Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-06

r. seemed ~ Il --t+ o-ire s--it out
nj the life of the woman l loved. Yet
m second thought smiled at my per
+,,rba+ion. The maid was only carry
inc orr 4 necessary order. AS soon
o,,isa knew was there she would
como running TO the door herseH. III
= minnie she would be folded IN my
arms and all misunderstanding would
h. claared away. Undoubtedly sho
,ro,,ld have q good explanation for
her ielephono message OF the hsht
before. l told myself that II was on!
lack Of sleep and the incident IN the
nart that had upset my nerves. MY
,,,;.a;r;rrs we're utterly foolish.
Ar length the door opened Slowly: l
had evnected 10 see Louise helseL pe'
hind IL but it was the same MAD MS
t t che hold the door hardly as vide
rs before. sr,..4 ,1;sr
I'm sorry, sir, she said, put MISS ;,
Louise says she can not see you A0"'
WHAT" ! gasped. 49,, =,
She repeated her message "hlle l
stood there dazed. There mus We
some mistake. Louise muS' La 1''''
understood the name. .oy
Did you tell her it was Mt. hen'
ayes, sir, I told her.
"What did she say
"She said she could not see you Vi
any one else now.
! was puzzled beyond expression,
WHY should Louise refuse to see me
I was conscious OF having done noun
ing 70 offend her If only l couia see
hor for inst q minute to find cut what
wos rho matter! l felt that l must
reach her. For an instant was
tonrted TO brush past the maid ana
force my way in. Surely Louise Oh
her own accord would not treat me
fins She must be beside herself WIN
grief. Perhaps she was under ~"
samo malign influence that so DIS
trossod her sister. Yet even III inc
depths of despair We observe the con
vcntOnalities.
"W;n you ask Miss Louise when
sbo can see me-" / found myself say
ing in calm tones to the maid.
Again she closed the door in my
face. Again waited.
Miss Louise says that she will sec
Won if you will return in an hour
was the message that was brought ne.
left the Parrish door and stumbled
bIind,v MI the street. The plight in
which found myself seemed lneNp!l-
cable. maddening. was sure Louise
loved me. Had she not turned 10 me
in the first hour Of her distress? HAD
she not telcphoncd NE when her SIS
fer shot herself? Had she not permit
yed me TO take her in my arms! Hao
she not commissioned me- TO solve the
mystery of the yellow letter? Yet
vhy had she babe me discontinue my
search? Why had she shut her door
70 me? What could be her motive:
What could hare Influenced her
against nc?
Torn by a hundred conflicting emo
tons. travcrsed street after street.
not knowing or caring Whltner III!
feet were taking ne. must have re-
traced my steps, for l found myself
IN the block where the FGrriShs lived.
| I looked at M watch and saw 1t was
still half an hour before the time l
had been told 10 return. | turned
away from the house and wandered
aimlossly on. There was some mEs-
terry in Louise's conduct I could not
fathom. She refused 10 see me, yet
lust ahead OF me some one else had
be-an admitted to the house. a wave
Of jealousy swept over me. VINO was
this other man? ! racked my brain,
striving to recall his appearance, try
ing to remember what there was that
was familiar about him.
All at once it came TO me. A WIG
rage filed me. / knew now who he
was. A picture OF the office in that
little hotel in New Jersey came TO
NY mind, as T. looked when l stood
BY the stove drying my clothes. A
man had come TO the desk and got
his key and had walked past me as
he went to his room. ! kne" now
where ] had seen that man who was
admitted 10 the Parrish home. 1t was
he man called Cook.
II was Hugh Crandall.