The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-15
tCoNTiNuEpl

landing Peg IN ner anxiety stepped
short. missed the top step. lost her foot.
ing and fell the entire length af the
staircase into the room. smashing Il
tall china flower VASE thar was repos-
ing on the post AZ the foot OF the stairs,
The worst thing that could possibly
have happeueI was Just what did nap
pen,
Peg Instantly made up her mind that
they were not going To know why
Ethel was there,
Ethel must Ne saved and AT any cost.
Holy mother." she crled. THE
whole house'll he awake! Give me yer
hat. OuicS. An Yet cloak. an yer
bag" Peg began amckl, To put ou
Ethel's hat aud cloak der own she
fiune out OF sight beneath tile great
oak table.
Now remem3er. she dictated, I'VE
came here b,can>e ye heslrd ME ie
weren't gotn out o the house ut alt
! ie just heard ME movin' about In
here. Stick 10 thatr'
The sound of Voices In the distance
pTu!AS i'll ou tueiu.
They're comm" said Peg anx
iousiy.
Take care. nater-keep back. Let
nle dea, with them" Aud Alaric. with
an electric nashlight. appeared ut the
head OF the stairs. followed ny his
( mother and the servant Jarvis,
/ he began n systematic search of the
/ room until suddenly tue reflector from
the tashlight shone tull on the two
girls.
| Ethel was sitting back saintng in a
chair. clinging TO Peg. who was stand,
/ ing beside her trembling
"Ethei.' cried Alaric iu amazement.
"Murgaret," said Mrs. Chichester in
anger.
I w ell. | mean TO say- calculated the
astouuded young nau Us lie walked
across 10 the switch and nouded the
room with light
What does tnis meant" asked Mrs.
Chichester severely.
Sure Ethel heard me here" answer
ed Peg, AN she came IN. an
81 WAS gun cut. an Ethel heard me
an came in an stopped me. an -
Where were yuu gOing:" persisted
the Old lady
Just out-out there" and Peg point
+ ed To the open windows
( Mrs. Chichester nad Deen examining
I Peg minutely. She suddenly ex-
/ claimed:
why. that is Ethel'S COAT
Sure il is" replied Peg. an this
Is her hat I've got. an here's her pag.
I Peg was striving ner utmost 10 divert
Mrs. Chichester attention from Ethel.
who was in 50 tense and nervous Il
condition that il seemed us il she
might faint at any moment She
thrust the dressing bag INTO the old
lady's hand. Mrs. Chichester opened
IL Immediately ana found just inside 1t
Ethefs jewel box She took II out and
held IL up accusingiy before Pegs
eyes. Her jewel box Where did you
get this:''
81 took it," said Peg promptly.
Mrs Chichester opened the box. Ii
was full. Every jewel that Ethel own
ed was in il
Her Jewels Ethel'S jewelsw
"Yes, | took them too
"You were stealing them:"
No, ! wasn't stealth them. Just
took EN- | wanted-to wear them"
answered Peg readily Suddenly Peg
saw way of escape. ana she jumped
quickly at it, Il wanted TO wear them
az the dance"
what dance;" demanded Mrs. Chi
chester.
Over therein the Assembly rooms
tonight. | went over there. an
danced. an when came back l made
noise. an Ethel heard Tue. an she
threw on some clothes. au' she came iu
here to see who IL was, an IL was me.
an we were both goin up TO bed when
| slipped an fell down the stairs. an
some noisy thing fell down with me.
an that's all"
Alaric called out from the window:
There's some one proving In the
garden. Hes on the path Hes com-
ing here. Don't be frightened
Alaric pushed his electric light full
into the visitors face and fell back.
Good heavens. Jerry" be calculated.
completely astonished. Il say. you
know he went on. w bat Is happen
ing in this house tonight!"
Jerry came straight down to Mrs.
Chichester.
81 saw your lights go up. and | came
like this had happened. Don't he hard
on your niece. Mrs Chichester. The
whole thing was entirely my fault L
asked her TO ga
Mrs. Chichester looked at him
stonily.
You took my niece to dance In
spite of my absolute refusal to allow
her to gof-
He had nothin' to do with It." said
Peg. II took him to that dance
Mrs. Chichester looked steadily at
Jerry for few moments before she
spoke. When she did speak her voice
was cold and bard and accusatory.
Surely Sir Gerald Adair knows bet
ter than to take girl of eighteen to a
public bail without her relations sane
tion?"
81 thought only of the pleasure 1t
would give her" he answered please
accept my sincerest apologies"
Peg looked at him in wonder
'Sir Gerald Adair! Are you Sir