South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-07

Il am going TO ask something
strange of you. / rarely make a mis-
take in faces, and / know that you
are a woman of sympathy and one
who can keep a promise"
She stopped a moment. wipe /
little beads OF perspiration from her
forward and went on again:
Please tell me, Mrs. Graham"
she inquired anxiously. "can YOU
really tell my boys apart"
looked straight into her eyes !
fel; that she was entitled to Il
straightforward answer.
Yes. i can. Mrs. Cosgrove, 20 I an
swered quietly
Then you know" she half whis-
pered the words furtively. that
there was only one boy at the break
fast table this morning when they
all supposed there were two?"
Yes. ! know"
She sank back into her chair and
put her hand 10 her eyes for a mo-
ment AS she took it away. 7 started
at the look OF anguished appeal she
gave me.
IT cannot explain TO YOU now.
Mrs Graham. why I'm carrying out
this deception" she said 81 can
give YOU my word OF honor. how
ever that il is a necessary one and
one in which there Is no possible
wrong. But if the deception and the
reasons for it were made public
great harm would he done an inno-
cent. unfortunate person. You are a
stranger 10 me, but may I ask you
not to betray the knowledge you
have2"
reached out my hand and laid Il
firmly. reassuringly, upon the tremb-
ling. well-worn fingers touching the
tableclOth.
81 shall not mention what 1 know
to any one, save. perhaps, my hus-
banda and I can assure you ne will not
reveal it,"
Her only response was the turn
ing Of her hand palm upward. un-
deTneath mine, and a ClenChing or
the fingers in a grip that hurt.
Thank you" she said calmly.
and rising. went into the kitchen
with as unperturbed a mien as if
she had been consulting with me
about my wishes for dinner.
I was glad to get out into the
glorious autumn air with Dicky. 1t
seemed as if the very atmosphere OF
the homely farmhouse was sitting,
brooding with mystery.
I'VE have quite a walk IN front
Of US" Dicky said. Ned or Fred
or whatever his name is. says there
are some good pools about half a
mile Up the stream. Do you want
TO go along the road and then go
Gown. or beat up along the bank Of
the stream 30
4 PuZZling Question.
"Oh. let us go along the bank.
by all means" I returned. for the
rolling, tumbling mountain stream
had seen coming up on the train
was the sight I wished most to see.
We descended the steep bank
through brushwood and stones.
which tested sorely my ability to
keep my feet. But with Dicky's aid
soon scrambled down the narrow
bank Of the stream, where the feet
Of other fishermen had made n
rough trail.
do let US sit down a minute.
Dicky." / begged. at is so beau
tiful here I want to look at il. Be
sides. I simply can't go fishing or do
anything else until you tell me the
story of Robert Savarin. the artist
who painted those paintings we saw
in the parlor OF the farmhouse last
night"
Dicky looked at me quizzically.
Still on the trail, Sherlock
Holmes?" he asked.
Perhaps" returned enigmat-
ically.
1T isn't much Of a story" he said,
thOughtfully. Just ask me what you
wish TO know, and I'll try to an
swer."
First, is Robert Savarin living or
dead 20 1 asked quickly.
That's a question which hasn't
been answered for fifteen years. -
Dicky replied.