South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-05
HOW MRS. ALLIS JUSTIFIED
HER PRESENCE on THE STAIRS
so LATE

L
, for nothing"
Mrs. Allis, the woman who had the
next room TO ours in the Cosgrove
I farm house in the Catskiu noun
tains, where Dicky and / were So
( journins for an autumn outing.
( came back up the stairs to where
stood in the hall
I watched her fascinated. Her
tread was absolutely noiseless as she
came up the stairs Of the old far,a
/ house, stairs which I knew would
have creaked loudly to my step.
My earlier suspicious OF the wom-
an revived. Her proficiency in creep
/ ing steaithily along passageways and
up and down stairs must come from
/ long practice. practice which could
only mean that she had been under
| frequent necessity for moving sur
reptitiously.
There was a tiny. amused. sar-
donic smile playing around Mrs.
Allis' lips as she pressed the but
ton of her fashlight and threw its
gleam full in my face. I sensed the
hidden antagonism of the woman
! toward me as she spoke. although
/ her tone was friendly enough. end
even held a note OF confidence.
do you know" she said, putting
/ her face close TO mine and speaking
in such low tone that Il was less
audible than a whisper am GER
| tain that no one two feet away
| lieve there is something queer about
this place and these noises at night
Doesn't il seem strange 10 you that
/ they should Re in such ignorance as
they profess 10 be Of the value Of
those paintings? I believe that If
the truth were known those paint
ings don't belong TO them at all
! They've gotten possession of them
( in some underhand way Tell me.
is their value really so enormous
as your brother said it was? He is
an authority. ] suppose?"
There were several things about
this little speech which made strong
er my resentment against the wom-
an Her thinly yelled sheer a.
I Dicky's judgment concerning the
pictures. her evident vindictiveness
against the Cosgrove family, almost
like a personal grudge. the secret Of
which I could not fathom. intensi-
| fed the feeling Of distrust I had for
her
The personal equation in my feel
ing toward Mrs Allis was growing
stronger. I could not help a malici-
Gus little thrill at the thought Of her
coming discontinue when she should
find out her mistake concerning the
relationship between Dicky and me-
She had assumed that we were broth
er and sister. Dicky in his love OF
testing had fostered the delusion,
and Mrs. Cosgrove, who was sure
disliked Mrs. Allis even more cordial
ly than I did, and with more reason
for her feeling, had also abetted the
mistake.
With a sudden mental nausea 7
felt that I could not stand the
woman's presence any longer.
Il think you can be very sure that
Mr.. Gfaham's valuation Of the pic
lures Is absolutely correct" ! said
stiffly "As TO the other matter. hav-
ing arrived here only last night. I.
Of course. know nothing Of it. agree
with you that we would better go TO
bed again-good night"
An Early Rising.
We were standing close 10 my bed
room door I opened it. slipped
swiftly inside and locked it after me
without waiting 20 hear whether or
not Mrs. AIlis made any reply TO
me.
As I crept back into bed again
and drew the covers over me. shiver-
ing. for the autumn mountain afr
was crisp, I wondered at the vim
dictiveness toward the Cosgrove
family which I had noticed in Mrs.
Allis' tone.
My earlier suspicion against the
woman had been that she was the
INSCRIPTIONS agent OF picture
thieves. but the maliciousness, with
which she had emphasized her re-
marks concerning the Cosgroves
savored of a personal feeling. which
could only mean that she had some
private reason for her enmity.
I revolved the mystery in my
brain for n long while Finally
worn out, I fell asleep and did not
awaken until ! felt Dicky gently
shaking me.
Wake up. sleepy head, he was
saying. You can't catch any trout
by pounding your ear-besides. !
can smell breakfast"
sprang out Of bed. wide awake
in an instant at the mention Of the
trout fishing 1 had anticipated so
long
Shall I get into my fishing things
before breakfast" I asked.
Sure" said Dicky, IF YOU can do
it in time. but don't spend much
time primping: YOU aren't on Fifth
av.. YOU know"
shoe out OF here quickly then"
I said. Tapping my braids OF hair at
him. "I can't dress and talk TO you
at the same time
He pulled one OF the braids and
gave me a hasty kiss before he re-
treated He was evidently in one Of
his best moods. and my heart sang a
I++1a AZ the prOSDect Of tie DAVIS