Cheyenne record., 1915-05-27
CHAPTER iII-contInued.

CHAPTER iII-contInued.
Meanwhile Judge Ostrander was
looking about him for Mrs. Yardley.
The quiet figure of a squat little body
blocked up certain doorway.
81 am looking for Mrs. Yardley," he
ventured.
The little figure turned; he was con-
scious of two very piercing eyes being
raised to his, and heard invshaking ac-
cents, which yet were not the accents
of weakness. the surprised ejacula-
tion:
Judge Ostrander!"
Next minute they were together in
small room, with the door shut be-
hind them. The energy and decision
of this mite of a-woman were surpris-
lug.
81 was going-to you-in the morn
ing" she painted in her excitement.
ITO apologize" she respectfully fin
ished.
"Then." said he, "it was your child
who visited my house today?"
She nodded. Her large head was
somewhat disproportioned to her short
and stocky body. But her glance and
manner were not unpleasing. There
was a moment of silence which she
hastened to break.
Peggy is very young; 1t was not
her fault. She is SO young she doesn't
know where she went. She was found
lettering around the bridge-a dan
h,,f Jv,n
been very busy all day-and she was
found there and taken along by-by
the other person. l hope that you
will excuse 1t, sir"
What he had to say came with de-
cided abruptness.
"Who Is the woman, Mrs. Yardley?
That's what have come to learn, and
not to complain of your child"
The answer struck him very strange.
ly. though he saw nothing to lead him
to distrust her candor.
81 don't know, Judge Ostrander. She
calls herself Averill. but that doesn't
make me sure of her. You wonder
that | should keep lodger about
whom I have any doubts, but there
are times when Mr. Yardley uses his
own judgment, and this is one Of the
times. The woman pays we'll and
promptly" she added in a lower tone.
Her status? Is she maid, wife or
widow"
"Oh, she says she is a widow. and
l see every reason to believe her."
A slight grimness in her manner,
the smallest possible edge to her voice,
led the Judge to remark:
"Pretty?"
mot like girl, sir. She's old
enough to show fade; but don't be-
lieve that a man would mind that She
has look-a way, that even women
feel. You may judge, sir. if we, old
stagers at the business, have been
willing to take her in and keep her,
at any price-a woman who won't
show her face except to me, and who
will not leave her room without her
veil and then only for walks in places
where no one else wants to go-she
must have some queer sort of charm
to overcome all scruples. But she's
gone too far today. She shall leave
the inn tomorrow. / promise you
that. sir, whatever Samuel says. But
sit down; sit down; you look tired,
Judge. Is there anything you would
like2 Shall I call Samuel?"
mo. I'm not not much used to walk
ing. Besides, have had a great loss
today. My man, Bella" Then with
his former abruptness: Have you no
idea who this Mrs. Averill Is, or why
she broke into my house?"
There's but one explanation, sir.
I've been thinking about 1t ever since
got wind Of where she took my
Peggy. The woman is not responsible.
She has some sort of mania. Why
else should she go into a strange gate
Just because abe saw 1t open?"
"You speak of her as stranger.
Are you quite sure that she is
stranger to Shelby? You have not
been so very many years here. and
her constant wearing OF veil indoors
and out is very suspicious"
ooo I'm ha1fnninR to think And