The bee., 1914-08-14
CHAPTER XIII.
The Aid of the stars.

"HHEY left the elder groaning at
his Coor and went to look up
Dimmock, the rummage man.
But he was wholly unable to
throw any light on the former owner
Of the reports in which the drawing
had been tucked away. There the in
vestigatlon seemed to be up against a
blank wall.
Isn't it astounding said Sedgwick.
Here's a portrait antedating 1880 Of
n woman who has just died, young.
What was the woman l saw-a reve-
sant in the fesh?"
'-1f you ask me-" said Kent slowly.
Il should say, rather, an imitation"
Further he would not say, but in
sisted on returning to the Nook. As
they arrived the telephone bell was
ringing with the weary persistence of
the long unanswered. To Kent's query
Lawyer Bain's voice announced:
1--WE been trying to get you for an
hour"
Sorry said Kent. SIS it about the
zewspapers?"
YES" said the lawyer. i've got
the information" And he stated that
four newspapers went regularly to
Hedgerow house-the New York Star
and Messenger and the Boston Eagle
to Alexander Blair and the Boston
Free Press to Wilfrid Blair
Sedgwick set the Elliott sketch be-
side the copy and compared them for
n: time. Then he fell to wandering
desolately about the studio. Suddenly
be turned, walked over to his friend
and laid a hand on his shoulder.
'.Kent, for the love of heaven. can't
you do something for me?"
You mean about the girl?"
Sedgwick nodded. 81 can't get my
mind to stay on anything else. Even
tAis internal puzzle of the pictures
doesn't interest me for more than the
minute. The longing for her is eating
tine heart out of me-"
''My dear Frank" said the other
quietly, 'if there were anything
could do, don't you think I'd be doing
mr. It's a very dark tangle."
'If there were only something to
dor fretted the artist. Its this
cursed inaction that is getting my
nervev
IF that's ALL" returned Kent slow
Nv, "Pll give you something to do
And fancy" he added grimly, 1T
will be sufficiently absorbing to take
E2nr mind from your troubles for a
time at least"
Bring it on. I'm ready"
AAll in good time. Meantime | am
seriously thinking. my dear young
friend" said Kent solemnly, ''of con
sulting an astrologer."
You're crazyw retorted Sedgwick.
4 wish | were for a few hours"
said Kent, with entire seriousness. 1T
might help"
well, that's where I'll be If you
don't find something for me to do
soon. So come on and materialize this
promised activity"
AIf you regard a trip to the Martin
Gale Public library as activity | can
furnish that much excitement"
what are you going to do there?"
Consult the files of the newspapers
and pick out a likely high class as
arologer from the advertisements"
AThat has mild nutty flavor, but it
aoesn't excite any profound emotion in
me except concern for your sanity"
you've said that before" retorted
Kent. However. I'm not sure | shall
take you with me anyway"
Then that isn't the coming adven-
turel"
''No; nothing so mild and innocuous"
"Are. you asking me to run some
a1nger? Is 1t to see herr" said Sedg-
wick eagerly.
leave her out of It for the present.
Ynere is no question Of seeing her
now. There's an enterprise forward
which. II 1t fails. means the utter
canning o. reputation. What do you
aRyT
whats the inducement?"
The probable clearing up OF the