The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-07-13
The House
of the
Whispering
Pines
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
Copyright. 1910, by Anna Katharine
Rohlfs

This, however, was a ruSe. She did
not intend to take her patient back
that night. She was afraid to risk it
The next day would be soon enough.
But she would calm her by making
ready and when the proper moment
came would find some complication OF
trains which would interfere with their
departure.
Meanwhile she would communicate
at the earliest moment with Mr.. Fox.
She had been in the habit of sending
him frequent kilograms as to her pa
tents condition. They had been inva-
riab.e so far-"No difference. mind
still u blank" or some code word Sig
nilicant of the same But new word
was necessary now. She must look it
she did anything else.
The code book was in her top tray.
She hunted and hunted for it without
being able to lay her hands on 1t. She
grew very nervous. She was only hui
man: she was in very trying posi-
ton. and she realized it. Where could
that book be? Suddenly she espied 1t
and. falling on her knees before the
trunk. with her back still to Carmel,
studied out the words she wanted.
She was leaning over the tray to write
these words in her notebook when-no
one ever knew how it happened-the
lid Of the heavy trunk fell forward and
{xex ,s1~ e,kN IL h oR
the neck with a keen blow which laid
her senseless. When Carmel reached
her side she found herself the strong
one and her stalwart nurse the patient.
When help had been summoned. the
accident explained ana everything
done for the unconscious woman which
medical skill could suggest Carmel.
finding moment to herself. stole to
the trunk and. lifting up the lid. looked
in. She had been watchful of her
nurse from the first and was suspi-
cious of the actions which had led to
this untoward accident Seeing the
two little books, she took them out
The notebook lay open. and on the
page thus disclosed she beheld written:
Ap Lox Fdestum Trubum
Ridiculous nonsense-until she con-
suited the code. Then these detached
and meaningless words took on sig
nificance which she could not afford to
ignore:
Ap-A change.
Lox-Makes remarkable statements
Fidestum-Shall we return?
Trubum-Not tractable.
Carmel endeavored to find out for
whom this telegram was intended
There was nothing to inform her. A
moment of indecisiOn was followed by
quick action. She had noticed that
she had been invariably addressed as
Miss Campbell by every one who had
come into the room.
Regaining her own room, which was
on the other side of their common sit
sing room. she collected few neces-
sary articles and placed them in a
bag. which she thrust under her bed.
Hunting for money, she found quite
an adequate amount in her own purse.
which was attached to her person.
Satisfied thus far, she chose her most
inconspicuous hat and coat and, put
ting them on. went out by her own
door into the corridor.
The time-it was the dinner hour
favored her attempt. She found her
way to the office unobserved and.
going frankly up to the clerk. in
formed him that she had some tele-
grams to send and that she would be
fnr hn
that Miss Huckins was not neglected
in her absence?
II will see to it, said he. Then. as
she turned to go, he ventured to add:
ut is quite dark now. If you would
like one of the boys to go with you
But he received no encouragement and
allowed his suggestion to remain un-
finished.
She looked grateful for this and was
pulling down her veil when she per
ceived two or three men on the other
side of the room watching her in evi-
dent wonder. Stepping back to the
desk. she addressed the clerk again.
this time with marked distinctness:
Il have been very ill. | know. and
not always quite myself. But the
shock Of this accident to my nurse has
cleared my brain and made me capa-
BILE again of attending to my own af-
fairs. You can trust me: can do my
errands all right. but perhaps l had
better have one OF the boys go with
me-"
The clerk. greatly relieved. rang his
bell With the first step into the street
Carmel's freshly freed mind began its
work Where is the railroad sta
tion?' she inquired of the boy who was
trottine along at her side.
Over there" he answered vaguely
Take me to it
The sight of the station. from which
a train was just leaving. frightened
her for a moment with its hustle and
many lights, but she rallied under the