The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-02-07


OF tipping one of It's foremost citizens
And even II she had. she would not
have got the trunks taken upstairs.
The prospect of disoarding Sallie
Kingsbury's makeshifts and wearing
dress which belonged TO her had more
comfort in It than Agatha had ever
believed possible; and the reality was
even better. She made a toilet, for
the first time in many days, with her
accustomed accessories, dressed her
self in a white gown and felt better.
Are these the relatives you werO
visiting, Miss Redmond" inquired
Lizzie, eaten up with curiosity. which
was her mortal weakness.
Agatha paused, struck with the
form of the maids question; but,
knowing her liking for items Of news.
she answered cautiously:
mot relatives exactly The Thay.
ers were old friends OF my mother"
Lizzie shook out skirt and Rung it
in the wardrobe In the far corner OF
the room, She was bursting 10 know
everything about Miss Redmond's sud
den journey, but knew better than to
appear anxious.
"The message at the hotel was so
indefinite that | didn't know at all
what | should do. After the excite
ment quieted down a little, went out
to visit my cousin Hattie, in the
Bronx"
What sort of excitement"
"Oh, newspaper men, and the man
ager and Herr Weimar, Of the orches-
ira. and a lot Of other people who
came, wanting to see you immediate
ly They seemed to think | was hid
ing you somewhere"
Agatha smiled She could imagine
Lizzie in her new.hedged importance,
talking to all those people.
you spoke Of message" ven
tured Agatha
Yes; the one you sent the day you
left, Miss Redmond The hotel clerk
said you had suddenly left town on
visit to a sick relative"
"Oh, yes"
the trail of a mystery, but Agatha was
in no mood just then to give her any
version of the events of that Monday
afternoon.
WAS there any other message, Miss
Redmond? Some word for me, which
the clerk forgot to deliver?"
mo, nothing else"
"Mr. Straker came Tuesday morn
ing with some contracts for you to
sign. He said that you had an ap-
pointment with Lin, and he was near
ly crazy when he found you had gone
away without leaving your address,
Agatha smiled more and more broad
ly, to Lizzies disgust, but she could
not help it. Il don't doubt he was dis
turbed. Did he come again"
Come again, Miss Redmond" Liz
zie hung a blue silk coat over its
hanger, held it carefully up to the
light. and turned toward her mistress |
with the mien of a person who isn't to |
be bamboozled. He came twice every /
day to see if l had any word from /
you; and when l went to Cousin Hat |
lies he called me up on the phone .
every morning and evening. Most VI. +
Mr.. Straker was. He said .
here wasn't a singer in town he could .
get to I'll your engagements, and he
vas losing a hundred dollars a day.
He's very much put out, Miss Red
nond."
"Wel, was, too" said Agatha, but
somehow her tone failed to satisfy the
maid To Agatha the thought of the
lictatorial manager futtering about
Iew York in quest of a vanished
the picture had its hu
llorous side. 1t had its serious side,
co. for Agatha, of course, but for the
moment she put off thinking about
hat. Lizzie, however, had borne the
,runt of Mr. Straker's vexation, and
n that lumber-box she called her
mind, she regarded the matter solely
S her personal cue to come more
upon the stage.
Then your accompanist came every
lorning, as you had directed, Miss
redmond; and Madame Florio sent
,ord a dozen times about those new
owns" Lizzie, with the memory Of
er sudden importance, almost took
p the role of baf1ed innocence. 81
eclare, Miss Redmond, l didn't know
hat to do or say to those people.
he whole thing seemed so irregular,
18th you not leaving any word Of ex,
lanatlon with me-"
mo Or CCNyrrrA-Trr-T