Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-03-08

! ed the far end Of the hall seat and
handled his hat An English butler
was good beginning Perhaps three
minutes passed, then the door to the
library opened and young woman
came out. Fitzgerald stood up. Yes
, II was she.
$50 you have conner There was
welcome neither in her tone nor face
nor was there the suggestion Of any
other sentiment.
"Yes. am not sure that | gave
you my name, Miss Killigrew." he
was secretly confused over this eng
matical reception.
She nodded. She had been certain
that. did he come at all, he would
come in the knowledge Of who she
was.
81 am John Fitzgerald" he said.
She thought for a space. Are you
the Mr.. Fitzgerald who wrote the long
article recently on the piracy in the
Chinese seas"
YES" full of wonder.
Interest began to stir her face. ut
turns out, then, rather better than |
expected. | can see that you are puz-
zled | picked you out Of many yes
terday on impulse because you had the
sang froid necessary to carry out your
jest to the end"
Il am glad that am not here under
false colOrs What | did yesterday
was, as you say, a jest. But, on the
other hand, are you not playing me
one in kind? | have much curiosity"
II shall proceed to allay it some.
what This will be no jest Did you
come armed?"
"0h. indeed, no" smiling.
She rather liked that Il was won
dering if you did not believe this to be
some silly intrigue"
81 gave thought to but two things,
that you were jesting or that you
were in need Of a gentleman as well
as n man Of courage. Tell me, what
is the danger and why do you ask me
IL am armed" 1t occurred to him
that her own charm and beauty might
be the greatest danger he could posi-
bly, face. More and more grew the
certainty that he had seen her some
I where in the past.
"Ah, If | only knew what the dan
ger was! But that it exists am posi-.
tive. Within the past two weeks on
odd nights there have been strange
noises here and there about the house
especially in the chimney. My father
being slightly deaf, believes that these
sounds are wholly imaginative on my
part. This is the first spring In years
we have resided here. 1t is really ouT
summer home am not more than
normally timOrOus. Some one we dc
not know enters the house at will
How or why can't unravel. Moth
ing has ever disappeared, either mon
ey. Jewels or silver, though have
laid many traps There is the huge
fireplace in the library. and my room
Is above have heard tapping like
some one hammering gently on stone
! have examined the bricks and sc
has my father. but neither of US has
discovered anything Three days age
] placed -four thinly on the 6agston'
before the fireplace. There were foot
prints in the mOrning-Of rubber
shoes. When | called in my father
the maid had unfortunately cleaned
the stone without observing anything
So my father still holds that | an
subject to dreams. His secretary
whom he had for three years, has left
him. The buffers and servants quar-
tiers are in the rear Of the other wing
They have never been disturbed"
81 am not a detective. Miss Kill
grew" he remarked as she paused
"No. but you seem to be a man Of in
vention and good spirit Will you helE
me-"
I'm whatever way I can" His opin
ion at that moment perhaps agreed
with that Of her father Still. a test
could be Of no harm She was charm
ing young woman, and he was assured
that beneath this present concern there
was a lively. humorous disposition. He
had month for idleness, and why moi
play detective for q change? Then be
recalled the trespasser In the park BY
George. she might be right!
Come. then, and | will present you
to my father His deafness Is not 81
bad that one has to speak loudly. TC
speak distinctly will be simplest"
She thereupoD conducted him into
the library. His quick glance, thrown
here and there Accordingly, convinced
him that there were at least 5000 vol
umes In the cases. he was glad to see
that some Of his old friends were here
too. and that the shelves were moi
wholly given over to piracy. What @
hobby to follow! What adventures al
within thirty square feet. And a shivel
passed over his spine as be saw sew
eral tattered black flags hanging from
the walls. the real articles' too. nov
faded to q rusty brown.
Behind a broad. fat mahogany desk
with a green shaded student lamp a
bis elbow, sat bright checked. white
haired man. writing. Fitzgerald In
stantly recognized him. Abruptly hi
gaze returned TO the girl. Yes, now hC