Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-24
Cleveland Moffett and Oliver Herfore
CHAPTER V-Continued.

sTesSssSseSssEseCesteSTss
CHAPTER V-Continued.
Kate Clendennin paused a moment in
her downward flight to exchange the
usual morning insincerities She was a
splendid specimen Of British young wom-
anhood. with her dark. we'll behaved hair
and gray-green eyes. capitally set OF by
a gray tweed walking suit. Harriet re-
garded her resentfuly. What right had
Kate to the complexion of an early riser
when she always breakfasted In bed.
and to the figure Of Artemis when she
never set foot to the ground IL there were
horse or an automobile in sight?
"Ah. / hope you slept we'll" said Mrs.
Merle.
The countess smothered a yawn with a
tan glove. II really don't know, I'm
not awake yet She was thinking
What an odd little couple they are,
these two - this pink-and- white-cockatoo
lady in the faded purple morning gown
and this little gray mouse in the black
velvet coat.
us Mr. F'itz Brown down YETI" they
heard her call to Parker a moment later.
as she disappeared into the breakfast
room. Tell Anton we shall want the
motor.
Its perfectly shameful the way those
two abuse dear Cousin Hiram's kind:
ness. grumbled Harriet. They've had
the car every day this week.
The Merles we're now standing in Ho-
ratios study near a window overlooking
the conservatory. For a moment there
was silence. broken only by the gnashing
Of the tiny scissors. The operation OF
cuff trimming is delicate one. requiring
skill and steadiness Of hand. The devia-
a. - - l., - CHI ~,
little scissors might be fatal to the cuff.
might even endanger the life Of the
shirt
Il have always maintained" the curate
which women are by nature peculiar
ly-'
1.-THE other hand, please" interrupted
Harriet, shortly.
She was annoyed by Horatio's avoid
ance Of her pet subject Of discussion. 1t
was his cue here to say: III Lionel and
Kate abuse Cousin Hiram's hospitality.
why so do we.' To which she would re-
ply: THAT is different. Horatio; we are
relatives Of Eleanor Baxter" And he
she would answer. .contemptuously:
They're third cousins Then Horatio
would say: "Yes?" He had particu-
larly irritating way Of saving 'Yes?'
sufficiently to answer she would generally
sweep out Of the discussion with You
know perfectly well. Horatio. that people
like the Baxters consider being second
cousins to such a family as mine very
close relationship"
In her secret heart Harriet knew that
Horatio was right. but she had never
admitted it and never would. There was
no knowing how HoratiO would follow
up such victory. Suppose he insisted
on their bringing their visit to an end. 1t
was not to be thought Of! Their money
was all gone. they had no other relatives.
What would become Of them?
"There! she SAID at length. surveying
the completed cuff. That's better. Now
you must get to work on the address"
Harriet replaced the scissors in sill
yer sheath that hung from her chatelain
at her side. At the door she turned with
a look the curate knew we'll. you will
find everything you need. Horatio. and
will see that you are not disturbed"
The door closed with subdued but
ominous afterclick. Horatio stood listen
ing until the sound Of his wife's foot
steps had died away, then. tiptoeing
quietly across the floor. he turned the
knob cautiously and pulled. Alas! There
was no mistake, Harriet had locked him
in. He was a prisoner in his own room.
Strange" he reflected. that the change
Of only quarter of an inch in the po-
| Sition of a minute piece OF metal In a
| door should TRANSFORM into a gloomy
fore, was comfortable study with its
inviting easy chair. it's reposeful sofa
! and"
He looked quickly, smitten by sudden
! dread. 1t was as he feared. the easy
| chair was gone, the sofa too had been
taken away. and. there, grimly awaiting
him on the table. were solemn row OF
dark policemanlike books. Cruden's Con-
Dictionary Of Phrase and Fable Phil
pots Elements Of Rhetoric and Weigh
iey's "Mythology." In the shadow of
these and other cheerful volumes stood a
| bronze inkstand of mournful Egyptian
architecture. and exactly at right an
| giles to this lay quire of blue ruled SER
mon paper. Parallel to the paper rested
| a pen Of shiny black, and. as Horatio
soon ascertained. evil-tasting wood.
| "Pththti" he exclaimed, suddenly. after
some minutes of violent concentration on
the subject Of progressive mothers. why
doesn't Edison invent penholder OF some
| edible material?
| And now the curates thoughts wan
| dered back to the mystery Of the bishop S
purse. Who could have taken it? There
| were two women in the railway carriage
and two musicians. Horatio much pre-
ferred crimes with woman at the bot
| tom and he disliked musicians. so he de-
| cided that one of these fair travelers-of
course they were fair-had turned the
trick He loved the crisp vulgarity of
| that expression-turned the trick. And.
forthwith he loosed his fancy over the
paths of fearless adventure that he loved
to tread Now he was a great detective.
on the track Of desperate criminal. and
his gentle soul thrilled in the conflict of
plot and counterpart. In all literature
| and theology there was nothing that
stirred Horatio Merle like these imagin-
ings. :
i Half an hour later Harriet. listening at
the study. door: heard a faint scratching
sound and smiled in satisfaction.
Hes writing she said to herself and
stole softly away. She had an GRAND in
i the village and could leave now with a
clear conscience. =.
The scratching sound continued. 1t
/ came however. not from the writing Ia
BILE. but from the window easement, which
presently swung slowly open. apparently
of it's own accord. Whereupon Horaio
! came back, with a start, from his heroic
wanderings back to a world OF drab
reality and looked blinkingly about him.
There. on the window ledge. sharply sill
houetted against the wistaria leaves.
stood Martin Luther. His tail swayed
| swiftly from side to side like the ebony
baton of a chef d'orchestra His staring
ewes were like two circular holes through
which you saw the green OF the leafy
background. He held his head proudly,
he was carrying something. Horatio shut
his eyes quickly. There were moments
when he hated Martin Luther.
|. When he looked again the cat was
| Stopdinp nv his chair purring notSily to