Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-14
The Plotters
A New Serial of
East and West
By Virginia Terhune
Van de Water
CHAPTER XIV

Sn<HE len A<At
Like many another conceited anna
teur detective. Clifford Chaplin let
his imagination and excitement run
away with his common sense and
memory.
Had he been more cool in juds-
ment. and less intoxicated by the
belief in his own Sherlock Holmes
like genius, he would have remem-
bered that his parents had not been
entirely out of touch with Elizabeth
Wade in the years that had passed
since their son had seen her on the
farm, when she was a little girl
whose face he did not now recall.
OF this he took no thought. but
jumped to the conclusion that Doug
las ade was o villain, making use Of
two unsophisticated country people
TO further his own ends.
The seIf-appointed detective was
at loss as to what action to take.
He wanted time to think the mat
ter out. time to get the essential
facts. Then he would face the girl
with them. She had flouted him,
had snubbel him, had resented his
attempts at q harmless Irritation
just as if she had been the innocent
and decent person she pretended to
be!
Elizabe Wade had wounded his
vanity. That is an offense that an
egotist never pardons.
This man was not honest enough
TO acknowledge the truth. Instead,
he called his resentment righteous
indignation.
But he was destined not to carry
his investigation as far as he eN-
10
a telegram from his employer. The
man who was filling young Chapin's
place during his vacation had oeen
taken suddenly and seriously i'll.
Clifford must start for Chicago to-
morrow morning. To do this, he
would have TO take a late evening
train from Midland to Manchester.
In spite of his self-love, Clifford
was fond OF his parents. especially
of his mother. He could not bring
himself TO shock her by the knowl-
edge he believed he had obtained.
she, poor, unsuspecting soul. had
acceded 20 his fathers plans about
this girl. His father had trussed
Wade.
So both husband and wife had
been made the tools of the unscru-
pulous physician. But the son would
not tell them this. His decision was
TO have il out" with this girl who
had snu5bed him repeatedly. He
would warn her that unless she went
away he would divulge her shameful
secret TO his parents.
4 Bad Break
To carry out this plan would not
be easy, he realized, when. that aft
ernoon, he came out upon the We
randa where Elizabeth Wade sat
reading. She looked so refined, so
much the thoroughbred, that the
man felt rs if he had dreamed all
the things that had filed his mind
during the past few hours.
What are you reading?" he
queried, to gain time.
Silently she held the back of the
book toward him. 1t was Middle
march"
I see," he commented awkwardly.
He was not a reading man, and was
at a loss as to what to say.
Are you fond of George Eliot?''
she asked.
There was something in her tone
that convinced him that she sus-
pected ne had never read line by
that celebrated author. Was there
Il gleam of amusement in her glance
Il never cared much for his stun,
he replied.
Now he was sure that tnere was
laugh in her eyes. He even detected
a slight twitching of the corners OF
the mouth.
What's the NATTER" he demand
cd.
Nothing" she answered demurely
resuming her reading.
He stood for a moment in uncom-
Portable silence; then, with a NUT
tered excuse, strolled off the veranda
and down the path.
What break had he made?' Who
was George Eliot. and why should
one not say that he did not care
for his stuff"
The sight of John Butler down
in the orchard, where he had been
showing Talak how to spray fruit
trees, gave Clifford Chaplin a sud.
den inspiration. He would try 10
learn from this college man what
his mistake had been.
WELL he greeted Butler easily,
as he reached his side, been busy
d haven't you?"
He. Talks to Butler
YES" replied Butler, Il am usu-
ally busy. But I like it,
so do l." affirmed Clifford. Co