Charlevoix county herald., 1917-11-16

this female who would do no more
than mildly protest at my contemplat-
ed murder by her stepson. and ! am
afraid my haste made me handle her
unconscious figure less gently than
might have done.
What l wanted took.
dragged the pelisse from her
shoulders. her lace mitts from her
hands. and took possession OF her
spectacles. These. with the long ear
trumpet. made my treasurer-trove.
and with them I hurried back to Az
mes. But first locked the library door
behind me; she would have had to be
q man. indeed. to break 1t down: and
the room, being In the second story OF
the rear wing. made II impossible for
her to escape by window.
Agnes questioned me only with her
eyes. A bright spot burned on either
cheek. but she made no inquiry as to
how I came by what carried. And
with her quick help. It was not ten
minutes ere I was rugged out an my
aunt, and my first view OF myself In
the cheval mirror showed that ! made
no mean duplicate Of her.
admit that when finally shu6led
myself down the front steps and into
Clinton's carriage. my heart was bur
rying, for 1t was then fully realized
the enormity of the thing ! had uu.
dertaken; and II was impossible TO
take a rapier in that costume. though
felt lost without II.
Now, the house doors being fas-
tened front and back. my aunt locked
In the library and Lysander locked In
his own closet, was confident Of no
interference from those quarters; but
hardly had the footman swung himself
into the rumble when there came q
piercing scream from the rear OF the
building. and knew that my aunt had
recovered her senses and was shout
ing an alarm through an open window.
However, the scream sounded but
once. and ! did not know until after
ward that she had promptly tainted
again.
At the unusual sound the coachman
reined in his horses and looked behind
as II suspicious Of something wrong:
and It was Agnes who put a period to
the ten seconds OF suspense. Drive
on" she commanded.
And on we went. ] with my head
high. my face fairly concealed by the
cavernous bonnet Of the day. the ear
trumpet as conspicuous as my aunt al.
ways carried 1t. AS for the spectacles,
| was nigh blinded by them. and look.
ed over their tops. Agnes did not
speak to me during the entire trip be-
tween Cherry Hill and No. ! Broadway
and / was in no mood to disturb her
thoughts; moreover, footmen have
ears.
take more pride in having deceiv.
ed the guards in front of Clinton's
headquarters than In hoodwinking the
British general; but. as far as my dis
guise was concerned, did both; and
even the flunky that bowed us into
ClintOn's Office had hard work to keep
his face straight as he looked at me.
Orders had evidently been given to at
once admit Mrs. Melton on her arriv.
al; and with the girl by my side.
marched majestically past him and
found myself in Clinton's sanctum
sanctorum.
On the quiet air of the room hung
stratum Of tobacco-smoke. showing
the apartment had recently been oc-
cupied, and II was some minutes be-
fore Sir Henry appeared; by the time
he did. had got my heart back to it,
proper place. and had taken In the lay
of the doors and windows. I was In
a hole from which might have to
fight my way. Presently side door
opened. the curtains over 1t were pull.
ed aside. and the Chief OF the Brit
ish forces in America" stepped into
the room.