The San Francisco call., 1910-08-21

Montgomery's house. but he wasn't
there. Then some one told Mr.. Dingley
they had seen man run down Wash
ington street. so they followed that
trail. and finally they got him in a
house down on the water front. in
bad part of the city. My father said
it would have made things better for
him if he had given himself Up quietly.
hut he barricaded the house and al
most escaped out of a back window.
They had q dreadfu fight before they
got him even then. He is so strong.
father says. that he just threw the
men right and left as If he had been
madman."
Halle is wonderful when she is tell
ing news. She never says unkind
things about anybody, and she is al
ways so excited over what has hap
pened that she makes il sound like
romance. But now / was too anxious
to enjoy it. l felt l had 10 ask one
mare question. though every word that
came out of my mouth was a possible
slip or lie. But il they found Mr.
Rood in the street with nobody near
him, what makes them think il was
Mr.. Montgomery who shot him?"
That is the very aueerest part of
it," Halle declared. nodding until her
green feathers nodded again, but he
was suspected Immediately. What
they say is" she lowered her voice
impressively-"that some one saw him
do it,"
/ fairly covered in my chair. But
he can't have meant to kill him." I
urged. Why. his family was one of
the best in the city. Just think. Hal
lie, your mother knew his mother we'll.
and he used to play with Estrella's
brothers."
Estreila flushed. He hasn't been in
our house since he was a little boy"
she said angrily. II wouldn't think OF
10 Inc IL He
been received in good society for a
long time"
Halle shook her head yet. but
] guess it's because he didn't care to
go, and lots of very nice girls have
always been in love with Johnny Mont
gomery. Lily West kept his picture
in satin case hidden among her party
clothes for ever so long. And do you
know, when Laura Burnet heard about.
Johnnys arrest last night, she tainted
fiat on the floor.
Hallie's bolt upright impressiyeness
seemed to demand some comment, but
/ could not manage a sound; for at
her words there rushed back to me,
with humiliating clearness. my own
mysteries of the night before. Was IL
possible that Halle thought l was in
love with him, too? My cheeks burned
and burned.
Were you ever introduced to him.
curiousIy
mo, she has never met him."
Halle promptly took the response out
of my mouth; but she saw him once
don't you remember. Ellie. at my sister
Adelaide's coming -out ball?
j said, yes, / remembered it.
He danced most of that evening
with Laura Burnet" Halle pursued.
and she was perfectly wild about him.
My brother Tom saw him kiss her in
the conservatory" Halle chuekied at
that memory, and for while it was
said that they were engaged, though
she was three years older than he was
But he was terribly in debt then, and
of course she had lots of money" Hal
lie sighed, and added, Isn't il awful
he should have ended in this way2 Ade-
faide always said there was no one
who could put your shawl around you
SO beautifully as he"
1t seemed terrible to me that they
could sit there talking Of how badly
he had been thought of by society. and
how beautifully he had put women's
shawls around them, when he was in
prison waiting to be tried for his life.
/ was glad when the girls went and /
could think about it by myself.
l felt sick and bruised. All sugges-
tions that Halle had innocently
let fall put such an ugly face
upon his actions. 1 didn't want
smile had been so charming and kind.
There was something about him that
made him seem of so much greater i'm
portance than any one else / had
known; that made every little look and
motion of his memorable and eloquent
And when he had looked straight into
my eyes / had felt the warm foWing z
of the blood in my veins. Had il been
these strange qualities of his that had
made nice girls fall in love with him?
/ peeped into my mirror TO see il my
face looked as queer as my feelings
felt. / whispered the words again,
ITO fall in love" What could that be
like? To make Laura Burnet faint
away at just the news of his arrest
what a great and terrible feeling il
must be- When / thought of him as
person who could inspire such emo
tions he gathered a halo of mystery
and power; but when / remembered
Hallie's saying how he had been en-
gagged to Laura for the sake of her
money. he seemed to me the merest
wretch l told myself there was no
need of my worrying about it, as he
was in prison and my part was done.
1t couldn't possibly interest me any
further All the same | couldn't get
: it out of my head
Father came home to luncheon that
day bringing Sonora Mendez with him.
He looked worried and tired. but !
had never seen her so sweet. and so
very gay.
She said / had been in the house too
much, looked pale. and that she was
going to take me shopping AS We got
up from the table she fingered a mo-
, ment. saying something to father about
taking some ones mind off something.
And father said, yes until we can tell
: which way it will go. So I supposed
/ they were talking business
Sonora Mendez is such a great grand
sort OF lady that usually one is a little
in awe of her; but today she made me
| feel very much at home as we drove
down the street in her big open car
, riage. She never once mentioned
the shooting. and I didn't have cour-
age enough TO speak of IL myself. But
we heard of it all around us. In the
first shop we went into woman just
; behind me said in loud voice. DO
the rebels think they can shoot US all
down Wilkes Booth shot the presi-
dent?' And then, again. at another
shop where we were looking at lace,
!, the clerk said, This is terrible thing
, for the city. madam, the loss of such
a valuable citizen" But Sonora Men
dez seemed not to hear him. and went
) on explaining TO me the difference be-
, tween honiton and thread. and show
inc mo hnanfiftIl an hrOid0raH r1o