The Tupelo journal., 1910-07-22

lNDWkH &LS
Old Ladies' home and ruins their d.
eestion by sending them ice cream
and cake on every holiday. Beyond
that, and her reputation at bridge.
which is insuherably bad-she is the
worst player at the bridge club
know little of her. 1t was she who
had taken charge of Arnold Arm
strong's funeral, however, and I went
at once to the telephone.
EYES," I said, this is Miss Innes."
Miss Innes," she said volubly, Il
have just received a very strange tele-
gram from my cousin, Mrs. Arm
strong. Her husband died yesterday
in California and-wait, / will read
you the message"
! knew what was coming, and l
made up my mind at once. If Louise
Armstrong had a good and sufficient
reason for leaving her people and
coming home, a reason, moreover,
that kept her from going at once to
Mrs. Ogden F%itghugh, and brought her
to the lodge at Sunnyside instead. it
was not my intention to betray her.
Louise herself must notify her people.
I do not justify myself now, but re-
member, I was in a peculiar position
toward the Armstrong family. l was
connected most unpleasantly with a
cold-blooded crime, and my niece and
nephew were practically beggared,
either directly or indirectly, through
the head of the family.
Mrs. Fitzhugh had found the mas.
sage.
paul died yesterday. Heart dis
ease,' " she read. "'Wire at once If
Louise is with you You see. Miss
Innes, Louise must have started east.
and Fanny is alarmed about her"
"Yes," I said.
Louise is not here" Mrs. Fftzhugh
went on "and none of her friends
the few who are still in town-have
seen her. I called you because Sunny
side was not rented when she went
away, and Louise might have gone
there"
Il am sorry, Mrs. Fftzhugh, but !
cannot help you," 1 said, and was i'm
mediately filled with conjunction.
Suppose Louise grew worse? Who
was l to play Providence in this
case? The anxious mother certainly
had a right to know hat her daughter
was In good hands. So l broke in on
Mrs. Ftzhugh's voluble excuses for
disturbing me.
MRS. Fitzhugh," l said. II vas 60
ing to let you think / knew nothing
about Louise Armstrong, but I have
changed my mind. Louise is here.
with me-" There was a clatter of
calculations at the other end of the
wire. "She is i'll, and not able to be
moved. Moreover, she is unable to see
any one. I wish you would wire her
mother that she is with me, and tell
her not to worry. No, I do not know
why she came east"
But my dear Miss Innes!" Mrs.
Fitzhugh began. I cut in ruthlessly.
II will send for you as Don as she
can see you," l said. mo, she is not
in a critical state now, but the doctor
says she must have absolute quiet.
When / had hung up the receiver, !
sat down to think. So Louise had fed
from her people in California, and had
come east alone! 1t occurred to me
that DR.. Walker might be concerned
in it, might possibly have bothered
her with unwelcome attentions; but
it seemed to me that Louise was hard
iy a girl to take refuge in flight under
such circumstances. She had always
been high-spirited, with the we'll
poised head and buoyant step of the
outdoors girl. It must have been much
more in keeping with Louise's char
acter, as / knew it, to resent vigorous.
ly any unwelcome attentions from DR..
Walker. 1t was the sutton whom
should have expected to see in head
long flight. not the lady in the case.
The puzzle was no clearer at the
end of the half hour. / picked up the
morning papers, which were still full
Of the footing of the Traders bank,
the interest at fever height again, on
account Of Paul Armstrong; death.
The bank examiners were working on
the books, and said nothing for publ.
cation; John Bailey had been released
on bond. The body of Paul Armstrong
would arrive Sunday and would be
buried from the Armstrong town
house. There were rumors that the
dead mans estate had been a com
paratively small one The last para
graph was the important one.
Walter p. Broadhurst Of the Ma
rine bank had produced 200 American
| Traction bonds, which had been placed
as security with the Marine bank for a
loan Of $3.50, 900, made to Paul Arm.
strong, just before his California trip.
The bonds were a part of the missing
traction bonds from the Traders
bank! While this involved the late
president of the wrecked bank, to my
mind it by no means cleared ita
cashier.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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