The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-09-25
For Another 5
Sake
tcoDyrisnt. 1918. western newspaper Onion,
By WINNlFRED BRIG oKs


copyright. 1918. western Newspaper Union.1
4485 With ii great start Della Barth drew
slightly back from the mirror she was
facing, arranging her hair. She stood
In small dressing rsom Just off the
main sleeping apartment, and abrupt
" across the surface Of the looking
glass a shadow and then a form In
substance had fitted. Now 1t was Way-
ering, but fixed as to oiitlineti1 fig
IRE Of a man, young and Intelligent
looking, but unsteady of pose, prefer
naturally pale and whose eyes haunted
with gleam Of anxiety or suspense.
He never imagined that his redec-
ton was thus displayed. TO Della II
YVES like part out Of movie scene.
Her first Impulse was to scream, but
she had superb control over herself.
She could not understand this strange
intrusion. Nothing about her visitor,
however, indicated the criminal, the
burglar. The man suggested the
refugee. his ear bent keenly, and then
as heavy tramping footsteps sounded
In the hallway below he glanced all
about the room, made ont the open
doorway Of q clothes closet, staggered
rather than darted toward It and
closed It's door after him.
Amazed, puzzled, to a certain degree
alarmed, Della came out into the
main room as two men reached the
head Of the stairs. The one III front
advanced, thrust aside his coat and
showed an official badge. {.
You will excuse us, miss" he spoke,
shut a man we are after disappeared
somewhere In the vicinity Of the house
here. We thought he might have en-
tered it,
You will find my maid In the hitch
en-" said Della, and her calm dignity
aWed the men. They retreated down
the stairs. Della stood listening. She
gathered that the intruders were cues
itioning the maid. Then they seemed
to depart and Mary. futtering and ex-
cited. came halfway up the stairs.
Those men gave me quite a shock,
miss" she quavered. They are Of
flcers Of the law. i convinced them
that no one had come into the house
and they have gone on their way.
They think the man they are after
rounded the house and took to the
woods beyond n.
Did they say who the man was, or
what he had done? 7" inquired Della.
No, miss, except that they had fol-
lowed him a long ways and We're
bound to catch him. They said he
was Alison Meservey z si
What" cried Della, and fairly
recled against the wall. NJ
What does 1t mean" gasped Della,
ns she closed the door and sank into a
chair, overcome. She tried to fatllom
a bewildering mystery. Alison Meser-
yey! Why, this man was not he Al
ison Meservey was her brother-in-law,
the husband OF her sister, Aline. They
had lived three hundred miles away.
In colliery town. Della had not
heard from them for several weeks,
but had not been worried at their ST.
lence. She was a woman Of quick
perceptions. Intuitiyely she dlscerned
that the Startling incident Of the mo-
ment held deep Significance for her,
could not comprehend why, but deter
mined to explore the mystery at once.
these men have gone, !" she called,
going up to tile closet door.
There was no response. Della quiy-
cred in the midst OF uncertainty and
suspense. She tapped on tile door. No
attention was paid to the summons,
She turned the knob. The door came
open with rush. Della stifled a
scream. Insensible. motionless. the
man who had sought refuge In the
closet fell prone across the threshold.
Della thrilled as she noticed that
where the strangers coat had fallen
back his shirt was covered with blood.
Then d realization Of this possibly
dangerous condition steeled her to rap
idly decide what was best to do. She
telephoned ut once for tile family ply
sieian. The latter looked grave. There
was bullet to extract from the mans
breast and the doctor stated that the
patient was In a critical condition.
Della impaired all she knew or sur
missed. Her VIII was to harbor the
strange visitor until he recovered, I'M
til she could explore the mystery Of
his seeming connection with the iden-
tity Of Alison Meservey.
She wrote at once to her sister, but
received no reply. The days went on,
but her guest, nursed by the faithful
Mary and herself, was too irrational
and then too weak to question. The
doctor had finally pronounced his pa
tient out of danger when. from far-off
Canada, there came a telegram to
Della. It was from her sister
Tell Mr.. Davenal that / have re-
Joined Alison In safety"
"Our patient must be this nlysteri-
Gus Mr.. Davenal,' reflected Della, 'but
what does 1t mean A1ine and her hus-
band In Canada Y
she sat down beside her GONZALES
cent guest and handed him the tele-
gram. His face lit up with gladness.
81 am Richard Dayenai," came the