Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-19
CHATTER XVII
EXPOSE.

CHAP ElN Nv II
EXPOSE.
Some little time later there filed into
the boudoir of the hostess of Gosnold
House small but select troupe OF
strangely various tempers
Mrs. Gosnold herself led the way, a
portentous countenanCe matching well
her tread of inexorable purpose, but In
odd contrast to the demure frivolity OF
the Quaker Girl costume she still wore.
sally followed, nervously sullen of bear
ing toward all save her employer.
MIR. Walter Arden Savage came next
hut at a respectable distance, a very
hang-dog Harlequin indeed, cigarette
dropping disconsolately from the corner
| of his mouth.
AT the door. he stood aside to give prec-
| edence to his sister, no longer Coluil'.
| bine, but profoundly distressed anu
apprehensive blond person in particu-
Iarly fetching negligee.
Miss Pride alone wore her accustomed
mien-or sprightly nsterhood-unruttled.
Mr.. I.yttleton was almost t>o much at
| case: Mr., Mason was exceedingly du-
bious MIR. TreEo was, for him, almost ap-
normally grave.
This last, bringing up the rear of the
| procession closed the hall door AT siHn
| from Mrs. Gosnold. The company tounu
seats conspicuously apart, with the eX-
| ception of Mrs. Standish and savage
/ likewise Mercedes, who stuck to her deat
Abigail as per invariable custom. Sally'
on her part found an aloof corner where
she could observe without being readily
| observed.
$50" said Mrs. Gosnold, taking her
place beside the desk and raklng the
| gathering with forbidden eye. NOW II
Won will all be good enough to humor
me without Interruption | have some an
nouncements to make, some news 10 I'M
part, and perhaps a question or TWO tC
ask. It's late, and I'm tired and shorl
of temper, so you needn't be afraid
sha'n't make the proceedings as brlei
as possible. But there are certain mat
ters that must be settled before we St
to bed tonight
She managed a dramatic pause yer!
effectively and then: 'FNe been kld
mapped" she announced
Murmurs of astonishmeht reWarueu hei
She smiled grimly.
"T<idnapped," >" she iterated with sort OF
ferocious relish. "At my age, too.
don't wonder you're surprised. was
So were my kidnappers. when they found
out who | was. For. of course, 1t was a
mistake. They were conventional kiu'
nappers. with not an ounce of originality
TO bless themselves with, so naturally
they had meant to kidnap a good-looking
youngster-M Manwaring, in fact
She nobbed vigorous affirmation of the
statement so I'm told, at least; SO
Walter tells me; and he ought 10 know
he claims to have been the moving spirit
in the affair. When he found out his
mistake. of course, he posted off after
men to rectify the hdeous error, and ar
| rived lust in time to effect dramatic
rescue. And then he had to confess.
The whole business" she went on
from beginning to end. was very simple,
f,1N Hon lane
And sckening. You're not going Adele?'
she Interrupted herself as Mrs. Standish
rose
Without answer her niece moved
haughtily toward the door. Mrs, Gosnold
nodded to Trego.
"Oh, yes, let her go I'm sure I've no
more use for her. But half minute,
Adele; the car will be ready to take you
and Walter to the nine thirty boat to-
morrow morning"
There was no answer. The door closed
behind Mrs. Standish, and her aunt calm
ly continued:
at seems that Adele's notorious eN-
travagance got her into hot water shorty
after she divorced Standish and had only
her private means TO support her insane
passion for clothes and ostentation in
general. She went TO money-lenders-
usurers. in fact. And, OF course, that
only made II worse. Then Walter, who
has never been overscrupulous. conceived
the brilliant notion of squaring every
thing up for a new start by swindling
the burglar-insurance people. Adele has
always carried heavy insurance on her
iewelry-almost the only sensible habit
she ever contracted. And so they con-
splred. like the two near-siGhted idiots
they were.
ION the afternoon OF the day they were
to start for the island they gave all the
servants a night Off, and contrived to
miss connection with the Sound steamer
Then they went to the Biltmore for din
ner, and when II was dark Walter
sneaked back home TO burglarize th'
safe / understand he made a very
amateurlsh job of II. Into the bargain
he was observed. 1t seems that the sery
ants had carelessly left the scuttle opeT
TO the roof, and Miss Manwarlng, caugni
there in a thunder storm, had taken shell
ter in the house-which was quite m
natural thing, and no blame to her II
addition, a real burglar presently jimmie,
his way in, caught Walter in the act O
rihing his own safe, and forthwith as
saulted him. Walter and the jewels wer
only saved by the intervention of Mis-
Manwarng, who very bravely pointed
pistol at the real burglars head, an
then, having aided Walter to turn tn
tables, ran away So far, good; Waite
, booted the burglar out OF the house
, loaded up with the Jewels and left to re
, join Adele. But fate would have it tina
+ he should meet Miss Manwaring again 4
the Grand Central Station"
She paused for breath, then summed u
with an amused smile; There was
: most embarrassing contretemps broke
desk and empty safe at home to be aC
+ counted for, whether on not they attempt
ed to sWindle the insurance company, an
II they did make the attempt-and n
member. they we're desperate for none
. "a witness 70 be taken care Of The
: couldn't let Miss Manwaring go and te
/. the story OF her adventure pTomiseuousl!
as she had every right 70, II she chos
. for II Il got 10 the ears Of the insuranC
4 people their plot would fail. and the
we're none too sure that they were ns