The Jasper news., 1920-02-12


just seen you and you told him had
the diamonds"
"what a lIei" ! burst out invoiun-
tariiy.
"And then this neutrality-suspicious. rm
even out of bed--thIs comes By q mes.
senger." She had drawn out letter
from her bag; she took Il out Of the
envelope and handed II TO me, remark.
Ing at the same time. There was fifty
dollars In It." The letter rthds
"Denr Madame Deiario:
Il was unable to return according
to promise because Of telegraphic COM
munication notifying me that my wife
-Clalre's mother--is probably III with
a fatal Illness and | am leaving for.
California Immediately. My child
knows nothing Of her mothers Illness
aud the reason Of my so sudden depar
ture. I am conceallng II from her BY
saying that II Is diplomatic business
which calls me away. 1t would be
cruelty to subject her 30 sensitive ma
ture to anxiety and shock OF long Jour
ney when she could not hope to zee
her mother alive.
Il implore you in human kindness
take pity on her once more and shell
ter her for few days, keeping from
her the knowledge Of this calamity
that threatens her. ! shall communi-
cate with you in q few days Ny
gratitude" etc.
And Claire followed II In an houri"
Mrs. Delnrio whispered.
did he bring herr
"No-he sent her In q carriage. OF
course he didn't bring heri He didn't
take any chances Of my refusing %
keep her for him."
"Poor chIldI" l exclaimed. "She
was devoted to her mother-it will be
terrible blow TO her."
Mrs. Delarlo sniffed at me-taklng
the letter from my hand and glancing
at II before she answered: you don't
think for a minute there's anything the
matter with Claire's mother, do your"
"There lsn't7'
.'Why, OF course noti Oh.
know" she answered the question she
must have read in my face. ~ psyche
metrized this note as soon a. got It.
That man can't deceive mel feel
scheme and plot all over It."
She held It a moment In q testing
sort of way. running her fingers back
and forth over II; then placed 1t In my
hand. asking: "Can't you feel the oc-
cult lnfiuences" and looked as II she
expected me to reply that I could feel
the occult Influences, plain as any
thing. Which couldn't. She seemed
disappointed and put the letter into
its envelope and that Into her hand
bag, remarking: ITS part OF scheme
he's working. l haven't made out the
rest Of lt-Tm not clear on II yet,
though know It's somethIng-tricky."
"And you think he didn't 60 to Call.
fornlaT'
"Tn sure he didn't can't see a
journey for hlm-I mean an immediate
journey. There are journeys all around
him-ho travels a great deal-but !
don't see anything for today--for to:
morrow; there's nothing like that near.
But do get the. word--claIraudlent
ly-'HidIng.' Tint doesn't help things
very much for us, II he isl"
"Or for Clalrei"
"No. But please don't think I'm not
willing to do oil l can for the child
for her own sake. But having her
thrust on me In this mysterious
way"
She broke of and looked at me help
lessly and finished for her: HAS up
set you"
Terribly I'm nearly distracted I
And that isn't ALL mean Ciaire's be-
Ing thrust on me: there's a new man
come on the scene--Tm more troubled
about him than almost anything else" I"
"a new manf When did he ap
pearl"
"Last nlght--just after got back
from here and was waiting for mon
sieur; so let him In" and she de-
scribed the very man who had just
been to see me, and who was either a
thief or Baron Won Follow-up for the
Emperor william, as Billy had called
him. He had reached Mrs. Delario as
he had me, through Claire, saying she
had disappeared.
"And what's your impression Of this
new man1" asked. l was beginning
to take some little stock In her impress
siOns. partly because they e0inclded
with my own; partly because was
cIutchlng at anything that might help,
"Trouble-trouble for monsieur.
get the word clalraudiently. You see,
I'm 30 upset-why, my dear, II isn't
| nnu mara rAoaaihla for me- N do ms