The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-28


had coolly searched my room for
what he wished TO find; but this cha
grin was tempered somewhat by the
reflection that his search had been In
vain; for he could have come back
for nothing save the collar and tie,
which he left In my hands, and which
found still safe beneath my pillow.
The very fact that he had come back
for them gave them added Importance
in my eyes, for certainly their import
ance to me must have occurred TO him,
and must have strongly disturbed him,
TO have made him risk another re-
turn.
Then, too. he must have come alone;
which meant that he had left Nancy
I'm some other care; what care could
not guess, but was thankful for the
necessity all the same
II seemed TO me that my best
course OF action, at least the only
one that presented itself TO me at
the moment, was TO go back again
10 The county seat, and, with that as
a center, to start my search from
there, | went about the house clos.
ing and locking the windows against
my indefinite return | had lived In
Ut but two days, and yet the place
was somehow home: and, as | made
III secure. this very home atmosphere,
heartened me unbelievably. The place
was undoubtedly meant for us: and
/ could not but believe that, sooner
or 'ater, my search would be success.
ful, and Nancy and would some day
take up the quiet life there that both
OF us so sorely needed and that both
Of us would find SO sweet. AS lock
ed the front door | hestated about
the disposal of the key. II was bare
ly possible that Nancy herself might
return in my absence, that, by some
ingenuity OF her own, she might be
able to escape from whatever situa.
ton now held or coerced her. II
would be bad enough for her to find
me gone; at least she should not find
, the house locked against her. I
smiled as ! lifted the front door mat
and dropped the key under It; any
/ woman would look there for a key.
either there or over the Intel OF the
door. Men, having pockets, do not
Z expect to find the key of a locked
house In any othen4 place.
turned at the gate to look back
at the house. How still and quiet
and waiting II looked. | felt as
Auanl must have at the Garden gate:
/ the worlds strife before me and para
disc behind. But after all an empty
paradise is not paradise at all. and
turned my back resolutely upon II,
and set forth upon my indefinite
Journey BY great good fortune
fopnd my nearest neighbor Just about
10 start into town with a wagon load
OF farm stuff. He looked me over
icurlously enough, but consented to
give me seat beside him when |
TOLD him who l was and where |
hved. He considered Ii good OBJ
portunity, | think, to satisfy a curios.
lty, which had evidently for some
Gays been preying upon him. fear.
however. that | proved q poor source
fof information: was so busy with
my thoughts and plans that only with
the greatest effort was | able to an
1swer his constant questioning at all.
ana, even with all the will In the
world, there was very little informa,
ton that | had II in my power to
give. His incredulous suspicion.
when | denied knowing how much
mad been paid for the farm, would
nave amused me at any other time:
as II was, l made the lame excuse
that | was only the tenant of the real
purchaser; l cared not at all that he
Gid not believe me.
AS We drew into Doylestown a new
| thought and fear possessed me. II.
by that one chance in a hundred
Nancy should return TO the house.
wouli she not be frightened and per.
i. picked to find me- gone? Naturally.
she would guess that / had gone in
|, search of her, but she had no means
OF knowing when would return. So
as my new neighbor drew up befor4
the freight Office. | borrowed an evil
office pen and wrote:
Il have gone to look for Won and
}. think shall go to New YorT.
letter or telegram to me AT the
Gloria Hotel will reach me, and will
come back within a few hours.
MASON"
This I sealed in a lading enyeIona
and gave IL to my Jehu.
Would you be so kind. neiebbor ,,
said. "as to push this under NV
front door,"