New-York tribune., 1918-01-13

ever l saw suspicion in human ewes 60,
it in hers
What do you think yourselfov !,
ouired, with a smile. Il have no dom,
you are more weatherwise than II
Then at last she spoke, and I thoucb,
had never heard a more sinister remarL
"Maybe it will be fine day for som.
she replied.
II hope l may be one Of them" | said j,
cheerfully as possible.
She said not one word in reply. and \.
silence completed the ominous innuendo
1t struck me that word of explanaao
would be advisable.
My bicycle broke down. l said, land
took the liberty of bringing it in here
repair it,
Her baleful gaze turned upon my ha.
less motorcycle.
What for did you have to mend it i
here?" she inquired. very pertinently,
could not but admit.
"lt was the most convenient place
could iind," | replied carelessly.
"To keep it from the rain, maybe??" 81
suggested.
WELL" L admitted, "a roof has some a
vantages."
Then" said she, you've been here
long while, for there's been no rain an.s
! waAcrcd up"
But I didn't say I came here for asl
ter" l said hastily.
She stared at me again for a few no
n+ents.
you're saying first one thing and the
the other" she pronounced.
l felt inclined to tell her that she hs
missed her vocation. What a ternhI
specimen of the browbeating, cross-exsn
ming lawyer she would have made! How
ever, I decided that my safest line va
cheerful politeness.
"Have it your own way my good dame,
/ said lightly.
Her evil eyes transtixed lne.
you'll be a foreigner" she said
"A foreigner" l exclaimed. "WM On
earth should You think that
you're using queer words she repK
What worGs?" l demanded
Dame is the German for an 10
woman" said she.
This astonishing pathological disccal
might have amused me at another tlncw
at this moment it only showed me 70
clearly how her thoughts we're running
Well" said |, 'if its German, ca
only say it is the first word of that beas
ly language I've ever spoken
Again l was answered by a very ON
nous silence. 1t occurred to me very for'
bly, that the sooner l removed myself 1ro
this neighborhood the better.
"Well," l said, my bicycle is nlena'
now, so l had better be Off
"You had that she agreed.
"Goodby." | cried as led my cycle o'
but she never spoke syllable IN repH'
'Fate has not lost much time in torcll
my hand" l said to myself as | pusa'
my motorcycle along the track TOWARD
highroad l thought it wiser not to ~
round, but just before | reached the n'
I glanced over my left shoulder, and wv
was the old woman crossing the feu'
a much brisker pace than | should n'
given her credit for, and heading stfSe
for the nearest farm. My hand was ps'
| forced with a vengeance.
Instinctively l wanted to turn upnlI' >
get clear of this district Immediately,
| was not sure how my cycle would Oei'
itself and dared not risk stiff ascei"
begin with. So l set off at top speed Nv
the road | had come the night before 70
| ing the old crone at a little distance
and noticing more than one laborer III
fields or woman at house door, Sso'
with interest at this early morning ~ =
When the news had spread of where nc >
come from, and with what languas'
had interlarded his speech, they m's''
something more than stare. 1here wv
telegraph Office not far away.