The Springfield herald., 1913-05-09

of tipping one OF its foremost citizens.
And even II she had. she would not
have got the trunks taken upstairs.
The prospect of discarding Sallie
Kingsbury's' makeshifts and wearing
dress which belonged to her had more
comfort In 1t than Agatha had ever
believed possible; and the reality was
even better. She made toilet. for
the first time in many days. with her
accustomed accessories. dressed heI
self in white gown. and felt better.
Are these the relatives you wero
visiting. Miss RedmondT 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:
Not relatives exactly. The Thay-
ers were old friends of my mother"
Lizzie shook out a skirt and hung 1t
in the wardrobe In the far corner Of
the room. She was bursting to know
everything about Miss Redmond's Sud
den journey, but knew better than to
appear anxious.
THE message at the hotel WAS 80
Indefinite that didn't know at all
what l should do. After the excite
ment quieted down 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 lot Of other people who
came, wanting to see you immediate
ly. They seemed to think I was hid
ing you somewhere"
Agatha smiled. She could imagine
Lizzie in her new-fedged importance.
talking to all those people.
You spoke of a 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 a
visit to a sick relative"
!"Oh, yes"
Lizzies quick scent was already on
the trail of 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 him, 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 Lizzie's disgust. but she could
not help It, II 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 1t carefully up to the
light, and turned toward her mistress
with the mien of person who isn't to
be bamboozled. He came twice every
day to see II had any word from
you; and when I went to Cousin Hat
ties he called me up on the phone
every morning and evening. Most un-
reasonable, Mr.. Straker was. He said
there wasn't a singer in town he could
get to fill your engagements. and he
was losing a hundred dollars day.
He's very much put out. Miss Red
mond."
well, I was. too" said Agatha. but
| somehow her tone failed to satisfy the
maid. To Agatha the thought of the
d.ctatorial manager fluttering about
New York in quest of a vanished
singer-well. the picture had its hu-
nlorous side. 1t had Its serious side.
too, for Agatha. OF course. but for the
moment she put off thinking about
that. Lizzie. however. had borne the
brunt of Mr.. Straker's vexation. and
in that lumber-box she called her
mind, she regarded the matter solely
as her personal cue to come more
prominently upon the stage.
Then your accompanist came every
morning, as you had directed. Miss
Redmond; and Madame Florio sent
word a dozen times about those new
gowns" Lizzie, with the memory Of
her sudden Importance. almost took
up the role OF baffled innocence. II
declare, Miss Redmond. didn't know
what to do or say to those people.
The whole thing seemed so irregular.
with you not leaving any word of e1-
planation with me-"
tTO BE CoNTINUED.)
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