Omaha daily bee., 1914-05-09
GJhe Bees ~Et6me~ Magazine *Pa8e2

Is blowing over already, and we can trust
Maclean to keep us clear. AS for the de-
tectives, II they arrest Carucci again so
much the better, provided we don't appear
In It, He'd be no more likely TO talk
then, than before
II wonder il we can trust Mr. Mac
lean"
I'm rather sure of Mac" I said
1T isn't that exactly; I'm not doubling
your friend; but even so. he knows
knows absolutely that We were involved
in that New York disturbance the other
night. Think OF all we did TO keep you
from even suspecting something far less
exciting. And he's a reporter after all.
and in no way one OF us. OF course he's
honorable, but-he's working up the Ca
rucci side OF it, I'm afraid of what he
may bring out, perfectly removed from
us in itself, but that might suggest
Oh, you see what I mean"
Il wish l could hear from him." / said.
'T want to know what's happening. But
honestly, l think l took the safe way
with him, whatever happens It's much
better to have him know what he mustn't
say than to have him guessing all sorts
Of things with no reason for not airing
them"
1 "
We took a terrible risk"
II did, you mean. II | spoke beyond my
authority, the fault is certainly mine.
still, I'm not sure that I'm sorry. and l
won't plead that 1 meant we'll"
She searched carefully through a heap
of flowers. mo, you're one of us now
in a way. What you did was ours, not
your own oh, I'm sure it's all right
anyway, and you acted wisely. Only I'm
nervous about it. l suppose" She leaned
back YEARLY. II do get so tired Of all
this unnaturalness. Why can't God let
! us live like other people?'
IT was the first time | had ever heard
her complaint; the first open confession
of the weary weight that had lain so long
upon her eyes; and 1t shook me that
for a little l did not turst myself to
speak, for fear / should not speak quietly
} enough. She sat silent, the light gone
out of her as l had seen II 60 on that
, first day, her hand twisting lstlessly at
: her chain.
! Il only wish / could be Of more USE"
said at last
) She turned half toward me: Some
: times 1 wish you could know" she said
E and her eyes of a sudden gllmmered and
4 grew wet.
! That was more than could bear
! Lady" I cried, why can't | know?
. What difference does it make? Oh. I'm
not questioning you: 1 don't want to sat
isfy my mere mind with your mystery
0 don't care what the explanation is;
! I'm not after answers TO questions. But
( it can't matter to us, whatever It Is.
e Nothing can. When l thought you were
= married, that didn't change anything
! really. 1t meant that must go away,
that l must never come back to you per-
haps-but even that was little thing.
And nothing else in the world could be
as bad as that even"
Don't. Please don't make Il any worse
oh stop telling me-listenH' She caught
/ herself suddenly, holding up her hand.
| The canary poured out long trill that
J sounded like tiny laughter.
"Sheila," l said. shes been walking
about up there all the morning. You've
y got so that this nightmare doesn't give
you an hours peace 1 don't care what
it is. You know that. You know that l
couldn't be troubled by anything behind
you or about you. 1 never shall want 20
know. But / want the whole right to
h stand in front of you and fight it, to
e take you away from this place and make
I you forget and be alive. And you know
that no reason"
e / do not know what stopped me. The
?, canary was silent, and the clock ticked
= twice across the hush. Then from the
floor above o horrible scream cut through
d me like frozen knife; then another
|. mixed with a heavy clatter of feet.
We both sprang for the stairs, Lady
- a little before me. As l tried to pass
her at the foot, she caught me by the
II arm and clung desperately to me, heI
II breath coming hard and fast,
II mo you mustn't. Don't come, do you
= hear? Wait until l call you" The dry
n tension in her voice was not a thing tC
d disregard bIndly. l waited with my foot
J. on the lowest step. my heart staggering
t, in my ears, while she sped above out OF
& sight. The screams had broken into q
IT choking wall of utter terror door
slammed. Sheila's strong voice rang out
n angrily, then sank under broken clamol
II OF stumbling steps. A man leapeC
y roughly down the first few stairs, stopped
e and turned as | bent forward just enough
t. TO get half glimpse of course clothes
l. ana clumsy feet, and sprang back again
4, tramplng across the upper hall ! hest
tated an instant, then followed him thre'
le steps at a stride. Whatever happened
would not leave the three women aion,
y with him.
,p In the hall / paused, for it was empty
From the front room which took to b.
Mrs. Tabors came voices. Lady's fun anC
e. sweet, her mothers frightened and child
se ish, and the resonant whisper of Mrs
sr Carucci.
ct He was here. I tell you. Lady Mrs
:? Tabors treble rose above the murmuT
st and as suddenly ceased. / looked abou
at me, uncertain. | had only been abov
ID stairs once before and then at night
,u My room then had been at the rear o
the house, with a fun length Of hall be
tween it and Mrs. TabOrs and the stat
head where l now stood was an even mid
way between the two, / felt vaguely Il
at ease. / knew that l should look 10
the intruder and look for him upon tn
instant; but. something held me back
1t perhaps a feeling that l had little righ
To blunder about upon this floor, to stun
lie BILE perhaps into Ladys own room, a
3, intruder upon her intimate privacy, This
rs however, was no time for doubtful sent
he ment Minutes were passing, and TN
In man must be found | was sure that
.s ! WAS stilI in the house Very carefully