South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-04
WHY MADGE FEARS MRS. AL
LIS MAY NOT BIZ BLUFF
ING"

] caught my breath in a gasp OF
bewildered terror when from my
bed where she lay bound, Mrs. Al
lis spoke Of the unpleasant conse-
quences which would descend upon
my fathers head II Katherine Son
not carried out her avowed inten-
ton az sending TO Bellevue for
drug treatment the woman who had
tried 10 throw acid in my face, and
had only been prevented from do
ing 50 by Katherine's presence OF
mind
I had thought the secret Of Rob
ert Gordon's identity. as my father.
was known only TO the little group
of persons intimately connected
with me, Dicky, Lillian and Harry
Underwood, Jack Beckett and Kath-
crime Sonnet. Grace Draper had
learned of il, but she was down in
South America with Harry Under
wood. And Allen Drake-the mys-
terious man who had tried 70 get
my fathers address from me-was.
1 was sure, "A government agent of
some sort, and in no way could his
affairs possibly be known 20 such
a person as Mrs. Allis
The fact that this woman, who. l
was sure. was connected with en-
terprises that bordered upon crime,
should know aught Of my father
held for me a menace other than
the mere fear Of serious trouble for
him. 1t strengthened the secret
terror concerning my father which
L had long felt, the haunting fear
that he, too, was ar offender
against the law.
My unreasoning terror was such
that I would have begged the wom-
an 70 tell me what she meant had
not Katherine just in time caught
my eve and warned me with finger
on lips TO be silent. and TO leave the
management of Mrs. Allis to her
Its no use your signalling her.
the mocking voice went on. "She
knows what / mean, knows if 1
only want 10 give the word. her deaf
old daddy will dance an air horn
pipe down there in South America -
Katherine bent down 10 her, look
ed steadily in her eyes.
Where Mrs. Graham is afraid of
what you may do or not" she said.
Jelly. please remember that I have
no reason to fear you. And I prom
Use you that if you scream or at
tempt any mischief while we are
out Of this room. I will deal with
you as I would with any other in
sane person had TO subdue. Please
come outside, Madge want to
talk to you undisturbed.
'I'll Have to Know the Truth"
Her voice and manner were as
undisturbed as If she had Just ut
tered the most commonplace of
trivialties. I did not understand the
meaning of the vague threat she
had uttered, but evidently Mrs. Al
lis did. for she made no protest
But her eyes, sullen. vindictive. fol-
lowed US 10 the door. If looks
could kill. Katherine and 7 would
have been dead women before we
reached it.
Outside in the hall. Katherine shut
the door and faced me, ner eyes
troubled
I'm sorry TO quiz you. Madge. but
I'll have to know the truth. Is il
true. what she intimates. that you
know she could cause your fathers
capture and execution If she wished A"
Il am utterly bewildered and ter
riied Katherine" / returned. Il
don't know anything really about my
fathers affairs except that he writes
me he is in very great DANGER. 7
really have no right TO infer that his
work is anything discreditable. but
/ am very much afraid it may be
because he is so secretive about il,
and from the fact that a man I be-
lieve is a government agent is try
ing 10 find him"
"Sut do YOU believe this woman
knows anything about MIN, as she
saws o." persisted Katherine.
"T never dreamed that She had