Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-03-08

Wny OIO 7 on LUCK WE IN :!
dawned and waned without her knoWl-
edge?
That question was one to agitate
him; he was up in an instant and crop
ing his way through the gloom
enshrouded bedchamber and dining
room to the staircase door in the re.
ceptim hall. He found this fast
enough, for it's key was safe in his
pocket and, unlocking it quietly, he
shot the beam Of his lamp up that
dark wall to the door at the top, which
was tight shut.
For several moments he listened, but
there was never a sound to indicate
that he wasn't lonely tenant of the
little dwelling, then irresolutely he
lifted a foot to the first step-and
withdrew it. If she were still asleep,
why disturb her? He had much to do
in the way Of thinking things out and
that was a process more easily per-
formed in solitude.
Leaving the door ajar, he turned to
one of the front windows, parted it's
draperies, and peered out, over the
little garden and through the iron ribs
of the gate, to the street, where a
single gas lamp, glimmering within
dull. golden halo of mist, made Wis
ible the scant length of the Impasse
Stanislas, empty, rain-swept, desolate
Rain continued to fall with no hint
of stopping.
Something in the dreary emptiness
of that brief vista deepened the shad-
ow in his mood and knitted a careworn
frown into his brows.
Abstractedly he sought the kitchen
and, making light, washed up at the
tap, then foraged for breakfast. Per
sfstence turned up spirit stove,
packet of tea, a tin or two of biscuit,
as many more of potted meats-left-
overs from the artists stock, dismally
scant and uninvitipg in array. With
these he made the discovery that he
was half famished, and found no rea-
son to believe that the girl would be
in any better case. An expedition to
the nearest butcher was advisable;
but after he had found an old raincoat
Of Solon's Lanyard decided against
leaving the girl alone. Pending her
appearance. he filled the spirit stove,
put the kettle on to boil, and, lighting
a cigarette, sat himself down beside
the table to watch the pot and cogi-
tate over his several problems.
In a fashion uncommonly clear
headed, even for him, he assembled
all the facts bearing upon their posi-
ton, his and Lucia Bannon's, and dis
passionately pondered them.
But insensibly his thoughts reverted
to the exotic phase of his awakening.
drifting into such introspection as he
seldom INDUCED, and led him by
strange ways to a revelation alto
gether unpresaged and resolve still
more revolutionary.
A look of wonder flickered in his
brooding eyes, and clipped between his
two fingers, his cigarette grew a long
ash, let it fall, and burned down to
stump so short that the coal almost
scorched his flesh. He dropped it
quite unwittfngly.
Slowly but irresistibly his world was
turning over beneath his feet.
The sound Of a football recalled him
as from an Unreasonable remove; he
looked up to see the girl at pause upon
the threshold. He rose slowly, with
effort recollecting himself and mar
shaling his wits against the emergency
foreshadowed by her attitude.
Tense with indignation, quick with
disdain, she demanded without any
preface whatever: "Why did you lock
me in?"
He stammered unhappily: Il beg
your pardon"
"Why did you lock me in?"
I'm sorry
But she interrupted him to stamp
her foot emphatically, and he caught
her up on the echo Of that.
IF you must know, because I wasn't |
you
Her eyes darkened ominously. 'Yet |
you insisted that I must trust you'll"
1.-THE circumstances aren't parallel;
you're not notorious malefa ctor want
ed by the police of every capital in
Europe, bounded by rivals to boot
fighting for life, liberty and"-he
laughed shortly-"the pursuit Of hap
piness!"
She caught her breath sharply
with dismay or mere surprise
at his frankness he couldn't tell.
"Are your" she demanded quickly.
"Am I what?"
tWhat you've just said"
"A crook-and all that? Miss Ban
ION, you know it,"
1.-THE Lone Wolff"
you've known it all along. De Nor
oihan told you-or else your father.
0r it may be you were shrewd enough
% guess it from De Morbihan's gas
:onading at the table. At all events,
It's plain enough to me that nothing
,ut desire to secure proof of my iden-
lily with the Lone Wolf took you to
ny room last night-whether for your
personal satisfaction or at the insti-
,ation of Bannon-and that nothing
ess than your own disgust with what
vas going on actuated you to run