The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-02-23

hCNe ihc. HuSt tell you tnat WeV We
made a treaty, as he calls 1t. When H.
asks me anything by the sign OF the
ring I'm to answer the exact truth"
| Goodness. how did he happen to
make such a request as that?"
| I'D fbbed about so many little
things. You see, love him so much
that can't help saying what think
will please him."
Mrs. Lockwood laughed with great
| enjoyment and then suddenly became
serious
This matter of the Hardy letter is q
different business" said she. II guess
you'd better tell him the truth"
Tut did. auntie." Edith protested
II haven't seen any such letter."
I'm our dealings with the sterner
SEX" responded Mrs. Lockwood. "we
| must always remember that the truth
is not necessarily statement Of the
fact: II is something that the man will
believe. This philosophy should be
taught I'm every girls school; 1t Is more
important than cookery to the Ameri-
can home. But to return to our text.
I'm Of the opinion that Donald has rea-
son to believe that Nat Hardy has sent
you a letter If lie goes over to see Mr..
Hardy frequently he may have seen
the letter on that gentleman's desk"
you don't mean to imply that Don
aid would
Read it? OF course not unless
through some accident. But one sees
name on an envelope at a single
glance"
IF Donald saw letter for me In Mr..
Hardy's office why didn't he tell me so
straight out" said Edith. Its not like
him to make mystery Of such thing
"He had mans curiosity to know
whether you would admit receiving the
letter. The circumstance is odd enough
to arouse his interest. Why should Nat
Hardy be writing to you? I'm sure
can't guess. and I'd very much like to
find OUT
"Of course l asked him why he sup
posed that ! might get such commu-
nication," responded Edith, land he
said that he fancied that Mr.. Hardy
might have something to tell me. His
manner was as If he thought l should
be pleased. as If there were some sur
prise in store for me. 1 was so puzzled
that l didn't care to ask any more
questions"
I'VE must know more about this"
said Mrs. Lockwood. with decision.
Tact and telephone ought to help u.s.
"You are going to ask Mr.. Hardy :?
I'm afraid Donald wouldn't like that"
Donald will never know anything
about it, my dear" answered Mrs.
Lockwood.
She was absent from the room about
ten minutes. and when she returned
her face disclosed the self complacency
of justified pride.
II have the whole affair at my fin
gers ends" said she. do you remem-
Der that little photograph Of yourself
taken at the interesting age Of three
years? You were greatly grieved by its
loss. heard you tell Donald of the in
applicable mystery Of its disappear
ance."
well. what could ] say? Donald
wanted to see 1t. and couldn't tell him
that suspected Mr.. Hardy of stealing
it. That would have made him angry"
Your suspicious. my dear were en-
tirely correct" said Mrs. Lockwood.
Mr.. Hardy has the picture, and Don
aid snw 1t in his apartments on Mon
day evening""
Edith gave little cry of surprise and
alarm.
"Auntie. you don't suppose that Don
aid thought | had given Mr.. Hardy
that picture and had told a falsehood
about it,
"Be tranquil. my child. Donald
knows the truth or as much as is good
for him. Seeing the picture there and
having heard your story. he was nat
urally In difficult position. from
which he extricated himself handsome
~. He merely mentioned to Mr.. Har-
dy that you valued the picture highly
because the memorandum upon the
back of the card was In your mothers
hand and happened to be the only bit
of writing that remained to you, where
upon Nat Hardy had remarkable i'm
pulse to do right Quite miracle, as
1t seems to me. He confessed that
he had thoughtlessly filched the picture
because 1t was so quaint and pretty
and said that he would send it back to
you with humble apology immediate
~. While Donald was looking over
some legal papers Nat wrote a letter
to you. and he mailed it next morning."
"And it's lost. and the picture with
it" exclaimed Edith. "Oh. I'm so sor-
ryw
Fortunately our friend decided not
TO trust the picture to the mails. He
merely wrote to tell you that it was
safe; that he regretted his misdeed and
that he would return it by messenger"
Edith sank back In her chair. doubly
relieved I'm mind.
~Thank goodness. there's nothing
here that I must hide from Donaldr
Mrs. Lockwood smiled with an air
Of almost infinite wisdom mingled with
pity.
'Mr. Hardy's letter has not COME
said she. Undoubtedly It has been
lost I'm the mail. VIII you say so to
DonaldT
why notT'
Because, my child, he will not be-