Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-12-23
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ApNLNA WILCOX PUINAM
4. ILLUSTRATIONS AgCD! RHODES
90


his tone implied that he had. All at
once the idea for which she was
searching flashed into her mind. III
IT hope you will not think what I am
about to say. too strange" she began,
"or consider me very presumptuous In
assuming that you are already sufh-
GENTLY my friend to permit my making
such a request Of you; but remember
that I owe you rescue and that we
have come together instantly on the
same plane without any Of the usual.
preamble. Perhaps indebtedness al
ready incurred is scarcely ground
for claiming further help; but you will
Understandable, you must. for am In.
great distress and trouble, and there
is no one to whom can 90 with my
difficulty" T.. s.%,
Pedro, who had been examining a
vase. turned to her with surprise. Ever
ready with sympathy, he put out his
hand with a single expressive gesture
D. Madonna" he exclaimed, you
know I would willingly serve you. II
It Is in my power to help, surely you
must know that I would not hesitate"
asi Very well. then" she said gravely.
1T is this: MY father Is a strong
man, brave man, am cure, and one
who is not easily daunted or disturbed.
You noticed how he acted today? Why,
he was scarcely civil to you Such
rudeness. believe me-, Is far from his
customary habit. and there is only one
explanation for it. He must be deeply
troubled about something, and for it to
disturb him So, that thing is q very
serious matter; otherwise he would
throw 1t off, or. at worst, conceal 1t"
Have you no idea OF what this
trouble ISL" he asked. 4: eee. =.
II have tried to get him to tell me, .
she replied, -but it has been useless
effort. My father and are close
friends, but he persists in saying there
is nothing wrong, which simply means
that something Is very wrong indeed:
so much SO that he is unwilling to tell
me- ~ IA: s.:..i5 '.,E,. a,5,!
II am sorry" said Pedro. but how
can l help?" E&,T g. s p.
THE case is just this!" she cried,
rising in her excitement: Il have
good reason to believe that he is be-
ing either defrauded by a, pack OF
scoundrels who have managed to de-
ceive him into some questionable I'M
dertaking, or that he is being black.
mailed. Could you-oh, do you think
that you could in any way find out II
he is being deceived. imposed upon.
and help him, or at least set my dis
turbed. mind at rest?" II s5'
1t is curious request" said Pedro
slowly. II to help your father! Why,
he is great mana wonderfully sue
cessful person. Surely you cannot
really believe I could serve him!"
"You do not yet understand" she
urged. "He Is strong and. capable, but
he is; almost ridiculously sensitive on
lines which touch his honor, and is
quite susceptible to being worked and
9tormented by: INSCRIPTIONS people.
And i have some real proof that this
is happening. although cannot actual
ly show 1t to you at this moment. Do
you remember my saying that car
ried papers Of value the day you res.
cued me with your bear? Well. the
sight Of them excited my father great
.ly, and ever since, he has been receiv-
ing letters which have nothing to do
with his regular business or his social
correspondence. 1 know it for a fact,
because stumbled upon them acci-
.dentally. in a secret drawer of his
desk. They are in a foreign language
Spanish, think-and he keeps them
all with great secrecy. Oh, am sure
he is being harried by some mysteri-
GUS people. Why. that note he received
at luncheon was directed in that same
fine foreign handwriting in which the
others are written. Now won't you
help me? Don't you see that 1t is an
exquisitely delicate matter with which
l cannot 60 to every one?" "
Have you no relations whom this
would concern ?" he asked.
y mo-" said she, Eve have only some
distant cousins whom we seldom see
and who would not do at all" s,e5.3
Then" said Pedro, II will help you.
It is a position Of questionable honor.
almost, which you require for this
spying and l cannot go about it DELHI
erately. Yet, II you sometime can give
me definite task in the matter, will
make sure to perform it; or should
chance throw me any information, !
shall not fail to use it and follow 1t
up, and shall be on the watchout for
any such. Still, it is not likely that
such thing will cross my path" &.
Thank you'll" she exclaimed in real
gratitude. 1T is a relief to know that
I may call upon you If necessary. Then
the matter can rest between US two.
There is nothing at present that can
ask you to do, but II clue should
arise shall let you know" ~.
And I will respond Immediately"
said he, arising to take his departure.
II have friends-ay, good friends,
who are more likely to hear rumors of
plotting than l. They probably know
most of the sub rosa doings Of the
town by now, or else they have failed
in their habit of other citiesl But even
SO, am afraid that there's not very
great chance Of their stumbling upon
the particular information we need.
And now; Madonna, I must leave. VIII
you pose for me? want to paint the
beautiful line which runs from your
chin downward, like the edge Of the
young MOON" ~. E.
"Pose!" she gasped, astonished at
this new turn of affairs. Then delight
at the prospect flooded her heart and
suffused her cheeks with delicate
color. pose for you! Indeed. yes.
When?"
Tomorrow"
"At any timer"
AT nine, If that is not too early"
II shall be there" she breathed.
When he had gone she descended
cautiously to the library. and finding
it vacant, made the door fast. Then,
springing the secret catch in the desk.
she took out the miniature which lay