The San Francisco call., 1910-08-21

hear all about it from the moment /
had seen him. j hated to think of the
questions I would have to answer. yet
I would have to face them some time,
and it was better to get 1T over at once.
When I reached the sitting room
door l was decidedly dashed at sight of
Estrella MendeZ red pelisse behind
Hallie's blue hat ribbons Two of
them were a little too much for me,
and / was all ready for flight when
Halle pounced upon me. She is such
an imposing person, wears so many
tucks and ruffies in her clothes, such
bows on her hats, and can spread her
skirts about and rustic so, that l al
ways feel like the merest child beside
her.
You poor little Ellie" she began
how pale you look still am afraid
1 frightened you to death yesterday.
/ murmured something about being
much upset.
yes. your father said you were not
at all well. He gave me such scold-
ing for pouncing out on you like that.'
She laughed her deep thToaty chuckle.
But / supposed of course you had
heard, 1t happened so close to you.
Didn't you even hear the shot?'
must have gaped at her Gould it
be she didn't know that l had seen
it? Didn't know what 1 had been
through? I recalled confusedly the
warning of the chief Of police and
father not to say anything of what I
had seen. This was what they meant;
this was the meaning of the carriage.
the alley and the back door of the
prison; all my part In the business had
been kept secret. l wondered what in
the world Halle could have thought of
my behavior last night but I was
greatly relieved to think of the fusil-
lade of questions I had escaped. 7
managed to get out something about
fathers having heard a shot
or course know that" Hal
lie said, pulling me down on
the sofa beside her. She
was too full of her subject to notice
how oddly 1 must have locked. 'sIt,s
all in the paper, how they found him
MIR. Rood, I mean
It's here" Estrelia said. sitting
down on the other side of me. and
unfolding the crumpIed sheet she had
been carrying rolled up in her hand.
She and Halle held 1t stretched out
In front of me-
The sight of Johnny Montgomery
name staring at me from the page
made my heart beat a little Rut
when / began reading down the col
umn / couldn't seem to make sense
of it. The only thing that stood out
in the tumble was a name nearly AZ
a
lencia. 1t gave me queer little stir
of feeling, merely seeing that name
under his. Keeping my finger on II,
Who is that?" l asked
oh, don't you know?" Halle de-
manded. looking surprised. but de-
lighted at the chance of giving more
information. That is. the Spanish
woman" EstrelIa crossed her arms
on her waist. and drew herself up,
exactly as her mother does when she
thinks some one is beneath her you
see." Halle went on. explaining a
little more to me. "she was-welI. a
sort of friend of Mr.. Rood's. and the
paper says she feels dreadful1y about
him,' Estrella shifted
But" 1 cried, you said last night
Z that the shooting had been over her.
Yes. know Halle leaned for
ward impressively and seized hand
of each of JUS. ITS perfectly true
at least it's what my father said when
the news came He said, That con-
founded Valencia woman is at the
bottom sof this. depend upon it, But
your father was very angry that !
had spoken of it, so of course I'm tell
ing you this in strictests confidence.
The paper Halle went on, we both
listening with open eyes, doesn't say
the. Spanish woman had anything to
do with the shooting. So you see, no
one does know exactly what it's
about! It's really the most mys-