The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-08-22
AN OBSERVER
BY MARION l.. BAKER.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

MiSS Eluheflou, ASeu uIly-ufe. OCcu
pied house from whose rear windows
abe could look out upon the back yars
Of the Pieasantons. She spent the res
Of the day on guard, but nothing oc
Cured to suggest a solution of th'
commotion that so deeply interested
her. But that night as she was clos
ing the blinds before getting into bed
she saw forms moving about near thu
fence that divided the two properties
Slipping ON wrapper and her shoes.
she went down stairs, out the back
door and stole along till she was neal
enough to see what was goiag on.
What was her surprise and horror
to see Evelyn Pleasanton standing
beside an old family manseryant who
was digging hole In the ground.
When 1t was completed the servant
went into the house, returning with q
box just long enough and the proper
shape to hold the body of an infant
The servant placed the box in the hole.
while something white held before
Evelyn's eyes indicated that she was
weeping. Then the servant filed the
| grave and replaced the sod evidently to
conceal the spot, and the. two entered
the house, Miss, Pinkerton returned
to her room swollen with the impor-
lance of the secret she had discovered
and went to bed. but not to sleep.
| Reginald should know this" she
said to herself. He must know 1t. 1t
IL my duty to tell him. | have no right
to permit young man to marry a
girl In ignorance Of her true charac-
ter"
The next morning she sent an anony.
nous note to Reginald Clemens, giving
him a detailed account OF what she
had seen the night before.
Now. so we'll known were the prying
instincts Of Miss Pinkerton that her
house was commonly called the OBJ
servatory. At first blush, on perusing
the note. RegInald's heart stood still
Then, remembering that the .observa
| tory" overlooked the back yard of his
fiancee's home, 1t suddenly occurred
| to him that Miss pinkerton had been
| the Observer and writer OF the note
The same evening no laid 1t before
| Evelyn. As soon as her indignation
had subsidized she and her lover. after
prolonged consultation, settled on a
plan of action.
The next day Reginald called on Miss
Pmkerton, secured q confessions froni
her that she had written the note aud
expressed himself profoundly grateful
for the information II contained.
One moralng Miss Pinksrton re-
ceived Il note from Evelyn Pleasanton
stating that she had a confession 70
make. trusting TO ths kindlness OF
Miss Pinkcrtop's 1zg position. her hon
esty of purpose. n1u asked permission
to intrust q secret Of importance to her
care, Would Miss Pinkerton kindly
meet her the next night at II o'clock
at the fence dividing the two placest
II Miss tinkerton was pleased al
her discovery she was beside herself
with delight at the prospect of receiv,
Ing confession and being made the
repository Of secret. The hours
dragged heavily until evening cam.
and heavier stiil TIL the clock struck
the hour for the meeting Then Miss
Pinkerton passed through her back
yard aud stood waiting beside the
fence.
Presently a rear door In the Pleas
anton home opened, and Evelyn. az
| companied by the servant who had
dug the grave. carrying spade, came
toward the waiting woman. Seeing
Miss Pinkerton leaning on the fence
Evelyn said to her:
II have to thank you, dear Miss
Plnkerton. for consentIug to share
with me the burden OF my secret. !
have considered that the matter is Of
| sufficient importance to warrant its
being placed in the keeping of several
other persons They are coming now"
From the rear door came Reginald
Clemens carrying a lantern. He was
followed by the Rev. Mr.. Stark
weather, DR.. Arnold and their wives
AS the party approached the servant
began opening the little grave which
had been made few nights before
While he dug the party stood 10
silence. Having exhumed the box. he
produced screwdriver for the pur-
pose of opening 1t. Miss Plnkerton. un-
able to restrain her curiosity. pushed
forward, bent over the box and when
the lid was removed was peering In
tently into II. Evelyn stepped forward
and, removing a cloth, uncovered the
body Ola poodle.
At the same moment Reginald
raised the lantern 20 that Its light
shone upon not only the dead dog but
the face of Miss Pinkerton Her ex-
preston was study. 1t is said that
to drowning person the events OF a
whole lifetime come up at once. Miss
pinkerton saw at least the lesson Of a
lifetime. For years she had been pry-
ing into rNople's AFFAIRS without q
check. In this episode she received
sufficient punishment TO cover every
meddlesome act since she was a girl
Are you satishedf" asked Reginald.
whose indignation had been kept under
restraint and whose tone was now
cold and cutting.
Miss Pinkerton without word
turned and went to her own room,