Charlevoix county herald., 1920-03-12

faced me- l saw that II was a woman,
a badly frightened woman, with her
hands clutching at her heart. Almost
Barbara Bradford. but her sister,
Claire She was clad In some sort of
"A dark house gown thrown over her
nightgown. Her slippered feet were
bare of stockings, and her hair hung
i'm great braid down her back.
AS / stared at her she sprang from
the chair and made rush for the
open window. / grabbed for her and
though she fought desperately | man
aged TO hold her fast and to drag her
away from the window. After mo-
ment's futile resistance she suddenly
collapsed in my arms. moaning In a
tense whisper:
LET me go, please let me CO."
! placed her in chair, and still
keeping a tight hold on one of her
arms. studied her, debating what to
do. What desperate motive could
have driven this girl to the daring
journey acros5 the narrow ledge by
which she had gained access to my
quarters? Was she, wondered, once
more i'm the power of that evil ex.
husband Of hers, driven by fear of him
to such desperate deeds.
LET me co." she moaned again.
mot until you tell me what you
were doing in my rooms" answered
firmly.
81 did not know there was any one
here. ! thought the apartment was
vacant. thought the Gastons were
away"
"But why did you Gomez"
81 can't tell that" she moaned. 81
can't I can't!"
you must" repeated. 81 am GO
ing to keep you here until you do tell
me-"
'You must not keep me here" she
said. II don't want my people to know
about my having been here. You look
like gentleman. Please let me co."
Doesn't Barbara-doesn't your SIS
'Si hhoW YOU are mere!
AT my mention of her sisters name
an expression of amazement escaped
her.
"Who are you?" she asked excited
ly. How did you know who WASP"
Il am a friend of your sister,"
answered. 'She will tell you who
am. You must trust me. feel have
a right to know what You are doing
here. Won't you tell me?"
y strange look came into her eyes
and she shook her head
You wouldn't understand. I was
trying to trace the whispers"
THE whispers - cried excitedly.
"fou have heard them, too2"
Often" she said 81 heard them
tonight. Mother and Barbara were
out 10 the theater. They seemed to
come from near the ceiling In my sis.
ter's room. They seemed to vanish
In the direction of this room
thought there was no one here de-
cided to creep along the ledge and see
If | could trace them"
"And did you succeed?"
She shook her head.
when | first came In this room
could still hear them They seemed
to be coming from up near the ceiling
/ got up on a chair and put my ear
to the wall to listen. Then they
stopped altogether and then-you
came in. May go now-before my
mother comes homer
ION one condition." l answered,
shat you tell your sister about your
having been here"
I'll tell her If you wish me to-" she
replied, "and now, please may go?
Could you let me out of your door?
See, | brought key to our apartment
with me. / don't think I dare make
that trip across the ledge tonight"
AS / escorted her to the door, my
mind in whirl over the events of the
evening, l suddenly remembered how
important it was that I should see her
sister for a long talk before l kept
my appointment with German.
"Tell your sister," / said to Claire
Bradford as she departed, "that II Is
Imperative that she meet me at lunch
con tomorrow. l have news Of the
utmost importance-news that con-
Germs all of us. Tell her to meet me
at the Aston at one. She must come"
"I'll tell her." she replied.