, 1910-12-29
oOnR1Hy 1898 6r mn 6066J,MkAAzL coneHsy

no, think not. There are plenty of
Wallaces around, but | don't know any
Lucien.''
1 was as certain as possible that
ne did. People do not lie readily to
me. N this man lied beyond a doubt.
sui there was nothing to be gained
now; his defenses were up, and left.
hall irritated and wholly bafied.
Our reception was entirely different
at DIR. Stewards. Taken into the
bosom of the family at once, Flinders
tied outside and nibbling the grass at
the roadside, Gertrude and I drank
some homemade %elderberry wine and
told briefly of the fire. OF the more
serious part of the nights experience,
OF course, we said nothing. But when
at last we had left the family on the
porch and the good doctor was unity
ing our steed, I asked him the same
question i had put to DR.. Walker.
Shot" he said. BLESS my soul.
no. Why, what have you been doing
up at the big house. Miss Innes?"
Some n tried to enter the house
during the fire, and was shot and
$ slightly injured / said hastily.
Please don't mention it; we wish to
make as little of it as possible"
There was one other possibility. and
we tried that. At Casanova station |
saw the station master, and asked him
If any rains left Casanova between
IL O'Clock and daylight. There was
none until 6 a. III. The next question
required more diplomacy.
) Did you notice on the six o'clock
train any person-any man-who
limped a little?" | asked. please
try to remember; we are trying to
race a man who was seen lettering
round Sunnyside last night before
the fire."
He was all attention in a moment.
81 was up there myself at the fire.
he said volubly. I'm a member of
the volunteer company. First big fire
we've had since the summer house
burned over to the club golf links
My wife was sayin' the other day,
Dave, you might as well "a saved the
money in that there helmet and shirt
And here last night they came in
handy. Rang that bell SO hard l
hadn't time scarcely to get 'em on"
. Nou Stt d lldH WIN
limped?" Gertrude put in, a. he
stopped for breath.
Not at the train, man," he said.
No such person got on here to-day.
But I'll tell you where | did see a
man that limped. l didn't wait till the
company left; there's a fast freight
goes through at 4:45, and | had to
get down to the station. | seen there
wasn't much more to do anyhow at
the fire-we'd got the flames under con
trol'-Gertrude looked at me n
smiled-"so | started down the hill.
There was folk here and there goin'
home, and along by the path to the
Country club / seen two e One
was a short fellow. He was sitting on
a big rock, his back to me, and he
had something white in his hand, as If
he was tying up his foot. After I'd
gone on a piece | looked back, and he
vas hobbling on and-excrse me, miss
he was swearing something sicken-
I ing"
did they go toward the club?"
Gertrude asked suddenly, leaning for
ward.
mo, miss. / think they came into
the village. l didn't get a look at
their faces, but / know every chick
and child In the place, and everybody
knows me. When they didn't shout
at me-in my uniform, you KNOW
tool 1t they were strangers"
So all we had for our afternoons
work was this: Some one had been
shot by the bullet that went through
the door; he had not left the village,
I and he had not called in a physician.
Also, DIR. Walker knew who Lucien
Wallace was, and his very denial
made me confident that, in that one
direction at least, we were on the
right track.
Gertrude" l said. 81 have been a
very selfish old woman You are go
ing to leave this miserable house to-
night. Annie Morton is going to Scot
land next week, and you shall go right
with her"
To my surprise, she flushed pain
! fully.
/ Il don't want to go, Aunt Ray" she
said. Don't make me leave now"
You are losing your health and
your good looks" l said decidedly.
you should have a change"
81 shan't stir a foot" She was
equally decided. Then, more lightly:
why, you and Liddy need me to ar
bitrate between o every day in the
week."
Perhaps I was growing suspicious Of
every one, but 1t seemed to me that
Gertrude's gayety was forced and ar
tifcial. | watched her covertly during
the rest OF the drive, and ! did not
like the two spots of crimson in her
pale cheeks. But | said nothing more
about sending her to Scotland; ! knew
she would not go.
CHAPTER XIV.