The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-07

De Peyster sank back In her chair
and closed her eyes.
She's fainted!" cried Mary.
I"Her smelling salts!"
"A glass OF water!" exclaimed
Jack.
mo, no." breathed Mrs. De
Peyster.
But the pair had darted away.
Mary into the bedroom, Jack into
the bathroom. From the bathroom
came a sudden, jangling din, like
the sheet-iron thunder of the
stage.
Mary reappeared. fresh amaze
ment on her face.
Somebody's been using the
bedrooml The beds not made.
and your clothes are all about"
The next moment Jack rushed
in behind her.
What a stack of empty tin
cans / kicked into in the bath
room! What the deuce has been
going on here?"
Mrs. De Peyster looked weakly,
hopelessly. at Olivetta.
There's no use trying to keep
1t up any longer. We've might
as well confess. You tell them,
Olivetta."
But Olivetta protested into her
dripping handkerchief that she
never, never could. So 1t fell to
Mrs. De Peyster herself to be the
historian of her plans and misad-
ventures.
"It's all been bad enough" she
moaned at the end; whats hap
pened is all bad enough, but think
what's yet to come! It's all COM
ing out! Everybody will be laugh
ling at me-oh!-oh!-oh!-"
Mrs. De Peyster was drifting
away into inarticulate lamenta-
tions, when there came a trimp-
ing sound upon the stairway. She
drew herself up.
/ Whats that"
j There was loud rap upon the
door.
81 say. Judge Harvey, Mr.. De
Peyster,' called out voice.
I"What's all this delay about?"
THAT Internal Mayfair, and
the whole gang of reporters" ex-
claimed Jack.
"Oh, Jack - Judge Harvey!
Save me! Save mel"
"The hour set for the ftneral is
passed." Mayfair continued to
call, "the drawing room is packed
with people, and the body hasn't
larrived yet. We don't want to
make ourselves obnoxious, but
it's almost press-time for the next
edition, and we've got to know
what's doing. You know what a
Ibig story this Is. Understand
we've simply got to know!"
Judge Harvey and Jack and
Mary regarded each other in
blank desperation; Mrs. De Pey-
ster and Olivetta and Matilda
were merely different varieties of
Ijellied helplessness.
Pardon me-" whispered Mr..
Pyecroft, gently stepping for
ward among them. Then he rats
led his voice. wait Just one
minute, gentlemen! You shall
know everything!"
"Oh, Mr.. Pyecroft, don't don't!"
moaned Mrs. De Peyster.
;, But Mr.. Pyecroft, without heed
ing her protest, stepped to OIL
: vetta's side.
: Miss Harmon" he whispered
: rapidly, did you obey Mrs. De
Peyster's instructions on your
voyage home? About keeping
yourself yelled, and all the rest?'
YES" said Olivetta.
"And Mrs. De Peyster's trunks,
where are they?"
i "At the Cunard pier"
i What name did you sail I'M
Ider?"
J, Miss Hartman"
| In the same instant Mr.. Pye-
croft had lifted Olivetta to her
feet, had drawn from her bone
less figure the long travelling coat
of pongee silk, and had drawn the
!. Ipins from her travelling hat. Re-
leased from this support, Olivetta
recollapsed. In the next instant
Mr.. Pyecroft had Mrs. De Peyster,
had slipped the long coat upon
her. had put the hat upon her
head, had drawn the thick veil
down over her face-and had
thrust her again down into her
chair.
Matilda, not a world" he or
ldered, in a quick whisper. Miss
Harmon, not a word! Mrs. De
Peyster, call up your nerve;
you'll need It, for you know that
Mayfair is the cleverest reporter
in Park Row. And now, Mrs.
Jack De Peyster"--for Mary stood
nearest the door-"let them in. !"
i Mary cast a questioning glance
at Jack, who, bewildered, nodded
his consent. She unlocked the
door.
i The next moment a dozen re-
Iporters crowded into the room,
the redoubtable Mr.. Mayfair at
their head; and behind them
could be seen the pale, curious
faces of William, Miss Gardner,
, land M. Dubois.
j What's up?" demanded the
keen-faced Mayfair.
Before I answer that" said
!. lMr. Pyecroft. spermit me IN nra-