The evening world., 1911-06-01

SUD = III sILcIIlal ne, i sald
DULY.
Sure Il "a" Maclean was
thoroughly embarrassed and
! uncomfortable. The way I
work Il out II, there's prob
~ just enough in II somewhere for
Corucc TO build on. Maybe Reid did
81 into some mess or other way back
: oeSors he WAS married, an Carucci
works that in with what he thinks he
Knows abou: the family now. an dopes
this scandal Il high life business.
OF maybe 10 don't believe Il himself,
an Just has It In Tor tho old man. You
can't tell whether It's mucx-rakin' or
mudLing1n'. but It's bound to be partly
both. you $50? ! only told you so you'd
know what was around. Well. are you
coman'?'
] got my hat mechanically, and went
:. OUT with him into the dust and the
heat. The sense of unreality that had
been upon me that early morning in the
automobile was returned now In the
brsathleD afternoon.
The haxy slit OF sky overhead. the
stark light and shadow of the street
had The tones Of a cheap colorad photo
graph. The very smell! OF the ar wa
] 4 . memory OF itself. The roar and
jungle OF the traffic seemed to come
from a distance through a stiffness that
listened: and the wall of a hand organ
on, the corner somehow completed and
enhanced Il all. l had only had one
serious illness IN my life. and that a
been long ago; but I remembered that
upon my first venturing out OF doors
after It, things had looked so: and |
wondered for a moment whether were
going to be III again. But that was
nonsense.
was not q person TO collapse upon
the hearing Of bad news; and. besides.
this news I did not believe. Maclean
had not believed 1t himself In telling It
to me. Only he had so much less
knowledge than J. OF Its consistency.
Grant for once that Lady was Miriam.
that sche was ar only daughter-and
they all would have lone even AS had
seen them doing,
So Lady would have worn her ring.
so feared our growing intimacy. so felt
The burden OF an abnormality not her
own, % confessed 20 me the barrier and
In extremity lied about her name, 20
the family would have shrunk from any
notice. and striven to rid themselves
OF Caruoci and of me. Straight this
way pointed every line OF mystery since
the beginning. here was one logical
motive for all.
{ Tho explanation ntted every fact:
only. ! could not believe 1t OF the peo-
sls. A small cloud covered the sun and
The not street turned suddenly gray. A
horse clocked heavily around the. cor
-nAg. h rumble of the wheels behind
hAm suddenly muffled as they struck
the asphalt OF the avenue
I'VE were going up the steps of a
hDuoe. . house closed for the summer
with ead-colorei Board shutters over
the lower windows, and an outer door
Of the sams. on which tho bright brass
disk OF . spring look took the place
Of . knob. Maolean glanced again up
Ut the number as he pressed the bell.
Admit cp@ gent and phantoms." ne
-ead emitting. Now you put your soul
In q safe pocket, an button II An, This
rang. they'd snitch 1t In a second"
A low-votced man In a cutaway coat
opened the o and we stood for a
moment In a dark hallway smelling OF
cloth and furniture. while he and Mac
lean talked together In a half-whlsper.
I suppose explaining my presence.
Then he opened another door at the
side of the hall and ushered US into the
front room. whore we half CROPPED our
II TO a seat on the further side. amid
q low rustic Of whispers.
4 Erayish twilight filtered through the
bright cracks OF the shutters and be-
tween The Os0ssd folding doors It the