The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-17

am not going To be put OF like
this, she said quietly. There Is
something very wrong going on In the
house-something that you are con
.eaiing from my guardian and your
husband Who Is that MANI"
Old susan made no reply. She still
erlpped Ailsa tightly. but the look OF
madness was fading from her eyes.
the pallid face grew less vivid.
don't know what you mean" she
said. You are talking In riddles Go
10 bed. dearie. and leave a poor old
woman alone. Was | unkind TO YOU"
Inc speaker had dropped Ailsa's
hands. and stood sorrowfully regard-
Ing the hard red bands round the
girls wrists The fit OF sudden pas
sion was passing as quickly as the
dispersion or an April storm. Susan
Tell back In her chair again. and the
dazed look was once more on her
face. Evidently she had aroused her
self with an effort that was utterly
beyond her strength. Ailsa did not
know whether to pity her or be sorry.
But the girl did not mean To lose all
the advantage she had gained.
Has anybody been ill-treating
you" she asked Now, tell me-"
Nobody" Susan muttered. 1t was
all an accident. | tell you II was an
accident. And If you don't believe IL.
why, then, | say that you lie
We will not discuss that" Ailsa
went on. There is a man upstairs.
He Is there for no good purpose. Who
Is he and what is he doing here |
am quite certain that you can give
me the desired information. and
mean 10 have il. Tell me without any
further prevarication who that man
is and what he is after,'
Nobody there" she muttered No
body at all Everything is changed.
dearie. changed out of recognition.
You'll want candle. sure"
A glimmer of light flashed across
Ailsas understanding. Surely Susan
was under the impression that she
was talking TO the man upstairs. He
had had occasion 10 strike match'
as II he missed some familiar land
mark In the dark. and here was Susan
suggesting that somebody or other
would certainly need candle. FROM
the bottom OF her heart Ailsa wished
that Thomas was back again. Ola
Susan might be seriously hurt, ana
yet. on the other hand. there might
be nothing serious the matter with
her.
What is he looking for, and where
is it," Aisa demanded suddenly
The case?" Susan said with sud
den flame OF reason Behind one or
the panels In the old Blue Room. Only
It's not called the Blue Room now.
dearie. II is missiles studio. But
you'll never find il. he's too cunning
for that"
There was sense In the speech, as
Ailsa did not fail TO recognise. The
swiftness OF her question had caused
Susan TO betray herself But the lat
ter part of her speech was obviously
addressed to somebody other than
Ailsa. The old woman was wander
ing in her mind now between TWO
people Her head sank on her breast
again, and she slumbered once more.
She was suffering from both mental
and physical shock. as Ailsa could see.
But she would have 10 be left 10 her
self for moment, as Ailsa's duty was
upstairs She was not in the least
afraid now. she was going 10 see this
thing through. That man was look
ing for something In her studio, at
one time called the Blue Room. Paint
ing was Ailsas one JOY. the blessed
occupation that preserved her reason.
without II she would have passed in
to a green and yellow melancholy
The studio was all her own, nobody
ever went there.
She had gathered the furniture to-
gether from different parts OF the
house, Persian carpet from here. a
statue from there, suit or armor
from another place. There were
trophies OF arms on the oak panelled
walls, old china and pictures of price
Ailsa's studio would not have dis
graced the house of distinguished
and popular X A. Even now there
was a new interest added TO the place
fn-t he-nresence OF n man who was
seeking for something there. With
out the slightest suggestion or rear
Ailsa mounted the stairs again silent
Is as ever in her bare feet. she was
not going to surprise the man, she
had no intention of asking his business
unless she was compelled to do so.
But that he was going to take any
thing away without her consent, Ailsa
denied. Probably he was in the studio
by this time.
Ailsa's conclusions were absolutely
correct. The man was moving about
the studio mutteriDg to himself an he
came in contact with one unfamiliar
object after another. He appeared
TO be at home, and yet he was very
much abroad trinket fell 10 the
floor with n crash. and the intruder
swore aloud then there was grunt
OF satisfaction as the mans hand en-
countered a gas bracket on the wall.
Time enough, too" he muttered.
"Wcn. I'll risk IL. Better than break
ing my neck and getting the house
about me | wonder what Colvil'e
would say IL he could see me here at
this moment. What on earth did
do with my matchbox?
Ailsa clipped behfnd a scrueH by the
doorway. The match fiared out, there
was Kissing OF gas, and the soft pop
o. the flame as the vesta touched II.
The light was very dim and low, for
the gas was shaded by an Opaque pink
globe with shade over II. Ailsa pre-
ferred number OF small subdued
lights To one or two glazing large ones
the effect on the perfectly finished
studio was much more artistic. The
light was very faint, but It enabled
the marauder TO see what he was
doing.
"Til not light any more" he NUT
tered \"This one Is quite sufficient
Nv love, what contrast to the last
time | saw this room Colvilles ward
IS evidently a lady OF very pretty taste.