The Detroit times., 1910-04-30
A Powerful Serial Story.
BY +. M WHITE
CHAPTER xxx.
"The Wronq Woman"

1.-THE Wrong Woman"
| Lady Altamont looked at Ailsal
doubtfully. She could not quite make
Hp her mind what policy to pursue
And Ailsa's face gave her no indica-
ton OF the right line TO take. Ailsa
was quite calm and collected. she
wondered a. her own temerity In rae
ms SO bold and powerful an enemy as
this, for she knew full we'll that Lady
AltaInont was capable of anything.
But her disgust and contempt for the
woman gave her courage.
Il dare say you will wonder VIA.
am doing here?' Lady Altamont
said
Really, | don't do anything of the
kind Ailsa retorted. II have long
ceased TO wonder at anything. The
rapid march OF events daZzles me. |
assure you that when | was passing
this door little time ago and heard
the rattle OF keys | was not in the
least astonished.'
You waited with the full assurance
that you were going TO see me?''
Something OF the kind-yes. | did
not know exactly whom | was going
- see. OF course But | knew that
somebody was trying 10 burgle the
house"
Lady Atamonts face flushed a lit
tie.
"Trat is rather a strong word TO
use she protested F.! hope you Will
g!,e ne credit for possessing very
good eXcUse."
The woman was trying TO gain time,
and Ailsa knew IT,
Ordinary politeness compeis me to
give you the benefit Of the doubt. the
girl said coldly Every nocturnal in
truder has an excuse But | fail TO
see yours. You must have thought
out all this carefully, and why that
large bunch OF keys in your hand
Lady Altamont was still uncon-
sciously playing with the keys. She
could have cried aloud with vexation.
She was losing ali her cleverness and
resource. And to be played with by
a mere girl like Ailsa was little less
than maddening
Very we'll then" said she. Take
any view of my conduct that You know
am no more than a common burglar,
with a vulgar desire for your silver
You could not find many people TO
believe that of Lady Altamont
Perhaps they don't know Lady Al
lamont quite so well as | do" Ailsa
retorted Il think that 1t Is quite as
we'll for us TO understand each other.
You were pleased 10 make certain in
situations last night. lou suggested
that an invalid who Is at present IN
the house is not what we suppose her
to be, in other words. the poor crea-
ture upstairs i'm identical with the
woman who met with the strange ac-
cident in your house. suppose you
came here tonight in this secret way
to make sure
The attack was SO fearless and d.
rect that for the moment Lady Alta
mont was staggered. She would have
given a great deal TO know exactly
how far Ailsa $ knowledge went. The
latter was quite cool and contemptu-
Gus: a foe now worthy OF her steel.
And yet she was a mere child, after
all. and physically Lady Altamonts
inferior.
You had better take care she
/ said with just suggestion OF passion
!, i'm her voice Have a care lest you
push ne too far. You are only a
child. whereas am a hardened WON
an Of the world II you impute mo
tiyes TO me"
Il am imputing nothing Aisa in
Iterrupted What IS the use OF stand
ina here splitting words in this fash
ion. Won came here like thief IN
the niRhr. YOU came with all your tools
deliberately selected. Is this the way
that lady OF title usually pays a
visit 10 her neighbors?'
Il admit the point Lady Altamont
replied Let me 90 further and say
that ! did not altogether believe what
you said about your invalid"
And SO adopted this way of max
ing certain of your suspicious? Very
good. Still, if your late visitor was
Tie perfect stranger TO you that you
say, why do YOU worry about her?
Why do you run the risk OF being
locked up for felony?"
THAT is my business" Lady Alta
mont said acidly. Il have found out
one or two little things which seemed
to arouse my suspicious. For instance
it has occurred TO me as strange
thing that my husbands compare
lively negative violence should have
broken down the panels between this
house and mine. Making inquiries,
find thRt the two houses were one
some century or so ago. After find
ing this ont, look ut the panels again
and discover that there was actually
a passage from one house TO the 9th.
er Being OF naturally suspicious
nature. begin TO put things togeth-
err How had my mysterious visitor
50 strangely disappeared? She WAS
very ill.,. she was badly hurt, in fact.
She coud not have been removed
from my house except BY means OF
an ambulance People don't come IN
and out Ol a house with appliances
OF that kind without the servants
knowing / had my suspicious last
night when heard of your invalid
Il know il. You did not hesitate 70
put your suspicious into words
Certainly. | did And | was backed
mp Dy my husband, who declared that
he saw my strange guest at one 81
the bedroom windows ia this house.
am forced 10 the conclusion that that
was something more than one Of Sii
Charles fancies
which am quite prepared to ad