Evening star., 1919-03-09
CHAPTER XIV.
Loveman Shows His Claws.

But the next morning came, and as
vet there had been no signs of Cliff
ford.
At 1890 Mary rang at the door of
Maisie Jones. Her plan for beginning
their acquaintance was very simple,
merely the adaptation of an ancient
device belonging to her past with
her father and her Uncle Joe Russell
1.-The preparation of two letters ad-
dressed to Miss Maisie Jones, which
were In fact nothing more than mo-
distes' engraved invitations to in
spect new spring styles.
Miss Jones herself answered Mary's
ring. My names Mrs. Gardner-these
letters somehow got mixed in my
mail" Mary began, smiling with the
engaging frankness she knew how to
assume. Il could have returned them
to you by the maid; hut the maid
it seems you and J. have the same
maid--told me that your aunt was i'll,
and ] thought I'd bring them myself
and make it an excuse to do such an
un-New- Yorkish. thing as to ask
how sick neighbor is
"Aunts not seriously ill.," said
MaiSie Jones.
But ] suppose her illness means
that you must stay pretty close TO
your rooms?'
Yes
II can sympathize with you. I'm
conyalescing from pneumonia, and
am supposed to rest the whole time.
To confess the truth to you"-with a
smile of guiltiiy humorous candor-
my real reason for bringing the LET
ters myself was that / saw in it a
few minutes relief from this awful
boredom of getting Well"
Miss Jones hesitated. Wont YOU
please come in?
Mary entered. The rest was natural
developments development which,
with her skill she made rapid She
was humorously frank about herself.
and from personal bits which she
adroitly dropped here and there she
let Miss Jones gather that she was the
daughter of New York family who
moved among the citys smarter set
that her husband was in the far west
on business, and that the other mem
bers of the family-they were an ir-
rational and seif-centered lot--were
at Florida and California resorts graf
Tying their various individual predi-
lections
Frankness begot frankness. Maisie
Jones a shut-1n, was most willing to
talk; but Mary, though making q
show of lively interest in what was
said was shrewdly studying the girl,
Maisie was strkingly handsome-a
specimen of the American girl who
h"s peeH thIOuB II a 1aShlOnaD|e school
ana then had "a successful year or two
IN society. Mary cataIogued the uuali-
ties her plans must take account of:
she was spoiled, willful, proud jeal-
ous--possibly vindictive
me hrst study of Maisie completed
ana me opening made for future
meetings, Mary started back to her
suit, thrilling with confidence. Her
p'ah was under way. And she was
gong ia succeed, even though she
was going 1t alone,
But when she entered her sitting
room she stopped short. For from a
chair had risen the smiling person OF
Peter Loveman.
Good morning, my dear" said the
little lawyer
How did YOU get here?" she de.
manded sharply.
Il told the people at the desk
know EN- all here-that you'd teIe.
phoned for me and had asked me tc
come right up. Your door was moi
locked. That's all.
But how did you know | was stay.
ing here"
I'm afraid you re/followed from
the Mordona last nigH." he answered
How many knowThis?o
Two or three--I,6t many more" an
swered the little lawyer.
So then she was not to have he
few unmelested days In which to ma
ture and execute her present designs
Her dangers were In point of tim
closer to her than she had thought
Well. she must work all the NOR
quickly, all the more skillfully
She seated herself. and he resume,
, HIS chair. '"of course you've com