Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1910-09-01
CHAPTER IX.-Continued.

CHAPTER iX.-Continued.
They stared at each other across
the big library table, with young eyes
all at once hard, suspicious. And
then Gertrude held out both hands to
him appealingly.
1--WE must not" she said brokenly.
"Just now, with so much at stake, 1t
lis shameful. l know you are as fg-
norant as | am. Make me believe 1t,
Halsey"
Halsey soothed her as best he could,
and the breach seemed healed. But
long after | went to bed he sat down
stairs in the living room alone, and l
knew he was going over the case as
he had learned it. Some things were
clear to him that were dark to me.
He knew, and Gertrude, too, why Jack
Bailey and he had gone away that
night, as they did. He knew where
they had been for the last 4S hours,
and why Jack Bailey had not returned
with him. 1t seemed to me that with
out fuller confidence from both the
children-they are always children to
mel should never be able to learn
anything
AS l was finally getting ready for
bed Halsey came upstairs and knocked
at my door. When / had got into a
negligee-I used to say wrapper be-
fore Gertrude came back from school
Il let him in. He stood in the door
way a moment, and then he went into
agonies of silent mirth. | sat down
on the side of the bed and waited in
severe silence for him to stop, but he
only seemed to grow worse. When
he had recovered he took me by the
elbow and pulled me in front of the
mirror.
How to be beautiful" he quoted.
"Advice to maids and matrons, by
Beatrice Fairfax!'" And then | saw
myself. I had neglected to remove
my wrinkle eradicators, and presume
my appearance was odd. l believe
that it is a woman's duty to care for
her looks, but it is much like telling
necessary falsehOod-one must not
be found out By the time | got them
off Halsey was serious again, and
LSleLeu W HIS SlOly.
Aunt Ray" he began, extinguish
ing his cigarette on the back of my
ivory hair-brush, 81 would give a lot
to tell you the whole thing. But
can't, for day or so, anyhow. But
one thing might have told you a long
time a ago. If you had known it, you
would not have suspected me for q
moment of-of having anything to dc
with the attack on Arnold Armstrong
Goodness knows what | might do tc
a fellow like that, if there was enough
provocation, and | had a gun in my
hand-under ordinary circumstances
Butt care great deal about Louise
Armstrong, Aunt Ray. l hope to mar
ry her some day. Is it likely / would
kill her brother?"
But the whole thing Is absurd"
argued. And besides, Gertrude.
sworn statement that you left before
Arnold Armstrong came would cleal
you at once"
Halsey got up and began to pace
the room, and the air of cheerfulnes!
dropped like a mask.
''She can't swear it." he said finally
"Gertrude's story was true as far a.
1t went, but she didn't tell everything
Arnold Armstrong came here at 2:3t
came into the billiard room and lef
in five minutes. He came to bring
something
"Halsey, l cried, you must tell mC
the whole truth. Every time I SEE
way for you to escape you block i
yourself with this wall of mystery
What did he bring?"
"A telegram--for Bailey" he said
"It came by special messenger from
town. and was-most important. Bale,
had started for here, and the messen
ger had gone back to the city. Th,
steward gave it 10 Arnold, who haC
been drinking ali day and couldn'
sleep, and was going for stroll il
the direction of Sunnyside."
"And he brought it?"
"Yes."
81 can tell you-as soon as certain
things are made public. 1t is only
matter of days now" gloomily.
And Gertrude's story of a tele
phone?" II. f
Poor Trude!" he half whispered
"Poor loyal little girl! Aunt Ray