The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-12-18

ment
Mary had scarcely received from Ag-
gle an account of Cassidy's threaten
| ing invasion when the maid announced
that Mr.. Irwin had called.
SHOW him in" Mary directed.
who's the gink?" Aggie demanded
"You ought to know. He's the law
yer retained by General Hastings in
the matter Of certain breach Of prom
Use suit
Hope he's brought the money"
Leave the room now" Mary order
ed. when call to you come in. but
be sure and leave everything to me-
Merely follow my lead. And, Agnes
be very ingenue."
"Oh, I'm wise-l'm wise" Aggie nod
ded as she hurried out toward her bed
room. "I'll be squab-surest thing
you known
Next moment Mary gave a formal
greeting to the lawyer who represent
ed the man she planned to mulct ef-
| fectively
Irwin lost no time in coming to the
point.
II called in reference to this suit
which Miss Agnes Lynch threatens to
bring against MY client. General Hast
ings."
It's not threat" Mr.. Irwin. The
suit will be brought" -~----
"You realize, Of course. that this is
merely plain black mail"
''1f it's blackmai. Mr.. Irwin, why
don't you consult the police?'
Mary turned to the maid. who now
! entered in response to the bell she had
sounded minute before. Fanny,
will you ask Miss Lynch to come in.
bease?" Then she faced the lawyer
again, with an aloofness of manner
that was contemptuous. "Really. Mr..
Irwin" she drawled, why don't you
take this matter to the poiice?''
You know perfectly WELL" the law
yer said bitterly, that General Hast
ings cannot afford such publicity
! ''Oh, as for that" Mary suggested
evenly, and now there was a trace Of
fippancy in her fashion of speaking.
I'm sure the police would keep your
complaint secret Really, you know.
Mr.. Irwin, think you had better take
your troubles to the police rather than
to me. You will get much more sym
pathy from them
The lawyer sprang up with an air Of
sudden determination.
ho ri
Mary pushed in his direction the
telephone that stood on the table.
'3lOO Spring." she remarked encour-
agingly. will bring an officer almost
| Immediately" She leaned back in her
| chair and surveyed the baffled man
amusedly.
Nevertheless he rejoined. you
know perfectly well that General Hast
ings never promised to marry this girl
You know He broke off as Aggie
entered the drawing room.
Now, the girl was demure in SEEM
ing almost beyond belief-a childish
creature. very fair and dainty, guile
less surely, with those untroubled eyes
of blue, those softly curVing lips Of
warmest red and the more delicate
bloom and the rounded cheeks. There
were the charms of innocence and sim
, plicity in her manner as she stopped
just within the doorway. whence she
regarded Mary with timid, pleading
gaze. her slender little form poised
lightly as if for flight.
Did you want me, dear?" she asked.
"Agnes," Mary answered affection
ately, this is Mr.. Irwin, who has
come to see you in behalf of General
Hastings"
"Oh," the girl murmured, her voice
quivering little as the lawyer, after
short nod, dropped again into his
seat. ''oh, I'm so frightened" She
hurried, fluttering, to low stool be-
hind the desk beside Marys chair, and
there she sank down, dropping slightly
and catching hold Of one of Mary's
( hands as if in mute pleading for pro-
lection.
"Nonsense!" Mary exclaimed sooth-
ingly. "Theres really nothing at all to
be frightened about, my dear child.
You mustn't be afraid, Agnes. Mr..
Irwin says that General Hastings did
not promise to marry you. Of course
you understand, my dear. that under
no cili.I stances must you say any
thing that isn't strictly true and that
II he 4 omise to marry you you
have Il none at all Now, Ag-
nes. tell me. Did General Hastings