The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-04-03

full witness who would not lie out
right even at the behest of a
woman in whom he is interested"
"Then they are going to suspect
me - Pauline's voice was so full
of despair that Fleming Stone
caught his breath as he looked at
her. Her great eyes were wide
with fear, her hands were clenched
and her whole body tense with
Mortified suspense.
"Give me some good reasons
why you cannot be suspected" he
cried, eagerly leaning forward in
his chair. "Give me some proof
that you were in the hall at that
moment, or that you were in your
own room, Or"
"That proves, Mr.. Stone, that
you do suspect me! Your assump-
ton that l could have been in my
own room shows that you do not
believe l was in the hall-as 1
was"
"Then why didn't Miss Frayne
see you theref"
"How do you know she didn't
Why do you accept her words as
truth, yet disbelieve minef" Paul
inc had risen now and stood be-
fore him. Her tall slimness, her
wonderful grace and her beauti-
full, angry c~ountenance made an
alluring picture. "I was not in
favor of your taking this case, Mr..
Stone, and / am even less SO, now,
that you refuse to believe what 1
!, say! l shall cable at once for my
cousin to return. I do not wish
, Gray Haviland and Anita Frayne
to arraneg all this to suit them
selves. l am mistress here in Mr..
Loria's absence, and if my author
ity is doubted I want him here to
stand up for mel"
just a moment, Miss Stuart.
| You are not entirely just to me.
, 1t is necessary for me to question
you, but you must see that your
innocence-of which T have no
/ doubt-will be more easily estab-
lished by a policy of frankness on
your part, than by futile anger to-
ward Miss Frayne or MI. Havi-
land. The incident Of the paper
snake, as explained by you, Is not
necessarily discriminating, and if
you will wait a few days before
calling your cousin home, 1 think
very likely you will prefer not to
do so. 1 understand that you do
not wish him to come, unless he
can be of assistance to your"
!, "Yes, that is his desire, to stay
over there unless I want him.
But, Mr.. Stone" and now the
lovely face was almost smiling,
!, "if you mean what you said,
!. that you do not doubt my limo
4 eence, then / will not send for MI.
Loria. l am content to let it all
rest in your hands"
:. The girls beauty now was daz-
cling. Color showed in her
!; cheeks, her eyes shone, and the
curve of her exquisite red lips
was almost a smile. Stone looked
! at her in amazement. He had
spoken truly, he had not doubted
her innocence, but this sudden
elation On her part puzzled him.
What did it meant Only, as she
meant it to seem, that if he be-
J lieved in her innocence it could be
easily proved9 Well, he would
!, accept that diagnosis of her atti
,tude, but he would move warily.
This case was unlike any other he
had ever engaged in, so he must
attack it in a different way. And
first of all, he must decide which
of these two women was speaking
the truth. Yet, how could he de-
cidef If Pauline had been in
that room when Anita listened at
the door, she would, of course,
try to prove that she was else
where. But, in such a case, why
not say she was in her own room
1t wasn't plausible that she should
confess to being in the hall, if she
were really in the boudoir. That,
then, wac in Pauline's favor. But
the conversation detailed by Ami
tai That must be further ana
lyzed.
These thoughts flew through
Stones quick moving brain as he
stood looking at his beautiful
hostess.
!. "Puzzling it out, Mr.. Stonef''
{ and Pauline smile was a full
, fiedged one now; perhaps / can
help you. IL you'll eccept my
| assistance without doubling my
word, I'm sure we can do won
} ders in a detective way
This was not in Pauline's favor.