East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-12-11

looked ITlslQly az ucA A1E 4A AA9toNts
Then, taking no notice whatever OF
the outstretchcG hand, MrA Clayton
turned her back upon the model and
walked across the room to the win
dow.
Robert flushed scarlet, to the roots
Of his hair, at this snub to the girl he
loved. Vanya went white with rage.
without a word she left the studio.
"Mother!" cried Clayton, as the
door closed behind the model, why
did you do that? Why did you insult
Miss Tosca so grossly? 1t was cruel
Of you"
The old lady's eyes filled with tears,
but bravely she answered:
II refused to meet her, my son, be-
cause she is not the sort Of woman
my son should know"
"You have no right to say that!"
bIazed Robert, you know nothing
about her. She"
II love her." retorted Clayton, in
stubborn defiance, "and mean to
marry her. With your approval or
without It,"
\ \ \
His mother tried to speak. Her
voice failed her. Rising hastily, she
quilted the room, leaving Robert
staring after her.
DR.. Montrose's after-lunch nap,
that day, was troubled by gruesome
dreams. As he lay back in the big
leather chair in his laboratory he
seemed to see the secret panel in
front Of him slide open and the face
of Pierre La Rue appear In the black
aperture.
The face grinned malevolently
down upon him; the crimson stain
glowing in the half-shut evil eyes.
Montrose shouted aloud, in terror.
and leaped to his feet. wide awake.
But even though the dream was
banished, he saw that the secret
panel in the wall stood wide open and
that a figure was gliding through it
into the laboratory.
BE cried aloud once more-this time
in sheer relief-at seeing the figure
was Tanners and not that OF a
demon. The tough had come for
treatment. And for once DIR. Mont
rose made no objection to giving it tc
him.
But even as he pushed forward the
mysterious apparatus pounding
at the laboratorys outer door inter
rupted him. He thrust the apparatus
back into its niche. Tanner disap.
peared through the secret panelway
like rat into its hole.
what on earth is the matter?'
queried Florence, breathlessly, as he
father appeared I'VE heard you CT.
I out as If you were suffering. w
heard it all the way downstairs. Ar
you ill?"
mo" the doctor managed to reply
with a fair semblance of careless
ness. Il just Snoozed; and had
nightmare. I'm sorry scared yol
two children"
Shutting the laboratory door benin
him, as he spoke, he accompanie
them down the stairway and out ont
the veranda, chatting as he went.
Tanner, emerging from a sid
entrance Of the house, was about t
,, cross the lawn toward the stree
when he saw the three come out upo
the veranda. Not wishing to be seer
he crouched among the porch vine
until they should go indoors again.
AS he did so he caught glimps
: Of Mrs. Clayton, who was coming u
the walk toward the Montrose hous'
And he shrank closer in among th
! vines.
Mrs. Clayton, seeing the thre
people on the veranda, Quickened he
pace.
''Doctor, I'm so glad to find you.
she greeted her host. I'm in sue
trouble. And you have advised m
so wisely at other times when thing
went wrong"
'"You look tired" said Florenc,
''Tll ring for tea. Felix can serve
out here, where it's cool"
She went indoors to summon III
A manservant. Mrs. Clayton turne
I again to the doctor.
: Its about Robert" she said. ''1
is in love with a woman-a horribI
woman-and he declares he's going |
marry her-'with my approval {
: without it, He"
''Who is the woman?" asked D
Montrose sympathetically, "anyon
we know?"
mo one we could possibly know
:, returned Mrs. Clayton. "A mode
Her name, believe, is Vanya Tosci
:, She is posing for Bob"
- Stanley, furtively watching Mon
. rose, saw the doctors face blanc
y and stiffen at the models name.
. "And it's all the worse; coming, {
. it does, at q time when I'm so wo
q ried and unhappy about my beat
/ tiful necklace. The police show I
signs of finding my necklace, by Il
way. It wasn't so much its valr
4 that / mourn, though it cost 5000
, and it's worth much more now. b
: 1t was my dear husbands last pre-
a ent to me- And 1 love it on that a
a count more than"
Mrs. Clayton" broke in Harol
~ Stanley. II did not mean to tell yo
! Just yet; for a reason I'll eXplai
10 later But 1 can't see you suff,
y when I can ease your trouble. Yol
necklace is perfectly safe. have II
"You?" gasped Mrs. Clayton, II
!, credulously, while DR.. Montose ar
- Felix gasped in woAder.
"Yes. 1t came into my hands,
J. an odd way. I'll explain that pa
q Of it, later, too. But the necklace
y recovered. 1t is locked in the SAT
In my library, at home"
Al Mrs. Clayton was effusively graf
e. ful. And, in listening to her thank
Stanley quite failed TO notice Felix
Is breathless interest in the eonvers,
10 ton.
or Nor did he hear the faint rustic
the vines, just heenEth him, as Ia
ID ner wrigglsd away from his hidlE
to place. There was work afoot al
Tanner felt he had no time to vast