Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-02-08

mine.
"Have you see much of Tom today?"
she asked, as an Introduction.
81 suppose you mean Mr.. HARRISON,
Lollie," l said "No-not any more
than I could help. Don't whisper, he
couldn't possibly hear you An if it's
scandal I don't want to know it."
Look here, Kit" she retorted, you
needn't be so superior. If l like to
talk scandal, I'm not so sure you
aren't making it,
That was the way right along: !
was making scandal brought them
there to dinner; l let Bella in!
And, of course, Anne came up thens
and began on me at once.
"You are very bad GIRL" she be.
gan. What do you mean by treating
Tom HARRISON the way you do? He is
heart-broken."
II think you exaggerate my influ-
ence over him. retorted. Il haven't
treated him badly, because / haven't
paid any attention to him."
Anne threw up her hands
y
worked all day yesterday fixing this
place for you--yes, for you, my dear.
I am not blind-and last night you re-.
fused to let him bring you up"
''He told you'll" 1 famed.
"He wondered what he had done.
And as you wouldn't let him come
within speaking distance of you, he
came to me-"
st am S ~, Anne, since you are
fond of him. said. "But to me he
is Observation-Disclosures. My rea-
sons are quite sufficient"
Exit is perfectly right, Anne" Leila
broke in 81 tell you, there is some
thing queer about him." she added in
a portentous whisper.
Anne stiffened.
"He is perfect" she declared. "Of
good family, warm-hearted, coura-
geous, handsome, clever-what more
do you ask?"
Honesty" said Leila holly. That
a man should be what he says he is.
Anne and both stared.
ct is your Mr.. HARRISON" Leila
went on, who tried to escape from
the house by putting board across
to the next roof"
81 don't believe it," said Anne. you
might bring me picture of him,
board in hand, and l wouldn't believe
it."
Don't then" Lollie said cruelty.
"Ler him get away with your pearls;
they are yours. Only as sure as any
thing, the man who tried to escape
from the house had a reason for es-
Gaping and the papers said man in
evening dress and light overcoat; l
found Mr.. Harbison's overcoat today
lying in a heap in one Of the maid 8
rooms, and it was covered with brick
dust all over the front. A button had
even been torn Off"
"Pooh!" Anne said, when she had
recovered herself little There isn't
any reason, as far as that goes, why
Flanagan shouldn't have worn Tom s
overcoat, or-any of the others"
''Flannigan!" Leila said loftily.
why, his arms are like piano legs !;
he couldn't get into it. AS for the
others, there is only one person who
would fit, or nearly fit, that overcoat,
and that is Dallas, Anne"
While Anne was choking down her
wrath, Leila got up and darted out of
the tent. When she came back she
was triumphant
Look she said holding out her
hand. And on her palm lay lightish
brown button. IT found it just where
the paper said the board was thrown
out, and it is from Mr. Harbison's
overcoat, without doubt"
Of course I should not have been
surprised. A man who would kiss q
woman on dark staircase-a woman
he had known only two days-was ca
pable of anything.
Kit has only been a little keener
than the rest Of us" Lollie said. "She
found him out yesterday"
Upon my word" said Anne indig-
nantly, preparing to go, eff I didn't
know you girls so well, 1 would think
you were crazy. And now, just to Off
set this, l will tell you something.
Flanagan told me this morning not to
worry; that he has my pearl collar
spotted, and that young ladies will
have their jokes!"
Yes, as 1 said before, it was a cheer
full, reproducing situation.
| sat and thought it over after
Anne's parting shot, when Leila had
f1ounced downstairs. Things were
closing in; l gave the situation "a
hours to develop. At the end of that
time Flanagan would accuse me open
ly of knowing where the pearls were;
l would explain my silly remark to
him, and the mine would explode
under Aunt Selma.
l was sunk in detected reverie when
some one came on the roof. When he
was opposite the opening in the tent,
I saw Mr.. HARRISON, and at that mo-
ment he saw me. He paused uncer-
tainly, then he made an evident effort
and came over to me.
"You are-better today?"