Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-10
CHAPTER vI-continusd.

CHAPTER vI-continusd.
oh, It's you. Lanny-Colonel Ian
stron!" he exclaimed thickly. Il saw
that some one had come In here and
naturally l was alarmed, as nobody
but myself ever enters. And Miss Gal
land!" He removed his hat ~deferential-
ly and bowed; his stoop returned and
h lines OF his face dropped. II was
80 stupid; IL did not occur to me that
you might be showing the tower to
Colonel Lanstron."
I'VE are sorry to have given you a
fright" said Marta very gently.
Eth! Eli" queried Teller. again
deaf. Fright? oh, no. no fright. II
might have been some boys from the
town marauding."
He was about to withdraw, In keep
ing with his circumspect adherence
to his part, which he played with a
sincerity that h~alf-convinced even him
self at times that he was really deaf.
when the fire fickered back suddenly
to his eyes and he glanced from Lam
stron to the stairway In desperate in
CURRY.
Wait. Teller! Three of us share
the secret now. These are Miss Gal.
lands premises. l thought best that
she should know everything" said Lam
stron.
"E%verything!" exclaimed Teller.
Everything" the word caught In his
throat. You mean my story, too?" He
was neither young nor old now. "She
knows who / ann" he asked.
His story!" exclaimed Marta, with
a puzzled look to Lanstron before she
turned to Teller with a look Of warm
sympathy. why, there is no story!
You came with excellent recommends
tions. You are our very efficient gar.
dener. That is all we need to know.
Isn't that the way you wish it, Mr..
Fellerf"
Yes. just that" he said softly, rails.
ing his eyes to her. Thank you, Miss
Gallandi"
He was going after another Thank
you!" and a bow; going with the slow
step and stoop of his part. when Lam
stron. with a masculine roughness Of
impulse which may be sublime gentle
ness. swung him around and seized his
hands in a firm caress.
Forgive me, Gustave!" he begged.
Forgive the most brutal of all IN
juries-that which wounds a friends
sensibilities."
why, there is nothing I could ever
have to forgive you. Lanny." he said.
returning Lanstron's pressure while
for an instant his quickening muscles
gave him a soldierly erectness. Then
his attitude changed to n of doubt
and inquiry. "And you found out that
/ was not deaf when you had that fall
on the ~terrace?" he asked. turning to
Marta. THAT Is how you happened to
get the whole story? Tell me, hon.
estlyi"
YES"
"You saw 30 much more Of me than
the others, Miss Galland." he said with
a charming bow. and you are SO quick
to observe. ] am sorry"-he paused
with head down for an instant--very
sorry to have deceived you"
"But you are still a deaf gardener
to me-" said Marta, finding consolation
In pleasing him
"Eh? Eh?" He put his hand to his
ear as he resumed his stoop. Eyes,
yes" he added. al a deaf man will
when understanding Of a remark which
he failed at first to catch comes to him
in an echo. Yes. the gardener has no
past" he declared in the gentle old
gardeners voice. when all the fiow-
ers die every year and he thinks only
Of next years blossoms-of the fu-
ture!"
Now the air OF the room seemed to
be sitting him, that Of the rooiess
world Of the garden calling him. The
bent figure disappeared around a turn
in the path and they listened without
moving until the sound OF his slow.
dragging footballs had died away.
when he is serving those Of his
own social station ] a see how It
would be easier for him not to have
me know" said Marta. Sensitive,
proud and intense" and a look Of
horror appeared in her eyes. "As he
came across the room his face was
transformed. i imagine 1t was like
that Of a man giving no quarter in a
bayonet charged"
Teller had won the day for himself
where q friends pleas might have
failed. This was as II should be, Lam
stron thought.
The right view-the view that you
were bound to take!" he said.
And yet, I don't know your plans
Tor him, Lanny. There is another thing
to consider" she replied. with an abb
rupt change OF tone. But first let US
leave Feller's quarters. We are In
trpders here"
"A man playing deaf; a secret teIe-
phone installed on our premises with
put our consent-this IL all / know SO
far" said Marta, seated opposite
Lanstron at one end Of the circular
yeat In the arbor Of Mercury.
Z. "Of course. with our 3,000,0 900
against their 100000. the Grays will
take the offensive" he said. For us,
the defensive. La Tir is In an angle.
II does not belong In the permanent