out ear
lier to spend the day and night with
sister in the city; so the room was
empty between six and seven o'clock.
"The chambermaid wasn't there,
them"
81 don't think so She usually does
the room and brings the towels for the
bath in the morning But asked her,
to make sure, and she says that she