The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-09-14

ngnI Thai her position vas fmpregn-s
able. Either h thought that March,
Lawrence had escaped, that we had not
traced her to the Umbrta, or she knew
tina the telegram was q blind. m that
we had been misled by it. Which was
!rlghs. wondered. And she must have
come off well, too. In thar Interview
with Mrs. Lawrence. which I would
nav given SO much to have overheard
must have convinced her of her in
nocence, else she would not still be en-
proved as q maid In the Lawrence
mouse, and retained SO near her mis-
Pssess. How had she done IT How nad
succeeded In binding her mistress
so completely?
Then sudden thought stabbed
through me. Was It possible, / asked
myself. that Mrs. Lawrence had been
q party to the d-eception-that she had
knoWingly assisted in the farce OF the
telegram. for my benefit? But. as I
reviewed her behavior at our morning
interview, 1 could not believe 1t. She
was no such consummate actress as
that would imply. II / was a dupe, then
she was a dupe also.
BUSY With this problem, I made my
way through the grove along the path
pack to the Kingdom cottage, and stood
Tor a moment looking over the hedge
light In the room which I took to be the
dining room, but even as I gazed it 1t,
the light moved, a shadow crossed the
blind; the light reappeared IN the
Kitchen, faded n Misrepresentation,
a nomen later, my heart leaped suf-
ght at the ventilator In the founda-
ton! What was, this woman doing in
the cellar! What was the task that
was going forward there?
l entered the grounds and started
along the hedge. when sud-
FGpnlyrM a hand raoafxnII 49, F nz- 49,
- -1iai ifieiid me last. For an IN
slant / struggled fiercely to free my
.self-but only for an instant.
come, Lester, sit down. said a
voice carefully repressed, but which I
nevertheless recognized as Godfrey's.
Il was looking for Q he added. as
l dropped to the grass beside him..
"Oh, is it you, Godfrey 2" I aslSe ed,
much relieved. ~ rather thought you
might be out this way. when I found
you weren't at the hotel. What are the
developments? 2"
Wait a minute. I wonder where that
light has gomez"
TITS in the cellar" 1 said, and pointed
out to him the faint glimmer which
marked the ventilator. 1T was there
last night. / sat here for over an hour
and watched it." and / told him briefly
Of my adventures of the night before.
He listened without comment until
I had finished.
IT'S a pity you didn't tell me that
this morning" he said.
II didn't see that it was connected
with the case in any way. 1t is?'
II don't know" he answered slowly.
Perhaps 1t is. Did Miss Kingdom men
ton 1t when che saw you this morn
ingT
"Yes-she said she'd been in the cell
lar, putting away some fruit"
Absurd! there's no fruit this early
IN the wear. Resides evhn if If NynTo
true, she wouldn't have to repeat the
process again tonight. What else
haven't you told me?"
I laughted and recounted my adven-
lures from h Mrs. Lawrence
gave me her daughters telegram until
that other moment when Lucy Kingdom
left me alone in the darkened library.
He listened without Interruption, his
eyes on III glimmec of light at the
ventilator.
Yes" he said, II saw Lucy Kingdom
leave the house a few minutes ago. Her
sisters alone there now. What do you
suppose she's doing in the cellar?"
Il can't imagine"
You could see nothing2"
Not d thing except her shadow NOV
ing back and forth"
Moving back and forth"
Yes; 1T seemed to me that she was
alternately rising and STOPPING, as
though she were going through some
u vi G8GIClSS. #..Hl
Shed hardly go into the cellar at
midnight to exercise"
mo, of course not. But that's the
only explanation / could think of, un-
less she's bowling up and down before
an idol"
Godfrey laughed grtmly.
THAT would be a unique solution"
he said. Fancy u headlines: Devil
Worship at Elizabeth! Frantastic Mid
night Orgies in a Cellarl' Wouldn't that
stir the public? But I'm afraid it's o
little too fantastic. Could you hear
anything?"
Only the faintest of faint SOUND /
couldn't make anything of them"
Well, there wouldn't be any sounds
at all If she were merely bobbing up
and down before an idol. was she
alone last night?"
Yes. Her sister spent the night
with Mrs. Lawrence. Godfrey" | ad-
ded, you haven't told me yet why you
sent that telegram. Has Miss Law
renee returned?"
Not that l know of. Furthermore,
l don't think she will return very soon.i
Then you think She really sailed 2"
l don't know what to think,
Lester. Give me a moment more. Isn't
there a window to the cellar?'
Yes. but it's closely curtained."
We'll, I'm going to AXE a look. nv
self" he said. Wait here for me, and
be as patient as you can"
saw him go cautiously forward to-
ward the yentilator, and stoop down
before 1t. He remained there motions
less for some moments, then disap-
peared around a corner of the house.
[ sat there waiting for him, thinking
not without some chagrin, that as US
ual, he had pumped me dry, and given
nothing in return. 1t was really un-
fair OF Godfrey to expect every one to
play into his hands. And vet, I re-
fected, IL he hadn't wanted to he
friendly, he would scarcely have taken
the trouble TO send me that message.