Gilpin observer., 1920-03-11
HIS DARK PAST
By MARY MORRISON

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And so." said Mrs. Trent, 1--WE want
your advice"
Eyes, Cousin Anne, we were sure
you would know just how to handle it."
chimed In Daisy.
Cousin Anne looked at them with a
rather humorous expression in her
beautiful gray eyes. "Let me see If
have 1t straight" she said, show
ing her concentration on the subject
In hand by a most alluring frown.
There are two men-One named
Tommy and one named James-both
standing on their toes to marry
Daisy here"
swell, really, Cousin Anne" inter-
rupted Daisy conscientiously, "James
has never said anything as definite
as that. 1t is just that he keeps COM
ing here day after day and sends me
all sorts Of lovely things"
Mrs. Trent broke in rather breath
lessly: Among them some French
poems, which, of course, wouldn't let
her readr"
Dear, dear, how dreadful of him"
asserted Anne Dunsany, sternly re-
pressed twinkle showing in her eyes.
what else does he do, Daisy?"
"It's more the way he looks at me
than anything else," said Daisy. His
eyes are so. well, intent-they make
me fairly squirm. And then the next
minute I think he's laughing at me.
Tommy says he knows there's some
thing very queer about James, drop
ping down there in Glenbrook from
nowhere that we know anything
about and keeping dead silence about
his life before he came. 1t does look
queer. doesn't it?"
II can see how 1t would look queer
to Glenbrook," replied Anne equivo-
cally. "These silent, mysterious, fas-
cinating men with intent looks in their
eyes generally bear investigation"
That's what Tommy says" smiled
Daisy.
Anne looked at her young cousin
in silence for a moment. Then she
rose, picked up her very chic hat and
placed 1t on her golden head with a
most becoming tilt all her own.
"I'll be back before long" she said.
I'm going to have a look at the mys-
terious James house. An observant
woman can learn almost anything
about man from his front door mat"
and waving her hand in farewell she
disappeared down the garden path
and out the big gates onto the road.
In spite of the difference of ten years
in their ages and the difference Of q
world in their experiences of life, Anne
Dunsany was very fond of her little
cousin. By some freak Of cousinship
they looked almost enough alike to be
sisters and Anne took very deep and
personal interest in everything that
touched her.
81 could easily murder that James
man In cold blood If he is playing
with her." she mused as she ap-
preached comfortable house set back
from the street. She was just in time
to see a mOtorcar dash through the
gates and disappear in cloud Of dust
up the road.
"That's James," mused Anne.
"Now for his house!"
It was a nice house from the out.
side, Anne had to admit. The white
pillars of Its broad veranda cleaned
in stately purity at all suspicious
passersby as If denying their owners
possible blackness of reputation. The
wicker chairs and tables, the maga-
zines and books strewn around In
pleasant dsarray looked attractive.
~ wish l could see the inside" sud-
denly thought Anne. Hes out and I
don't see any servants around-Tm GO
ing to explorer and before she had
time to reconsider she had hurried up
the front walk, mounted the steps and
entered the house.
She walked into long, low room
The late afternoon sun came through
the open windows and touched the
rows Of old books that reached up to
the ceiling with golden light. 1t
was most satisfactory room, and
Anne sank down on n deep sofa to take
1t In. She picked up little red bound
volume from beside her-open, where
its late reader had thrown 1t only
short while ago-and caught her
breath. Monsieur Beaucaire!" she
murmured
What memories the title brought
back to her! 1t reminded her of
wonderful summer years ago. of long
days spent in a small white sailboat on
a bright, blue ocean and of evenings
when n man with quizzical gray eyes
had recited bits of Monsieur Beau
caire" in the moonlight.
ut was one thousand years ago."
said Anne Dunsany.