The Washington times., 1913-04-29
CHAPTER xxi.
How It Ended.

SAA1 LEN A044s
How It Ended.
TT was a soft, warm, alluring May
morning; the spring sky had just the
i thinnest Of gauzy cloud wells drawn
across it to keep the impetuous
young sun from making love too ar
IDENTITY to the half-grown foliage that
sheathed the trees. when I issued my
ultimatum. Madeline was along in the
room with me watching me finish my
breakfast when l began it. But Jack
dropped in to see how l was before
starting downtown, and. Of course,
Gwendolyn came along, too, and they
summed up before a jury more elo-
quently.
I'm not ILL., / said. There hasn't
been anything the matter with me for a
week. I'm not going to be treated any
longer as II l were marked fragile-per:
Just 60 away and let me dress. I'll get
up and show you a few things. And you
needn't think it's a joke, either" / con-
cluded: for they were smiling at each
other, as IL my stern decision were not
to be taken seriously.
1T happens" said Madeline. that DR..
Armstrong said last night that II you
slept we'll, and II this turned out a fine
day, We could take you out for ride"
all Welt raSt said Ia partly it mGied aoes But shas
doesn't go half far enough. / want to
be told what's happened. have lived
on Intellectual matted milk long enough.
Oh. 1 know everything's all right, Of
at me every day. and you've been bring
ing me punches Of sweet-peas and
things with Cla,re's regards. So I
know that she's all right, too. But
want to know what happened after
Crow hit me on the head. want to
know whether Barton's still in jail. I
expect he des ssrves to be; but I hope
he isn't. all the same. I want the whole
story without any gaps In II, and with
out being patted on The head and told
You're getting to be a detective"
SAID Gwendolyn impudently. as II I,
hadn't a claim to be called one already.
How did you know DR.. Armstrong
said that we could tell you all tsat
today?'
That took all the wind out Of my
sails in hurry. Did he really?" I
exclaimed. well. then. begin"
.'Oh. it's all settledr' said Jack.
That's Jeftrey.s job. We're all going |
You. too.' I exclaimed Il didn't !
think anything could tempt you from
the Office
This is Sunday oh, 1 confess it's a
loss. but I've made up my mind TO it."
You'll have to hurry. though" said
Madeline. as IL hurry weren't the thing
/ had been demanding; its after 10
o'clock"
l was a bit wabbly about the knees.
TO be sure and my head had a way Of
turning giddy. the natural result of
being kept fiat on my back while the
in my skull had time to knit to-
gether again. So / hadn't much en-
ergy left to bother them with questions
while l was being dressed and helped
down stairs. and bundled into Jacks
limousine, which had all the glass
down in honor of the day.
But there was a sort OF determined
look about all my family that con-
yinced me that / shouldn't get any
answers yet. anyway. So ADMIRED
the park as we drove through, and
talked politics with Jack, just as IL
tine word curiosity had never been
printed in my dictionary.
But, once ] was safely deposited In
Jeffrey's Morris chair. with Madeline
on the arm of II. and my best pipe
drawing comfortably. the whole story
came back over me with rush Per-
naps 1t was the studio itself. I hadn't
be.n there since the afternoon when
Richards and I had watched the face
the face we had thought to be Irene
Fourniers.,appear from from under Is rs
mask of disgusting painL on jeffrey
canvas.
Jeffrey never seemed so slow as
when one tried to hurry him. But at
last he turned to me with grin and
asked me.where I wanted him to be-
gin the story.
, Where begin" ! cried. Begin by
telling me how IL happened that Crow
lidn't get you and Miss Claire. as well
as me. ! hadn't time to give you any
warming. and II ever I saw a man
hunting human game, ne was that
II can't explain that reasonably my
self said jeffrey. 1T was all Claire's
loIng She kept getting whittier and
At last she said she couldn't stand H. :
She'd got to know what had become
,f YOU She said she was sure YOU
couldn't he gone as long as that,
:hough you hadn't been gone long.
-evolyer. That's just for company
,aid. There's absolutely nothing to
ear now from anybody
"AII the same her mood had rather
got hold Of me. and ! tackled along
In. making as little noise as possible. I
Lold myself I was doing that in order
to have a better chance Of hearing you.
But that wasn't the reason.
There is a second little ridGe on the
sIand beyond the main one. and when
,limbed that I got a clear view Of the
branch of the river. and Of Beech Hill
IN the other side. And then l glanced
lown and saw crow. He hadh't got
yerv far from his boat then. and ]
,ould see you lying there in the mud
behind him. 7 thought he'd finished
,ou. I imagine he thought SO. too. But
well. luckily mans feelings don't
ave time to operate In a situation like
hat. He doesn't do anything but think
Grow snapped I'd his revolver and
covered me, grinning, just as Claire
,ad described him. But 1t was the last
,rin he ever wore. He was nearly thir- .
v PAGES away and figured he had a
,rettv good chance to miss at that dis