The Washington times., 1913-09-29

, ing again, with the excitement and ex-
pectancy of a child fathoming a Christ
mas stocking. Sometimes she would
strike a passage in French that amused
her, and l would make her read it to
me. Uncle Rufus never intended to De
funny, but he had a quaint way Of put
ting sentences now and then, a quaint
ness that seemed to be enhanced by
translation, for more than once she and
/ laughed outright at the results of her
efforts to render things into English.
If the desk concealed a will, it must
have been in some secret drawer which
neither of us could discover. for moth
ing in. the papers that we examined
bore the least resemblance to testa-
mentary document.
From the desk we turned to the
shelves, poking about underneath and
behind the crazy conglomeration Of odds
and ends they contained, but finding
nothing. We looked into chests of draw
ers, vases. boxes-anything in the ma
ture of receptacle-without result. We
even disturbed the orderly arrangement
of monograph records, and did not
bother to re-establish it but there was
no will.
l lifted the rugs, poked into the fire.
place, sounded the walls, all to no pur-
pose. Often, to what l thought would
be the ruin Of her white evening gown.
she was on her knees beside me, peering
into some corner that suggested a likely
hiding place, her head close to mine.
her dark hair lightly brushing my cheek,
her hands touching my hands as we cx-
plored recesses where the eye could not
reach.
We rummaged around like a pair of
children in mischief. The task, to me,
was a curiously pleasant one, made So
by the mere presence of Mary Donald
son. Often / found my glance wander
ing from the search to her. The woman
was more than attractive in those mo-
ments when she was completely her own
mistress; she was appealing, alluring,
compelling. And there was a quick en-
ergy about her that convinced me of
the fact that Vinton had not broken her
spirit, but only driven 1t into a refuge
from which 1t emerged when the thought
of him was absent from her mind.
Once she found me smiling and lues
toned me with her expressive eyes. l
was holding In my hand rusted spike
which had been resting on dusty shelf,
and was reading the inscription on a
paper tag that was attached to il. The
words were: ...... la
Taken from a piece of wood supposed
to have been one of the relics Of the
DE Long expedition"
l read the words aloud to her.
Wasn't it tragedy" she asked
II wasn't smiling at that" / an
swered. Il suppose j ought not to
smile anyhow, but l couldn't help it,
Tell me-" she commanded. .. .
DO you remember the name Of the
ship in which De Long made his ex-
pedition?" / said.
She shook her head.
1t was the Jeanette
Still / don't quite understand YOU"
Mr.. Mansfield"
why, Jeannette happens to be Miss
Fenwicks name / replied.
Miss Fenwick? Who-oh, I remem-
BERT
She loked at me very gravely for
few seconds, and then | caught a very
faint hint of amusement in her eyes.
You find it suggestive of an Arctic
experience? she asked, softly.
I'm afraid so,'' / answered. ruefully.
suddenly sobered.
Jeanette had not been In my
thoughts for some time. but now the
memory of her last cold glance swept
over me with disconcerting vividness.
Mary was swift to see the look in my
face, for she leaned forward and gently
placed her hand on my arm.
I'm truly sorry" she said, impulsive-
ly. 81 did not mean to jest. But-but-
we'll, you know you smiled yourself"
Il know | nodded, solemnly putting
the rusty spike back in it's place.
When l glanced at her again, her
cheeks were slightly flushed and she
was busily exploring new prospect.
Jeanette, wondered vaguely III
Jeannette really had cause for anger
against me, and whether she would ac-
cept me on the same old footing after
she understood. I felt uneasy about it.
There was something in the look she
had given me that Nchilled me to a de-
cidedly uncomfortable degree.
We said no more of my fiancee, but
went on with what was becoming a
more and more hopeless search How
long il would have lasted I know not If
a sudden and startling interruption had
not come.
Very clearly and sharply the front
doOrbell rang,
Mary gasped. and. from her kneeling
posture. sat back suddenly upon the
floor, one hand raised to her throat.
Stupidly and mechanically. as If II
We're an act dema nded by the occasion
] took out my watch and examined the
dial. 1t was nearly o'clock in the
morning.
The bell rang again. this time in a
series of dots and dashes, as IL the
ringer We're impatient
who Is II ] asked rousing myself
Il don't know" she whispered, her
cheeks pale as chalk again
'Vinton?"
II don't think So"
I'll go and see" | said, arising from
nv knees
She sprang up quickly and srasped me
by the arm.
No, no." she cried. 1T might be he.
after all; and II it is. he mus: not find
your'
We shall meet sooner or later" | re-
pied, starting toward the door "Why
not now"
n Continuation Of This Story Will
BE Found In Tomorrow