Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-24
and send 1t back with Terry

G | VI COute anu bOLne tOdbIy Ne Sdll
D Enough for one"
a He went back and slammed his doc
/ and 1 made. his coffee. STEPPED
, cup OF tea for Mrs. Ladley at the sam
r time. He opened the door just wild
enough for the tray and took It with
out so much as a thank you" n
, had cigarette In his mouth as usua
, and could see fire In the CRATE ant
, smell something like scorching cloth.
. II hope Mrs. Ladley is better
said. getting my foot I'm the crack o.
the door SO he could not quite close it
1t smelled to me as IL he had acciden
tally set fire to something with his
cigarette and I tried to see into ths
room.
What about Mrs. LadleyT' he snap
ped.
You said she was i'll last night"
"Oh. yes. Well. she wasn't very sick
She's better"
"Shall 1 bring her some tea?"
Take your foot awayr he ordered.
mo. She doesn't want tea. She's not
here"
Not herer'
Good heavens,- he snarled "Is her
going away anything to make such a
fuss about? The Lord knows I'd be
glad to get out of this internal pig wal
| low myself
IF you mean my house, began.
But he had pulled himself together
and was more polite when he answer
ed: 81 mean the neighborhood. Your
house is all that could be desired for
the money. If we do not have linen
sheets and double cream we are paying
muslin and milk prices"
! Either my nose was growing accus-
toned to the odor or it was dying
away. / took my foot away from the
door, When did Mrs. Ladley leave?"
1 asked.
This morning. very early. I rowed
her to Federal street"
You couldn't have had much Sleep"
I said dryly, for he looked horrible.
There were lines around his eyes,
which were red. and his lips looked dry
and cracked.
"She's not in the piece this week at
the theater," he said, licking his lips
and looking past me, not at me. She'll
be back by Saturday"
l did not believe him. / do not think
he imagined that I did. He shut the
door in my face. and it caught poor Pc
ter by the nose. The dog ran off howl
ing. but although Mr.. Ladiey had been
as fond of the animal as it was in his
nature to be fond of anything. he paid
no attention. AS I started down the
hall after him 1 saw what Peter had
been carrying-a slipper of Mrs. Lad
ley's. 1t was soaked with water. Evil |
hod for1n6 Of
the foot of the stairs.
Although the idea of murder had not |
entered my head at that time. the slip
per gave me a turn. / picked it up |
and looked at it, black one with a
beaded toe, short in the vamp and high
heeled, the sort most actresses wear.
Then l went back and knocked at the
door of the front room again.
What the devil do you want now?"
he called from beyond the door.
Here's slipper of Mrs. Ladley's."
l said Peter found it floating in the
lower hail.
He opened the door wide and let
me in. The room was in tolerable or
der, much better than when Mrs. Lad
ley was about. He looked at the slip
per. but he did not touch it 81 don't
think that is hers" he said.
I've seen her wear it a hundred
times"
well, she'll never wear it again"
And then. seeing me stare. he added:
It's ruined with the water. Throw it
,ut. And. by the way. I'm sorry. but
set fire to one of the pillow slips;
dropped asleep. and my cigarette did
he rest Just put it on the bill"
He pointed to the bed. One of the
pillows had no slip, and the ticking
over had a scorch or two on it 1
vent over and looked at it
THE pillow will have to be paid for.
90, Mr.. Ladley," said. And there's
sign nailed on the door that forbids
moking in bed. If you are going to
ct fire to things shall have to charge
xtra."
Really he jeered. looking at me
nth his cold. fishy eyes. lis there
ny sign on the door saying that board :
rs are charged extra for seven feet of !
lthy river in the bedrooms?'
I was never a match for him. and
rake it a principle never to handy =.
lords with my boarders. l took the
illow and the slipper and went oat. Z
he telephone was ringing on the star
nding. 1t was the theater. asking /
IT Miss Brice.
''She has gone away" 1 said.
what do you mean? Moved away?"
Gone for a few days vacation" l ;
.plSd. "She isn't playing this week. =
she?'' L
"Wait a moment said the voice
here was hum OF conversation from -
I L
me to the telephone.
Can you find out where Miss Brice .
Is goneY' T."
''rll see" U
went to Ladley's door and knocked. =
r. Ladley answered from just be- -
md. =
The theater is asking where Mrs =,
ldley is"
Tell them 1 don't know" he snarl- z,
and shut the door I fool, his mas |