Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-07
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81 RED MOUSE
BY
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE
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jealousy and desire for revenge For
a time everything WIS blotted out from
his vision except the face of Lefty |
Love and the face OF Colonel Har-
graves This small world" he NUT
tered to himself. lis much too small |
for me and Colonel Hargraves." With |
that there doomed up out of the mists
of his mind the brilliantly lighted and |
ornate entrance Of a certain apartment
house short distance away. and a
few minutes later, obedient to his sub.
conscious will. his feet carried him
down the stairs to a door evidently
leading to the outside. ChaIloner was
not the first man of social prominence
that could directly trace the beginning
Of his life as an outcast to passing
through that door.
Hiram Edgar Love"-so read fad
ed yellow card on the door panel of
suit 10 in the Dreincourt. an apartment
hotel in section OF the city long pop
ular with a class that has been we'll
termed the "fringe of society" The
name was written in ancient india ink
In copperpiate perfection by the care
full. cleanly. genteei Englishman that
Hiram Edgar Love had been Hiram
Edgar Love. who long ago had
been laid to rest in quiet Surrey
churchyard leagues distant. though his
name still did yaoman service. for it
speIt responsibility. 1t covered mui-
titude of peccadillos His soul went
marching on. for was it not the
shade of Hiram Edgar Love that had
rented the Love suit in the Drelin-
court. his shade that paid the rent.
his pipe and his slippers that lay near
the fireplace for the world to see
Hiram Edgar Love the myth. 1.-THE con-
master of the house?
Before the entrance OF this suit
Challoner came to a halt.
Il wonder if she's alone" he unused
as, with something like the palpitating
Difference Of a stranger. he pressed the
button underneath the faded card and
waited to learn his fate at the hands
of the one woman In all the world for
him. Nor was it by any means the
first time that he had asked himself
that question. All the way through
the streets it had been in his mind ev-
cry moment. and so absorbed was he
with the thought that he failed to see
the familiar nod with which the di-
minutive god of the Drelincourt lift
acknowledged his advent as he pro-
ceeded to carry upward his human
freight.
Leaving the car at the desired land
ing. he directed his steps to the ex-
| treme end Of the corridor.
IF he's there" he assured himself.
pressing the button, ''I'll know what
to do, all right. "
"If # were not for Hargraves"- He
broke off abruptly. for the door had
opened with unexpected suddenness.
! A trim little maid stood before him.
! "Your mistress-is she at home"
1 miss Love is not at home. SIR"
| Challoner was not so sure about that.
In a trice he was past her. going
through room after room until he had
covered the entire apartment. and she
had barely recovered from the shock
that his strange behavior had given
her when he was back again in the
4 small, square hall eying her suspi-
ciously.
miss Love is not in. SIR" She told
him, Just as If he did not already know
IL.
But you know where she went?"
Indeed. sir. do not" she replied
and her eyes were as steady as the
Iips that said, "She should be with hel
father. SIR"
Challoner ragged inwardly He thought
he detected IL CLEAN of mockery in hel
leyes. II want you to tell me where
Lefty isv' he said in tone that told
plainly that such lies we're not for him
You might try Atlantic City. sir,
she suggested blandly. Its quite pos
;ible that they went there"
At this Challoner looked ugly. and
Selling her roughly by the arm. he lee
her to her mistress boudoir. where
pointing to cabinet that stood in 8
corner. he exclaimed:
who put him there?"
For answer the girl shrugged he
shoulders She made no attempt tt
lisengage herself from his grasp
merely watched Challoner MS his gaz'
rested angrily on plain gold frame
n which was an unconventional hal
cngtb photograph of Colonel Richart
Iargrayes.
Even on paper Hargraves' lazy eye
seemed to insult and tantaliZe him
md an insane desire to crush. bate
md destroy this counterfeit present
nent came over him. For an instan
ne had vague sensation of suffoca
ton, almost to choking. and, releasing
the girl. his hand sought his throat
1t encountered a scarfpin-a tritie thu
his wife had given him long ago. Tear
ing it quickly from his scarf, he es
tended it toward the maid.
THAT may fetch the truth fror
her." he said to himself. aud alout
'srell me where Lefty is. and-no".
the girl was reaching for the. jewe
, but he held it from her-'no. tell III
first," he added hoarsely, toying wit
the pin.
well. then. If you must know. sir
! she stammered. ''she went to Graves
end-the races. SIR" n
Thrusting his face into hers an
pointing with the pin to the portrai
! Challoner cried:
Then she to with him?'
The girl was silent. She was Agu