Putnam patriot., 1914-03-13

| ment-
/ Mary had scarcely received from Ag-
! gle an account of Cassidy's threaten
| ing invasion when the maid announced
| that Mr.. Irwin had called.
! ''Show him in." Mary directed
who's the gink?" Aggie demanded
You ought to know He's the law-
yer retained by General Hastings In
the matter of a certain breach of prom
| Use SUIT.
Hope he's brought the money"
Leave the room now" Mary order
ed. when call to you come in. but
| be sure and leave everything to me.
Merely follow my lead And, Agnes
be very ingenue''
''Oh, I'm wise-I'm WISE" Aggie nod
ded as she hurried out toward her bed
room. I'll be a ,squab-surest thing
you know
Next moment Mary gave formal
greeting to the lawyer who represent
ed the man she planned to mulct eff
| fectively.
Irwin lost no time in coming to the
| point.
which Miss Agnes Lynch threatens 70
bring against my client, General Hast
lngs.'
Its not threat" Mr.. Irwin. 1.-THE
suit will be brought"
You realize. Of course, that this is
merely plain blaekmail."
IF it's backmail Mr. Irwin. why
don't you consult the police?'
Mary turned to the maid. who noN
entered in response to the bell she had
sounded minute before. Fanny,
will you ask Miss Lynch to come in
please?" Then she faced the lawyer
again. with an aloofness of manner
that was contemptuous. Really. Mr..
, Irwin" she drawled. .'why don't you
take this matter to the police"
You know perfectly WE'LL the law
yer said bitterly. THAT General Hast
ings cannot afford such publicity
"Oh, as for that" Mary suggested
| evenly, and now there WAS trace of
flippancy in her fashion of speaking.
lin sure the police would keep your
complaint secret. Really. you Know.
L.
your troubles to the police rather than
to me- You will get much more sym
pathy from them.
The lawyer sprang up with an air of
sudden determination.
Very well. i will then" he declared
Mary pushed in his direction the
telephone that stood on the table.
oh. IL. H
! agingIy. will bring an officer almost
immediately" She leaned back in heI
chair and surveyed the baffied man
amusedly.
Nevertheless, he rejoined ''you
know perfectly well that General Hast.
ings never promised to marry this girl
You know He broke off as Aggie
entered the drawing room.
Now. the girl was demure in seem
ing almost beyond belief-a childish
creature. very fair and dainty guile
less surely with Those untreubled eyes
of blue. those softly curvinS lips OF
warmest red and the more delicate
bloom and the rounded cheeks. There
were the charms of innocence and sim
inst Within the doorway, whence she
regarded Mary with a tim1d. pleading
gaze. Der slender little form poised |
lightly rs if for flight
"Did you want me. dear?s she asked
Agnes Mary answered affection
ately. this is Mr.. Irwin. who mas
come TO see you in behalf of General
Hastings.
.Ob." the girl Biurmured. her voice
auivering IL little as the lawyer. aftei
a short nod. dropped again into MS
seat, "oh. I'm SO frightened she
hurried. fiufterirg. to Il low stool be
hind the desk beside Mary's chair. ana
there she sank down. dropping slightly
and catching bold of one of Mary
hands AS if in mute pleading for pro
lection
Nonsense" Mary exclaimed sooth
inrIv. There's really nothing AT all 10
be frightened about, my dear child |
You mustn't be afraid. Agnes. MT
Irwin saws that General Hastings did
not promise to marry you. OF course
ron understand. my dear. that under |
no circumstances must you say any
thing that isn't strictly true and that |
If he did not promise to marry you vol |
bave no case-pone at all Now. Ag |
mes. tell me Did General Hastings |
tyomise to marry you?"
ooh. yes-oh. Yes. indeed Ageh
cried falteringly And wish he
would He's such delightful ola gen
tleman.
The legal representative OF the oe
liehtful old gentleman scowled disgust
edly at this outl,urst
WAS that praDise made in wrltihsf
No Aggie answered gushinsiy |
.Rut all his letters vere IN wfilihs
You know. Such wonderful letters
So tendsr and so-er-intsresting.
YES. ye~. | dare say" irwin agreed
hastily. with some evidences OF cha
grin
.Rut you're quite sure. Agnes. Mar
questioned gently. that General Hast
inrs did promise to marry youf'
..Oh. yes Aggie declared tensey
.why. would swear to IT," In
1,meld eyes. 80 appealing in their sol