Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-11-05

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more ado he bore down upon the cou.
pie and a moment later was tact.
fully advising the sleepy Mr.. Rodney
to take himself of to bed-advice
which that gentleman gladly accepted
And so it came about that Freddie sat
face to face with the last resort, at the
foot Of the chaise-longue. gazing with
serene sadulaton into the eyes of
woman who might have had a son as
old as he-if she had had one at ALL
She had been q coquette in her salad
days-there was no doubt Of it. She.
had encountered fervid gallants in oil
parts of the world and in all stations
Of life. But it remained for the gall
liant Freddie Ulstervelt to bowl her
over with surprise for the first time
in her long and varied career. Atsthe
end Of half an hour she pulled herself
together and tapped him on the: shout
der with her fan. Quizzical smile on
her lips. y > ~ s5 .E.:
My dear: Mr.. Ulstervelt, are you
trying to make love to met You nice
Americans! How gallant you can be!
l am quite old enough to be your
mother. Believe me. thank you for
the compliment Il can't tell you how
appreciate this delicate flattery. You
a"e very delicious. But" as she arose
g-aciously, I'D follow MIR. Rodney's
example il were you. I'd go to bed"
Then, with a rare smile, which could
not have been more chilling, she left
him standing there. =, >ssrs =. e. e
by Jove!" he muttered, passing his
hand across his eyes as If bewildered
"What was l saying to her? Good
Lord. has it got to be habit with me-!
Was l making love to-her?" He de-
parted for the American bar.
Mrs. Rodney had but little sleep that
night. She went to bed in a state of
worry and uncertainty, oppressed by
the shadows which threatened eternal
darkness to the fair name of the fam.
lily. however distantly removed. Kath-
crimes secret had in reality been news
to her; she had not paid enough atten-
ton to the Medcrofts to notice any
CAAAS lANC lACy OlN, 81 iOA& us LucJ
did not do it In conjunction with the
dell-Carneys. The Odell- Carneys were
her horizon-morning. noon and night.
And now there was likelihood of that
glorious horizon being obscured by
sickening scandal in the vulgar fore
ground. Inspired by Katherine's dread
full conclusions, the excellent lady set
about to observe for herself During
the entire evening she fitted about the
hotel and grounds with all the snoop-
ing instincts Of Sherlock Holmes.
She lurked. II that Is not putting it too
Electrically. From unexpected hooks
she emerged to view the landscape
DER; by devious paths she led her
doubts to the gates Of absolute certain
ty and then sat down to shudder~ to
her hearts content 1t was all true!
For four hours she had been trying to
get to the spot where she could see
with her own eyes and at last she had
come to it. OF course she had to adj
NIT to herself that she did not actually
hear Mr.. Medcroft tell Constance that
he loved her, but it was enough for
her that he sat with her in the semi
darkness for two unbroken hours.
speaking in tones so low that they
might just as well have been whisper
ing so far as her taut ears were con-
cerned.
Moreover, other persons than her.
self had smilingly nudged each other
and referred to the couple as lovers:
no one seemed to doubt 1t, nor to re-
sent it, which is proof that the world
loves lover when it recognizes him
as one
Mrs. Rodney also discovered that
Mrs Medcroft went to her room at 8
o'clock, at least three hours before the
subdued tete-a-tete came to an end.
The poor thing doubtless was crying
her eyes out, decided Mrs. Rodney.
And now, after all this, is it to be
considered surprising that the distress
ed mother Of Katherine did not sleep
we'll that night? Nor should her wake
fulness be laid at the door of the tired
Mr.. Rodney, who was ever firm and
stentorian sleeper.
Morning came, and with It horse
back ride for Brock and Miss Fowler
That was enough for Mrs. Rodney, she
would hold In no longer. Mrs. Odell-
Carney must be told. She. at least.
must have the chance to escape before
the storm of scandal broke to muddy
her immaculate skirts Forthwith the
considerate hostess appeared before
her guest with headful of disclosures
She had decided In advance that it
would not do to beat about the bush.
80 to speak. She would come directly
to the obnoxious point.
They were in Mrs. Odell-C arney's
| sitting room. Mr.. Odell-Carney wa
smoking cigarette on the balcony
| just outside the window. Mrs. Rodney
did not know that he was there 1t II
only natural that he held himself In
Hospitality aloof. Mrs. Rodney boret
him to death. He did not hear all tina
was poured out between them. but b
heard quite enough to cause him some
thing OF pang. He distinctly heart
his wife say things to Mrs. Rodne.
that she had solemnly avowed sh
would not say-things about the Med
croft baby. ~.
1t goes without saying that Mrs
Odell-Carney refused to be surprise
by the disclosures. She calmly ad
mitted that ohe had suspected Med
croft Of being too fond of his sister-in
law: but, she went on cheerfully. VIII
not? His wife didn't care rap 70