Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-04
edge on that aisclusure?' She tilted

nkGISs i OCOD<1 OOA
edge on that disclusure?" She tilted
her head on one side.
'But they ought to know merely
that you're sale ventured.
Safer What should I be but safe?
No" She put out an emphatic little
hand. ''I'm free from the convent, and
I'm not going to be taken to task by
90 young and good-looking q COMES
cor. Besides, I'm ashamed or you.
Where's your gallantry? You don't
seem to appreciate the honor OF our
secret at all"
perhaps tho trouble Is" I said
cautiously, "that l don't understand
the secret myself. What did you mean
when you said
"Oh, that!" she laughed. "Why. I
meant tho hardest thing In the world
for man to understand. and that Is
Just nothing at all. You had all OF
you been SO stupid and serious and
uncomfortable that night that I felt 1t
would serve you right to make you
Jump. So i made a little mystery OF
my own, and It worked beautifully,
It sounded every bit as sensible as
yours, too"
She was beyond me- Two or three
times after that I worked around to
the same subject, but she evaded me
50 deity that could not for the life
of me be sure. whether It was evasion
or Inconsistencies; and my attempts
to communicate with the family met
with no better fortune. At last tried
a. I. fo~ nj 0r1f hA
of calling taxicab.
"You live on Table Mountain. and
your name is Truthful James," was
her comment "Taxicabs are scarce In
Stamford, Mr.. Crosby, and 1t would
take too long to get one here. Let the
waiter call one of those outside"
At that, gave up with bad grace.
should be free to report as soon as
I had left her with her friends, and
few minutes more or less could not
matter much by now. She gave the
chauffeur an address in the sixties and
we were presently there: one of these
new American basement houses sand
wiched in among the older brown
stone fronts of the more conservative
blocks. During the short drive, she
had been silent and thought little
disturbed; but her farewell was bright
with reawakened gatety.
CHAPTER Xxx (Continued.)
Fl shall measure your enjoyment by
your secrecy, Mr.. Confessor," she
purred, with tilted head and raised
foref1nger. You may tell my anxious
warders just as much as you please.
and the less you confide in them the
more shall flatter myself of your con-
fidence in me. Now leave you to
your conscience"
She was standing In the doorway.
her hand upon the bell, and had
turned back to the waiting taxtcab,
when somber and respectable cleo
trio brougham turned the corner and
drew slowly up to the curb. recog-
nized with an uncomfortable shock
that the driver was no other than the
Tabors' former chauffeur, the un-
worthy Thomas who had deserted
Lady and myself at the crisis of our
midnight adventure; and thought
that under his mask of the impassive
servant he recognized me somewhat
uncomfrrtably. glanced back to see
IL Mrs. Tabor had seen him also. She
was leaning against the door OF the
house, clutching at the handle as II
for support, or in desperate anxiety
to enter; every line of her face and
figure writhing and agonized with I'M
terror. The bang of the
brougham door behind me and the
sound of shrill precise voice that |
remembered made me turn my eyes
to the street-and as did 80 the bang
of the front door sounded behind me
like an echo. Mrs. Tabor had disap-
peared into the house, the brougham
was starting rapidly away, and there
on the sidewalk stood the man whom
Reid had twice brought secretly
home.
CHAPTER XXI.
had my first good look at him
while he moved deliberately past me
and up to the door of the house: A
man past middle age, in frock-coat
and silk hat in spite of the season.
heavy without portliness, figure OF
an elderly athlete A shock Of IRON
gray hair brushed the back of his col
lar. and his face was face to ponder
over. a face at once square and
auualine, broad forehead. predatory
nose, and the massive lips and jaw
bones Of conqueror, clear-cut under
q skin Of creamy ivory. He might
have been Roman emperor in time
worn marble. While stood 1rresolute.
wondering whether to follow. and on
what pretext should do 80. the door
swung cnor and he passed ponder
ously within: and the next instant
Mrs. Tabor appeared at the ground
floor window motioning me franti-
callv. came forward. but she as fran
ticnlly waved me back. and seemed to
indicate by her gestures that was to
keen the taxicah where 1t was A mo-
rent later she slipped out Of the door
liko fuertive. ran across the side
walk. ard fell in heap inside the cab,
CRYING: "Take me away, quickly! oh,
take me away"
directed the astonished driver to
the Grand Central, and sprang In be-
ride her, She was very pale and