Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-04

/ Il
chokinE whisper What are Won doing
hereY What do you want?"
| Where have you been7" the Presence
retorted In level voice instantly identi-
fed as that Of Mrs standish. what
nave you been doing"-a spectral arm
"out there?"
sally took firm hold Of herself and mus
tered ell her wit against this emergency.
went out she said slowly. "be-
cause couldn't sleep, and-it seemed so
lovely out there"
Dressed like thatr
Profound scorn informed this comment
The girl writhed. but held herself well In
hand.
1T was so late" she explained. "t
didnt think 1t possible there'd be any
body else about"
'Of course YOU didn't" Tne womans
tone was saturated with hateful in
nuenuo. ,! ON the other hand YOU soon
discovered your mistake, didn't your"
sally muttered sullen Yes"
You're wise not to lie to me-" her
patroness remarked with just n suspicion
Oh satisfaction. ~ knew, YOU see Ive
Deen sitting here, waiting, the better part
of an hour, listening to you two bicker-
ing behind the hedge You little fool.
Sally said nothing Her mood was all
obsessed now with the conviction that
this was the end TO her life of a moth.
An end to everything: come morning and
she must be cast forth in disgrace to go
back to
She choked upon an lmportunate sob
and dug nails into the palms of her
hands
Who was the MANI" Mrs. standlsh
pursued inexorably.
Then she didn't know!
Does it natter" Sally fenced
Certainly. insist upon knowing. Re-
member your position here-and mine |
have assumed responsibility for YOU: but
cannot permit YOU to make me answer
able for the antics of man-crazv
woman If YOU can't behave yourself
and refrain from annoying my aunt's
guests. you must 60 thought YOU un-
derstood that"
of course the girl muttered you
didn't think | expected anything else, did
your" "a 'N
Who was the man you followed out
there?"
Inc calculated offenslveness of this was
balanced by its sudden revelation to Sal
~ mind of the fact that Mrs. Standish
dldn't know there had been two men. II
was. however, true that the window did
hot command a view of the approach TO
the side door.
Are YOU going TO tell me-"
Iiease' Mrs. Standsh. I'd rather not"
Ihink again, my girl and don't forget
the circumstances under which / was per
suaded' against my better Judgment, to
introduce you here"
what do you mean?"
rave you forgotten you were caught
IN IN me act OF burglarizing my house?-
'nHt nrst saw you wearing clothes
stolen from me? You told a story, but
now DO ! know it was true? You may
Wen nave been an accompice of the ruff
nan who nearly killed my brother!"
That's hardly likely, is III"
How am ! to Judge? You may have
quarrcled and turned on him in revenge,
Judged by your conduct here. Tm sure
you're capable of anything. Or you may
nave thought you saw way to win
greater profit by aiding my brother"
That's all nonsense" Sally retorted
hotly, land YOU know it,
IL dismissal from Gosnold House were
inevitable, then there was no reason why
she should not call her soul her own.
A pause was filled by the dramatic effect
of Mrs, Standish nobly holding her tenn
per in leash.
When are you going to answer by
question:"
Sally was dumb.
Was it-that man you went out there
to meet"
81 didn't go 10 meet anybody. It was
an accident"
so you say. Was it some one of the
guests here?'
Silence was all the answer
III you persist In your present attI-
tude, remembering your dubious history.
have every right to take it for granted
you went to meet an accomplice in
"oh. rot" Sally interjected impa-
tiently
And then, encouraged by consciousness
Of her audacty. she let her temper run
away with her for an instant.
'All that's no good" she declared
forcibly, ''and you know it. If you mean |
TO speak to Mrs. Gosnold about me in the |
and have me sent away merely |
because I've had an unpleasant experience |
and refuse to discuss II with you-when |
rs none OF your affair-why 1 can't stop |
you. But I'm not child to be bulied |
and browbeaten, and I'm certainly not !
going to humor your curiosity about my |
private business. And that's fat Now |
'un on and tell on me. If you really must
out you won't"
"Oh-Indeed" Mrs. Standlsh rose with
vast dignity. "And why won't l. If you
)lease?"
Because you won't dare risk that in
surance money, for one thing
so you tnlnk you can DlaCkmall-'
~"Call 1t anything you like" Sally flashed
lefiantly. "Only bear in mind, I'm not
going to submit tamely and be sent away
n disgrace, like kitchen maid. I'll 60
light enough-you don't need to worry
lbOut that-but I'll go on my own excuse.
II you tell on me, III tell on you, and
III tell everything l know, too.
"And what please" the woman purred
"do you think you know"
what about your signaling that yacht
ust now?"
1t was a shot at a venture; she had no
'eal knowledge that the lighted window
lad been that of Mrs. Standish's bed
'oom but 1t was just possible, and she
,hanced 1t, and II told though she was
lot yet to know that with certainty.
What are you talking about?' Mrs.
standish hesitated with a hand on the
loorknob.
"You know we'll enough. I saw what
saw. People don't do things like that
inless there's something secret about II,
something they don't want known"
'I think you must be out of your head"
he woman responded with crushing hau-
eur. "I haven't the slightest notion whaT
'ou mean. and you needn't trouble to en-,
ighten me. don't I'm the least care. But
'ou may sleep on this-that your insolence
hall be properly rewarded as soon as I
,an see my aunt in the morning GOOD
hight"
With a defiant sniff that covered a spirit
ringing in CONSERVATION. Sally turned
Ter back and threw herself angrily into
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