The Ordway new era., 1910-09-30
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CHAPTER XXI,

Between Two Fireplaces.
What with the excitement Of the dis
covery, the walk home under the stars
in wet shoes and draggled skirts. and
getting upstairs and undressed without
rousing liddy, l was completely used
up. What to do with my boots was
the greatest puzzle of all. there being
no place in the house safe from Lid
dy. until decided to slip upstairs the
next morning and drop them into the
hole the ghost" had made In the
trunkroom wall.
went asleep as soon as I reached
this decision. and In my dreams l
lived over again the events Of the
night. Again l saw the group around
the silent figure on the grass. and
again. as had happened at the grave.
I heard Alexis voice. tense and tri-
umphant:
"Then we've got them" he said.
Only. in my dreams. he said 1t over
and over until he seemed to shrek 1t
in my ears.
wakcned early. In spite of my IA
tigue. and lay there thinking. Who
was Alex? l no longer believed that
he was gardener. Who was the
man whose body we had resurrected?
And where was Paul Armstrong? Prob
ably living safely in some extradition-
less country on the fortune he had
stolen. Did Louise and her mother
know Of the shameful and wicked de-
ception? What had Thomas known.
nd
CarringtOn?
This last question. 1t seemed to me.
was answered. In some way the
woman had learned of the substitu-
tion. and had tried to use her knowl-
edge for blackmail. Nina Carrington's
own story died with her. but. however
1t happened. 1t was clear that she had
carried her knowledge to Halsey the
afternoon Gertrude and | were look
ing for clews to the man / had shot
on the east veranda. Halsey had been
half crazed by what he heard: 1t was
evident that Louise was marrying DIR.
Walker to keep the shameful secret.
for her mothers sake. Halsey. al
ways reckless. had gone at once to
DR.. Walker and denounced him. There
had been a scene. and he left on his
way to the station to meet and notify
Mr.. Jameson of what he had learned
The doctor was active mentally and
physically. Accompanied perhaps by
Riggs. who had shown himself not
everscrupulous until he quarreled
With he s;nploycr. he had gone ac.oss
to the railroad embankment, and. by
jumping in front of the car. had
caused Halsey to swerve. The rest
| of the story we knew.
That was my reconstructed theory
Of that afternoon and evening; 1t was
] almost correct-not quite.
There was telegram that morning
| from Gertrude.
IInlscy conscious and improving. Prob
| ably home In day or so.
GERTRUDE.
With Halsey found and improving
in health. and with at last something
| to work on. began that day. Thurs
day with fresh courage. AS Mr..
| Jameson had said. the lines were
closing up. That was to be caught
! and almost finished in the closing was
happily unknown to us all.
1t was late when ! got up. / lay In
my bed. looking around the four walls
of tn" room. and trying to imagine be-
hind what one of them secret cham
Der might lie. Certainly. in daylight.
Sunnyside deserved its name: never
was house more CHEEKY and open.
less sinister in general appearance.
| There was not corner apparently
that was not open and above-board.
| and yet, somewhere behind its hand
somcly papered walls I believed firmly
that there lay a hidden room. with
all the possibilities 1t would involve.
made a mental note to have the
nous. measured during the day to dis
cover any discrepancy between the
outer and inner walls. and | tried to
recall again the exact wording Of the
paper Jameson had found.
CTO BE CONTINuEDD