The Nevada County picayune., 1918-05-23
Copyright by Frank A. munsey Company.

Tt was Mrs. Green. l recognized her voice"
 ''Jast q minute" There was a pause, then. Hello! That party called up from iig6jngD}on'S. What could Mrs Greer he doing there on a stormy day like this?"
 l could not explain to q Cossipy tole- phone operator what had really hap Fan"d to Alrs. Green. I did not know much about it myself, and the few facts of her disappearance flat was coGnizant of would hardly sound well iffeHcated.
 Mrs. Green" l hazarded. went ont wal1i-.,, and ! suppose sAe stopped in at 3r. Huntingdon $"
 Do ycu know asked central, that HuAtilgd9n's is on small island three miles south of where you are aud three miles from tie mainland! The walk iHS is not very good.
 fell as If I had stepped off into aaea from high platform. "Proba- h.E-tlE.t is, tEe chances are"-I foun- dered-"the chances are that she de eided to row. and the wind may have carried Ter out of Ter way"
 finally persuaded central to call up Huntingdon's. I think 1t was euriost- ty that made her relent l could be sure that she would be listening to whatever might be said by Mrs. Green and myself
 Hello"
 Hello, Mrs. Greenl This is Mir. Blainey"
 Hello. Mir Rlainey~ There was a ring of ladylike indignation in her voice. Gan you explain to me Nr. Blainey. how l happened to find my self in roWboat out in the middle of the lake wearing my red silk dress and q niEhtcap tied under one ear?'
 Wait q minute, Mrs Green, central is listening"
 T don't care She always does. She probably wants to know just as much as I do What happened? Was there an earthquake? l remember the island was sort of wobbiy and hard to walk on"
 No. there wasn't any earthquake" answered We were fasting, you re- mcuher?"
 "Ies. l remember that, but I'm not my more. Thg first hing i e5d when aa.,s3 #as To breaE fnto this house and CHok myself q can of baked beans. lt@ fzaav if there wasn't any earth Vake. remember the floor of the house al! running ill funny IGtle wavee.a
 '1a afrsid oer ame must be nearly up,' sa9Eestcd in the hope of turn iu-s f,sa conversation. Central will cas's-= eff.
 '>e, won't" interposcd third 1ae- Gle sReetiY pofcsal0aaj oae of f.e. e.= =1ator "Tali, all yaa want to.
 Here asut anybody waiting for the line"
 "I suppose must have got into the ba.8 8aea tHe earthquake eonmeGccd, getziatei Mrs, Green, hut how did l get on tae decole;e red dress? And where al get the nishtcap? l have uor worn tbal dress for ten years"
 told her that We would nave to wait uudI she got home to explain a number of things Lucille will be very glad to know that you are safe, added casually as if she had just gone over to neighbor's, hoping to deceive central. She was afraid you might get wet
 bid Lucille know I was golng?" in- quired the startled Mrs. Green, who apparently did not catch on to my acting.
 No, not until after you had started" I said, skirting the edge of the truth neatly. She will be very glad to hear that you are all right. I'll tell her as soon as she wakes up. She is resting now"
 sleeping! Now? What for?"
 why" l explained, "she was up all night"
 What? And all alone on that island with you two young fellows and no chaperon"
 "Oh. mo-" I hastened to reassure her and central. met alone with us! There are a let ot people here-si1 or seven, | should say"
 Holding a convention of earthquake suferc;s. | euprnse," Mrs. Green sur missed carstieally. .WE"t sort of peo- s.e are tAey?'
 "ua. very nice people" I answered uampls. "One of them Is q lady.
 'lIuw do you know she is lady. ' iallfre1 Mrs. Grcen-'Iust because she la99rneG t3 be wearing skirts When sae arfEgdt'
 e0a. no,' sad hastily. How coull tcu this elderly, dieuitled lady that our feminine guest had not Woin skirts m her arriNaE
 "liumph" Mrs. Green was not par fiealarly impressed. "TAe sooner get back the Letter. Yon'n have to send some one over after me because there weren't any oars in the boat I came in. I wouldn't go out in rowboat