The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-08-06
CHAPTER v-continued.

-s1o-
/ then jotted down on a scratch pad
this memorandum:
1.-THE young woman representing her.
self as Mrs. Bashford and now estab-
lished in my uncle's house is one or
all Of the following persons:
Il. Uncle Basins widow.
y. An impostor.
20. A spy Of some sort, pursued by
secret agents.
~. Violet Dewing, an actress.
IS. The most interesting and he
lOveliest and most charming girl in
the world"
The following day nothing of impor-
lance happened, though Alice and Mrs.
Farnsworth again spent the morning
in the woodland, presumably studying
Scarles' play. My thoughts galloped
through my head in a definite formula !:
If she is not my aunt" If she is
IN impostor-' IF she is a spy playing
a deep game in the seclusion Of Bar
ton If she is the actress Searles
is seeking" At any rate, / would re-
spect her wish to play the game
through; the dangers of carrying the
stOry-bOOk idea to n of half a dozen
possible conclusions were not incon-
siderable, but l was resolved that she
should finish the tale in her Own
fashion. .
II / had expected Searles and his
play to be introduced into the table
talk. l was doomed to disappointment.
A dozen times l smothered an impulse
to tell Alice and Mrs. Farnsworth I
had watched them In the woodland
and of Searles' long search for the
ideal of his Lady Larkspur," but
was afraid to risk their displeasure.
They enjoyed walking in the wood,
they said, and when / charged them
with s~elfishness in not taking me
along, Alice Immediately suggested a
tramp later In the afternoon.
I'll send you away after luncheon
II have loads of letters to write, but
by four O'clock I'll be Keen for the
woods again."
Letters to all my good fairics."
she laughed when / went for her 'and
l SOu AlOSsu = ~ ~ a. lHC u CSSCS !
She suggested that we walk to the
village, as she liked to post her letters
herself. We went through the woods
where l had seen her the day before.
constance and / were here this
morning." she said when we reached
the big boulder. Let me see; l think
I'll try a little trick to test the hand
OF fate. Give mt those letters, please.
If this falls with address up, I'll mail
It" and she chose one and handed me
the others; If the flap side turns up,
I'll destroy It,"
She sen At spinning into the air. A
branch caught and held 1t an instant,
then 1t fell, turning over and over,
and lay straight on edge against a
weed.
mo decision! !" l cried. Its an ex-
act perpendicular"
She knelt beside it, bordering. Il
think II leans just a trifie to the adj
dress side," she announced. There
fore you may return it to your pocket
and 1t goes into the post Office"
These letters would probably an
Swer q lot Of questions for me II l
| dared run away with them," ! sug-
gested.
1.-THE thought does you no credit, sir.
You promised not to NEEDLE, but just
to let things take their course, and
| must say that you are constantly
improving. At times you grow suspi-
ciOus-yes. you know you debut,
take It all In all. you do very WELL"
At the post Office she dropped all
the letters but one into the chute. 1T
really did fall a little to the address
side1" she questioned.
gave my Judgment that the letter
stood straight on edge, inclining Meth
or way.
III my life hung In the balance, ]
should certainly not act where fate
had been 50 timid..
Suppose" said Alice musingly, ~
were to tell you that II ! mail this
letter the effect will be to detain me
In America for some time; IL l don't
send It, / shall have to write another
that will mean that ! shall go very
soon. II l stay on at Barton instead
Of going home to take up my little
part again for England In the war, 1t
will be an act OF selfshness-just
some more Of my foolishness, more Of
the make-believe life that Constance
and ! have been living here"
II want you to stay" I said earnest
b. taking the letter. Let me be your
tate Ia this-in everything that affects
-FOUR life forever"
She walked quickly to the door, and
dropped the letter into the chute and
hurried after her.
You didn't turn round.e / said as
We started down the street. For all
Jon know, I've got the letter In my
pocket"
oh. I'm not ! bit frfehtenedl It
would be just III interesting one way
i - onn$hAnN MA#A#