Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-09-12

nOtel. IL durOklS planning an eva
sion, he evidently means to leave De
Lima to shift for himself. :.
Here are the warrants" Ryley pur-
sued, delivering the papers. "and here's
note that came for you just as |
stopped at the house to ask Anne
where to find you. Thought perhaps
I'd better bring 1t along"
~Thank you"
With a word of apology to Patria,
Donald opened the note. Written in
Rodney's unsteady hand, it read as fol-
lows:
Dear Don:
I'm frightfully sorry was such an ass
I ought to have known better. But I'm
so broken up about Patria and everything 1
couldn't see straight As soon as get over
this katzenjammer, I'm going to ask her
to forgive me For the present, I must
ask you not only to overlook my boorish-
ness but to help me out OF a bad scrape
I'm in.
It's woman. and it isn't my fault. I'm
in wrong-thats all. Only it'lI get me in
bad all round IL anything gets into the
papers. Please don't say anything to
anybody-Just come secretly to this ad-
dEt5S Us SOOH dS you can.
Respectfully yours,
Rodney.
The address was written below the
signature: "Hotel Baltimore. Ask for
me by my name"
Thoughtfully, Donald refolded and
pocketed the note. He was fond of
Rodney, ana could not refuse the boys
request. At the same time, its urgency
complicated matters a trifie.
Summoning the waiter, he settled his
account.
"Please take Miss Claiming back to
my rooms" he requested Ryley. "Then
go on to Huroki's. I'll join you there
in the course of half an hour or so.
Don't do anything pending my ar
The Baltimore was weIl-known to
Donald by unsavory repute.
A sardonic clerk delivered Captain
Parr to the guidance of a cynic bell
boy, who left him at the door of
room on the fifth floor. His knock was
answered by a handsome creature of
some thirty animated years, woman
whose complete self-possession and al
Turing negligee assorted well with the
implications latent in Rodney's note.
Captain Parr?'
Her tones were as professionally
dulcet as her smile was worldlywise.
Donald bowed coolly.
81 am looking for Mr.. Wrenn."
'He is expecting you. Won't you
please come in?"
Donald entered. The woman closed
the door and paused momentarily with
back to it. He swung around sharply,
suspecting that she had turned the key
and withdrawn it-for the first time
suspecting that 1sodney's note might
have been a forgery.
'Where is Mr.. Wrenn?" he de-
manded.
'He was called away unexpectedly,
but will be back at any moment.
Please sit down."
THANK you-no."
Donald moved quickly to the door.
The woman sought to interpose herself
between him and 1t, but he was too
quick. A twist of the handle confirmed
his surmise; he was locked in with this
dangerous animal.
''Be good enough" he said brusquely,
"to open without delay"
"But surely you can wait"
81 have no time to waste. Do as
say!"
"Am so repulsive, then?"
He shrugged impatiently. "rm in
no mood for nonsense. Open that
door!''
But listen to me
She came closer, with a sudden 1.-THE
movement threw herself upon him,
arms clasping his neck.
you're right, it is a plant, dearie.
Mr.. Wrenn isn't here-won't be. 1
sent you that note because I'm mad
about you-wanted to get you here"
"Oh-rot ~ Donald calculated in dis
gust; and breaking her hold, threw her
from him. "I'll give you one minute to
unlock that doorw
For an answer he received a mock
ing laugh.
do you hear?" he asked.
She laughed again. Impatiently he
turned from ner and looked round the
room for something to aid him to break
open the door. A stand of fire-irons
near the chimney-piece offered a SUBJ
stantial brass poker. Selling this. he
made for the door. Behind his back,
the woman seized the telephone and
screamed into the transmitter.
''Helpl Helpl A strange man has
me locked In hereP
BY the time she had said that much,
Donald had wrested the instrument
from her.
She relinquished it without much re-
sistance, then daFting beyond his reach,
paused and again laughed in his face
while hurriedly disordering her hair
and attire in such manner as to indl-
cate struggle.
This time Donald answered her
laugh with a quiet smile.
SWELL" he said, dropping the poker,
you've got me-MrS. Mayne!'
mat was a Shot at random, suggest
ed by sudden suspicion; but it told.
The woman's hands fell limp; she
stared and gasped.
''How did you know?"
He gave gesture, signifying that
her question was immaterial. At the
same instant a thunder of heavy blows
sounded on the door, and it yielded to
passkey. admitting three sturdy and
willing porters.