The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-09-12
6/5e MYSUPY
Of MARY
@Grace Livingston Hill Lutz
AUTHOR ct MARCIA SCHUYLER" "PHoEeE DIANE" 3
DAWN OF Thu MORNING" ETC.
ILLUSTRATIONS 91~ 71A/ (VAkT=Rz


tilted? He had done we'll to believe
in her. He began to take out the other
garments, curious to see what had
been there for her use.
A long, golden brown hair nesting
on the collar Of the bathrobe cleaned
in chance ray of sunlight. He looked
at it reverently, and laid the garment
down carefully, that it might not be
disturbed. AS he lifted the coat. he
saw the little note pinned to the lapel,
and seized it eagerly. Surely this
would tell something!
But no, there was only the message
that she had arrived safely, and her
thanks. Stay, she had signed her
name Mary" She had told him he
might call her that. Could it be that
it was her real name, and that she
had meant to trust him with SO much
of her true story?
He pondered the delicate writing of
the note, thinking how like her it
seemed, then he put the note in an in
ner pocket and thoughtfulIy lifted out
the evening clothes. 1t was then that
he touched the silken lined cloth of
her dress, and he drew back almost
as if he had ventured roughly upon
something sacred. Startled, awed, he
looked upon it, and then with gentle
fingers lifted it and laid it upon his
knee.
Gradually, as he looked, the gown
told it's own story, as she had thought
it would: how she had been obliged
only way to hide her own dress.
With a sigh, he carefully folded up
the cloth gown, wrapped It in folds of
tissue paper from the empty hat-box,
and placed it in his suitcase Then
he transferred the hat to it's original
box. rang the bell, and ordered the
boy to care for the box and suitcase
until he called for them.
During the afternoon he took oc-
casion to run into the Judges private
Office about some unimportant detail
of the business they were transacting,
and as he was leaving he said:
by the way, Judge, who was your
young woman who gave you such a
fright by her sudden disappearance?
You never told me her name. Is she
one of my acquaintance, l wonder?"
ooh. her name is Mary Weston"
said the Judge, smiling. 81 don't be-
Geve you know her, for she was from
California, and was visiting here only
for few days. She sailed for Europe
the next day"
That closed the incident, and, so
far as the mystery was concerned,
only added perplexity to it.
Durham purposely remained down
town, merely having a clerk telephone
home for him that he had gone out OF
the city and would not be home until
late, so they need not wait up. He
did this because he did not wish to
have his mother or his sister ask him
any more questions about the missing
hat and coat. Then he took a twenty
mile trolley ride into the suburbs and
back, to make good his word that he
had gone out of town.
A little after midnight he arrived at
the clubhouse, secured his suitcase
and the hat-box, and took cab to his
home. He left the vehicle at the cor
lest the sound of it waken his mother
or sister.
He let himself silently into the
house with his Iatch-key, and tip
toed up to his room. The light was
burning low. He put the hat-box in
Sthe farthest corner of his closet, then
he took out the rain-coat, and, slipping
off his shoes, went softly down to the
hall closet
In utter darkness he felt around and
finally hung the coat on a hook under
another long cloak, then gently re-
leased the hanging loop and let the
garment slip softly down in an incon-
| spicuous heap on the floor. He stole
| upstairs as guiltily as if he had been
a naughty boy stealing sugar. When
| he reached his room, he turned up his
! light, and. pulling out the hat-box,
| surveyed it thoughtfully. This was
| problem which he had not yet been
| able to solve: How should he dispose
| of the hat so that it would be discov-
! cred in such a way as to cast no fur
| Their suspicion upon the maid?
| He took the hat out and held 1t on
his hand, looking at it from different
| dA6iCo o1AQ IL Ing W ICLISIuDSI just
| how the girl had looked out at him
from under it's dropping plumes. Then
with a sigh he laid it carefully in its
| box again and went to bed.
| The morning brought clearer
! thought, and when the summons to
breakfast pealed through the hall he
took the box boldly in his hand and
descended to the dining-room, where
he presented the hat to his astonished
I sister.
Il am afraid l am the criminal. Cor
nelia," he said in his pIeasantest man
ner. I'm sorry I can't explain just
how this thing got on my closet-shelf.
l must have put it there myself
through some unaccountabIe mix-up.
It's too bad l couldn't have found it
before and so saved you a lot of wor-
~. But you are one hat the richer for
/ il, for | paid the bill yesterday. Please