The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-04-28
CHAPTER XII. (contInued.)

'I wish you would all go out" said
wearily ~ every man in the house
says he didn't try to get over to the
next roof last night, well and good.
But you might look and see If the
board is still lying where 1t fell"
There was an instantaneous rush
for the window, and a seconds pause.
Then Jimmy's voice, incredulous,
awed:
''Wen. I'll be-blessed! There's the
board!"
l stayed in my room all that day
My head really ached and then, too,
did not care to meet Mr. HARRISON. It
would have to come; realized that
a meeting was inevitable, but l want
ed time to think how l would meet
him. 1t would be impossible to cut
him, without rousing the curiosity of
the others to fever pitch; and it was
equally impossible to ignore the dis
graceful episode on the stairs. AS it
happened, however, l need not have
worried. l went down to dinner, Ian
guidly, when every one was seated,
and found Max at my right, and Mr..
HARRISON moved over beside Bella.
Every one was talking at once, for
Blannigan, ambling around the table
rs airily as he walked his beat, had
presented Bella with her bracelet on
a salad plate, garnished with romaine.
He had found it in the furnace room,
he said, where she must have dropped
It. And he looked at me stealthily, to
approve his mendacity!
Every one was famished, and as
they ate they discussed the board in
the area-way, and pretended to deride
1t as clever bit of press work, to re-
vive dying sensation. No one was
deceived: Anne's pearls and the at
tempt at escape, coming just after,
pointed only to one thing. looked
around the table, dazed. Flanagan,
almost the only unknown quantity,
might have tried to escape the night
before, but he would not have been
In dress clothes. Besides, he must
be eliminated as far as the pearls
were concerned, having been locked
In the furnace room the night they
were stolen. There was no one among
the girls to suspect. The Mercer girls
had stunning pearls, and could secure
all they wanted legitimately; and
Bella disliked them. oh, there was no
question about it, / decided: Dallas
and Anne had taken a wolf to their
bosom-or is 1t a viper?-and the
HARRISON man was the creature. AL
though must say that, looking over
the table, at Jimmy's breadth and not
very imposing personality, at Max'e
dean length, sallow skin and be
dark eyes, at Dallas, blond, growing
bald and florid, and then at the Harbi-
son, boy, tall, muscular, clear-eyed and
Bunburned, one would have taken Max
at first choice as the villain, with Dal
next, Jim third, and the HARRISON boy
not in the running.
It was just after dinner that the |
surprise was sprung on me. Mr.. Har-
bison came around to me gravely, |
and asked me If felt able to go up on
the roof. On the roof, after last
night! I.had to gather myself togeth-
or; luckily, the others were pushing |
back their chairs. showing Flanagan
the liqueur glasses to take up, and
lighting cigars
Il do not care to CO." said icily
"The others are coming" he per
sisted. and IL could give you an
arm up the stairs"
Il believe you are good at that" I
said, looking at him steadily Max,
will you help me to the roof?"
y Mr.. HARRISON really turned rather
white. Then he bowed tremendously
and left me.
Max got me wrap, and every one
except Mr. HARRISON and Bella, who
was taking mass Of indigestibles to
Aunt Selma, went to the roC1.
Where is Tom?" Anne asked, as
We reached the foot of the stairs.
Gone ahead to fix things" was the
answer. But he was not there. At
he top of the last flight l stopped,
lumb with amazement; the roof had
,een transformed. enchanted. II was
/ fairy-land OF lights and foliage and
solors had to stop and rub my
lyes. From the blealkness Of a tin