Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-23

| prompted this abrupt departure. There
was no reason why Alice shouldn't run
| to town if it pleased her to do so, and
| vet it was odd that she hadn't men
| toned the matter. Flynn hurried
| away, and from the window | followed
| the cars course TO the house, and a
| moment later caught glimpse of it
on its way to the gates.
called from the window to one of
| the gardeners who knew how to man.
age a machine and told him to be
ready to drive me TO the village in
half an hour. There was an express
at ten~fOrty, and by taking it | would
at least have the satisfaction of being
somewhere in New York when the
suitcase; am not sure that he didn't
shed tears on my belongings. The
old fellow was awed into silence by
the rapidity with which history had
been made in the past twenty-fOur
hours. and clearly was not pleased by
my desertion.
We drove past the Toulouse. where
| found the prisoner seated on a
wheelharrow smoking cigarette. He
was no more communicative than
when | had questioned him after his
capture. He smiled in a bored fash
ion when | asked if he wanted any
thing. and said he would be obliged
for cigarettes and reading matter. lie
volunteered nothing as TO his identity,
and the guards said that a thorough
search of the captives clothing had
disclosed nothing discriminating. He
had three hundred dollars in currency
fthfs was TO cover E!sie's brihe money.
| con ectured), Il handkerchief, a cigar
cite case. and box of matches. | di-
rected that he be we'll fed and given
> all the reading matter he wanted, and
hurried on to catch my train.
took a room at the Thackeray club
and pOndered carefully whether. in
spite of my misgivings, hadn't better
see Terrence and tell him all that had
happened since his call on Mrs. Bash
ford. If there was any chance of do
ing the wrong thing in any matter not
prescribed in the laws governing the
administration of estates, he would
be sure to do it; but | was far from
satisfied with the results of my own
management of affairs at Barton. |
finally called up the trust company
and learned that Terrence was in Al
bany attending the trial of will case
and might not be in town for couple
of days. His secretary said he had
instructions to wire my daily report to
Albany. | told him there had been no
developments at Barton, and went out
and walked. Inquiries at hotels large
anl small occupied me until seven
o'clock. No one had heard of a Mrs.
BashfOrd or a Mrs. Farnsworth. My
inspection of the occupants of several
thousand automobiles proved equally
fruitless. | ate a lonely dinner at the
club and resumed my search. Hang
ing about theater DOORS staring at the
crowd, is not a dignified occupation,
and by nine o'clock, having seen the
most belated theatergOers vanish,
was tired and fOOtsOre. The flaming
sign Of Searles' "Who Killed Cock
Robin?" over the door of the "As You
Like It. caught my eye. | sought a
Seat-the last in the rack-and
squeezed into my place in the middle
of the last row. AS | had seen the
piece at least a dozen times, it's nov
city was gone for me, but the laughter
nh,
ing The first act was reaching its
elimination, and | watched it with
glow of pride in Searles and his skill
full craftsmanship.
AS the curtain fell and the lights
went up amid murmurs of pleasure
and expectancy. glanced across the
rows of heads. The half-turned face
of a man three rows in front of me
suddenly caught my attention. There
was something curiOusly familiar in
his outlines and the gesture with
which, at the moment, he was drawing
his handkerchief across his forehead.
1t was acknowledgement any question
MOntani-and instinctively shrank in
my seat and lifted my program as
he turned round and swiftly surveyed
the rows behind him.
| watched his black head intently
until remembered the superstition
| that by staring at a person in pub
| lie place you can make him look at
you. Montani knew a great many
things | wanted to know, but / must
| have time to adjust myself to the
shock of his prOpinquity.
The house now took note of a stir
ring in the boxes. There was an eX-
cited buzz as the tall form and I'M
mistakable features of Cecil Arrow
smith, the English actor, were recOg-
nized l had read that day of his
arrival in New York. With him were
two women. My breath came hard and
clutched the iron frame of the seat
in front of me so violently that its
occupant turned and glared.
The trio settled into their places
quickly. but not before | had satisfied
myself that ArrOwsmith's companions
were Alice and Mrs. Farnsworth. AS
they fell into animated talk / saw that