, 1910-11-24

reason for leaving ner people and
coming home. a reason. moreover,
that kept her from going at once to
Mrs. Ogden Fitghugh. and brought her
to the lodge at Sunnyside instead, 1t
was not my intention to betray her.
Louise herself must notify her people.
I do not Justify myself now. but re-
member, I vas in a peculiar position
toward the Armstrong family. I was
connected most unpleasantly with a
cold FLOODED 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 IL
Louise is with you You see. Miss
lines. Louise must have started east.
and Fanny is alarmed about her"
"Yes," I said.
Louise is not here" Mrs. Fitzhugh
went on. "and none Of her friends
the few who are still in town-havs
side was not rented when she went
away, and Louise might have gone
there"
II am sorry, Mrs. F1tzhugh. but I
cannot help you," I said, and was i'm
mediately filed with conjunction.
Suppose Louise grew worsef Vino
was I to play Providence In this
casef The anxious mother certainly
had q right TO know that her daughter
was in good hands. So / broke In on
Mrs. Fitzhugh's voluble excuse for
disturbing me.
Mrs. Fitzhugh." I said. "T was 60
ing to let you think I knew nothing
about Louise Armstrong, but I have
changed my mind. Louise is here,
with me-" There was q clatter Of
Calculations at the other and of the
wire. "Shs Is ill, and not able to be
moved. Moreover, she is unable Il see
any one. / wish you would wire her
mother that she IL with me, and tell
her not to worry. No. I do not know
why she came east"
But my dear Miss Innes!" Mrs.
Fftzhugh began. I cut in ruthlessly.
Il will send for YOU as DOL as she
can see you" ! said. mo, she il not
in Q c%ritic,.' state now, but the doctor
says she must have absolute quiet.
When / had hung up the receiver, I
sat down to think. So Louise had fed
from her people in California, and had
come east alone! It occurred to me
that DR.. Walker might be concerned
in 1t, 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. 1t 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. It was the sutton whom I
should have expected to see In head
long fight, not the lady in the case.
The puzzle was no clearer at the
end of the half hour. I picked up the
morning papers, which were still full
of the looting of the Traders bank,
the interest at fever height again, IN
ccoun of Paul Armstrong; death.
The bank examiners were working on
the books, and said nothing for publ
cation; John Bailey had been released
OF bond. The body of Paul Armstrong
would arrive Sunday and would be
buried from the Armstrong town
house. There were rumor that the
dead mans estate had been a com
paratively small one. The last para
graph vas the impcrtens 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 .
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 its
cashier.
The gardener mentioned by Halsey
came out about two o'clock in the aft
ernoon, and walked up from the sta
ton. I was favorably impressed BY
him. His references ere good-he
had been employed by the Brays' until