The Madison journal., 1920-03-20

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into my brain. If such should be- tire
case, thar some betrayed conSplrator
now was seeking vengeance. more
than ever | welcomed the unpxnected
chance that had thrown this oppor-
tuniry for adventure in my prosaic
path
Yet maybe their warnings We're JUS
tilted. There was Barbara Bradford.
who lived under the same roof. on the
very floor with them. She seemed to
be caught in the web Of some plot. TO
be living in fear Of some mysterious
peril
Was she. | wondered. i'm any way
connected with the mystery that over
hung The CASTOR home? Did nv great
uncle and his wife know her? Her
mission To the park had been To get
some papers. Could they have been
in any way involved with what was
menacing my great-uncl"'s peace of
mind2 How l regretted now that
had not asked the GastonS if they
knew Miss Bradford. How | welcom-
ed the opportunity | was now To have
Of living i'm the same apartment house
with her. close mt hand if ever I could
serve her. ! was glad now that cir
cumstances had prevented my going
to France with Birge and Roller.
As arrived at my great-uncie'S cor
ner, | saw Miss Bradford approaching
from the opposite direction. She was
in riding togS. | timed my steps 10
reach the corner as she did. Would
she, | wondered, consider our strange
meeting a few evenings before sufli-
cient introduction to justify her speak
ing to me.
Good morning. Mr.. Nelson" she
greeted me pleasantly. Making an
early call. aren't you?"
I'm coming here to live for a while"
| answered. falling into step with her.
The GaStonS are going to Maine and
have asked me tn occupy their apart
ment while they are away"
As we chatted we had entered the
building, and as before I went into
the elevator with her. As | left her
at the door. wondering if she had had
any more encounters in the park. vet
hardly daring to ask. she turned TO
me, half apologetically. and said:
Mr.. Nelson, since you've come to
live here in the house. | must be care
full. We have not been introduced.
and py people will think it strange
if they see me speaking to you. You
understand, don't you? You must not
speak TO me or recognize me until"
Until what:' | cried eagerly.
Until we can manage to be proper
ly introduced"
Yet" | Insisted, you promised to
let me help you"
Il have not forgotten. I'm grateful,
really | am. Perhaps I may call on
your services. | may have to. If I
do, I'll find some way of letting YOU
know"
"SOme secret way" l suggested. half
sarcastically.
Perhaps" she laughingly nodded as
we separated.
As l took out the keys my great
uncle had given me and entered the
apartment | looked about me with a
wholly new interest. That little word
mine" makes vast difference i'm the
way we regard things. Now that
these luxurious quarters were to be
my home, temporarily at least. look
ed about curiOuSly. Certainly at first
glance there was nothing mysterious
in the atmosphere. Setting my bag
down l began an immediate inspec-
ton of the rooms.
The CASTOR apartment, discovered.
occupied one whole side of the sixth
floor of twelve-story building.
the elevator shaft that came
up through the center was small |
square court with four doors, two |
opening into the Bradford apartment |
and two into the one I was |
occupying. The east apartments were |
known as Six A and the west as Six 3. |
The door by which l had entered led |
into lofty foyer, connecting by sliding |
doors with great dining room, and be- |
yOnd it, In the front of the house, with |
a reception or living room that ran the |
entire width of the apartment. Back /
Of the elevator, with a separate door
Tor the servants use, were the kitchen,
the buffers pantry, servants sitting
room and two bedrooms. From the
foyer a long hall ran almost the length
If the building. On the servants side
[ was blank as to doors, save for the
passage from the pantry to the dining
'oom, but on the other side several
loOrs opened into spacious sleeping
looms, each with its own bath. AS I
vas wondering which of the bedrooms
my great-aunt had expected me to
occupy, l noticed still another door
which l found led into a small bed
'oom on the servants side of the
quarters. While it was less elabOr-
Itely furnished than the rooms oppO-
lite, il was comfortable enough, and
had a spacious bathroom adjoining.
The fact that the bed here had been
eft turned down was evidence enough
hat il was intended for my occupancy.
Returning to the foyer to get my bag
nd unpack ii, | was startled by the
inging of the front doorbell.
| sprang eagerly to answer ii. 1t
aust be Miss Bradford. Probably she
ad recOnsidered and had decided 10