South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-12
How Harry Underwood Brought Up
the Name OF Madge's Father
Why She Accepted His
" ord

When did YOU hear from your
father last?' Harry Underwood
asked abruptly.
was on guard in an instant. ]
had been so occupied in trying to
fathom the inner workings OF his
mind. especially since the incident
Of the playing Of the national an
them and his ensuing comments
that ] had almost lost sight of my
conviction concerning his knewl-
edge OF my fathers wherea bouts
he had talked of everything and
nothing with the charm he so well
knew how 10 throw around his con-
versati on and in listening 10 him
had felt the old, haIf-repenant
half-attracted fascination with
which this mans presence always
affects me
But his question was like the sud
den blazing up Of pile Of kin
dHngs. the flame clearing away the
mists of thought through which I
had bean cropping One OF the OBJ
iects toward which my presence op-
posite him in the F1eur de Lis tea
room constituted the first step was
the unlocking Of the sealed book
which recorded my fathers fate,
and OF which / believed Harry I'm
derwood TO have the key. II be
hooved me 10 answer his questions
most warily
L waited a long minute before an
swering Finally. I decided that the
truth was my best card.
Not for number Of weeks"
said quietly. and then countered
with another question and an as
sertion.
You must have seen him fire.
quently when you were in South
America" I said. Was he all right
when YOU saw him LAST"
Did his brilliant black eyes waver
ever so slightly as they met mine -?
Did ne finch almost perceptibly at
my question? wasn't sure. for
when he answered me ne was his
.sual self
WHATS the Real Tfouble?"
lie seemed 10 be well. but rather
nervous and wOrried-as if some
thinc were troubling him" he re-
IHed.
Dondered the answer II might
mean just what il indicated on the
S Irface-Ou the other hand, un-
kBcwn depths Of treachery might
lie beneath.
What's the real trouble. little
.Eiri?" Harry Underwood's voice.
soft. dangerously tender. sounded
across the table You're uneasy
about your father. can see chat.
And. who knows, perhaps I can help
you. Won't YOU tell your Uncle Dud-
lsv all about it,
looked ur into his eyes to dud
Kindness. sincerity locke ont f@om
them, and l longed 10 believe they
weren't "a mirage.
\ sudden impulse came o ne. n
could do no harm, ! reasoned, for
me TO tell Mr. Underwood the story
of the anonymous clippings pur-
porting 10 portray my fathers hor-
rible death as a spy. which had been
sent 10 me. If he had had any hand
in them-something which l didn''
believe was sure l could detect
the ldCNt AilDtIN ut Ddbl dS ilt was.
on the other hand. if the clippings
had been sent by Grace Draper
without his knowledge or sanction.
felt instinctively that il would not
injure either my fathers cause or
the work in which / was engaged
with Lillian for him TO learn of the
dastardly scheme.
/ folded my hands IN my lap for
could make no pretence of eating
during the recital of the events
which had so terrified me. and
spoke slowly. meeting his eyes de-
hberately as ] did so.
There is something very grave
troubling me- / said. something
which involves my fathers very life.
But if I tell it 20 YOU. YOU must re-
gard IL as a confidence
His black eyes gazed steadily. in
tently at me
Il give YOU my word Of ne
stopped with an almost impercep-
tible saturnine twist of his lips. and
repeated impressively, Il give YOU
my word"
II accept it, I returned. con