East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-12-18

at tce front walk leaulnS
up 10 Dr. Montrose's River
dale house. lie was bearer
u q message from his mother, in
,itiaG Florence to an impromptu lit
10 dirnAr Which Mrs. Clayton was
20 give that evening at the Crest
country Club.
AZ CLAYTON noared the house he
.aught "A glimpse of Florence, play
ug with btf Kittens in the rose gar
.en ~ tie rear.
7%ainE advantage OF his position
80 llfaioas friend Of the Mo1troses,
% altered his course. Instead Of
counting the veranda steps he
,alkcd around the house, toward the
crdcn. his footsteps noiseless on the
ecrt turt OF the lawn.
But by the time-he reached the
oae garden Florence had gathered up
e. no armful OF kittens and carried
en- into the house by a rear door.
40 Bob retraced his steps toward the
'front.' veranda.
As he passed by the long French
windows at the side he had an un-
obstructed view OF the wide hallway
hat ran the full length Of the lower
loor.
Idly, half consciously, he glanced
~ Then, his brow contracting, he
,Oked more closely Some one was
,anding-or. rather. crouching-at a
urtained doorway in the hall.
Clayton at once recognized the
avesdropper as Felix, DR.. Mont
.9se's manservarit, although tho serv-
lnts back was toward him. Before
Cob could move on he saw a second
nan walk into his range Of vision.
It was DR.. Mqntrose himself, COM
ing into the hail from the adjoining
library And 50 quietly did the doc
1r advance that he was at Felix's
eibow before the servant was aware
his employers presence.
clayton saw Montrose's face darken
ith Indignation at sight Of Felix's
tl,ude Of spying. Then he saw the
c;or seize the servant roughly by
"a shoulder and spin him about
5ntrnse's lips were moving. Evil
.Btly he was rebuking the man for
esdropping.
sut Felix showed no fright or
anne ut his detection. He met DIT.
,Iontrose's accusing glare with calm
ayes. A faint smear twisted his pallid
lip corners.
"A ,ha doctor ceased speaking Clay
ton saw Felix's mouth open in reply
lie could not OF course, hear the
SorvAnt's words. which seemed prlei
and concise-but he could note their
sHs.H On the drrtoE.
MonL~Ss's fare went pale his
hand dropred fropa its grip TX
collar. He took q hasty ster back
ward, For an instant he and the
servant faced each other in tense
silence.
Then Felix, with an ironic half
smile bowed and walked away n
Montrose stared after him in ;
thing very like abject terror ~. d
fun minute.
CLAYTON suddenly realized that h
himself had been an onloo' ~
something that did not in the leas'
concern him. He turned, to continue
bis progress toward the front door
And as he did so he almost collide'
with Layton Parrish.
He had not heard Parrish appro !
ua aid not know how long the de
tecfive might have been stanoht
there at his side, nor how much o
the tableau through the windows III
might have seen. .
Good day, Mr.. Clayton" the de
tective greeted Bob. II was starting
nm the steps when j saw you STAND
inc here. with your mouth OPEN Ho'
seemed so much rested IN some
thing that ] thoug. I'd JON you
eni0V the show, too. WHAT'S upT
AZ saw Felix-Dr. Montrose's serv
ant. YOU know-listening at a door
wav. The doctor caught him at
ana started to call him down oil
turned on him and said son q
that seemed to , through d. II
rose like a knife. What do yo' X
Of itT'
III ] knew what to make OF ny
thing that goes on IN this que ol
house," slowly replied Parrish Is
choosine words with infinite car
ara know more than u good to' an
s0uare man to know. and 70 'w
Iot more than was good foI %