The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-07-17

into my brain. If such should be the |
case, that some betrayed cOnspirator
now was seeking vengeance, more
than ever | welcomed the unexpected
chance that had thrown this OppOr-
tunity for adventure in my prOsaic
path.
Yet maybe their warnings were JUS
titled. 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, in any way
connected with the mystery that over
hung the CASTOR home? Did my 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-uncle's peace OF
mind? How I regretted now that l
had not asked the GastOns if they
knew Miss Bradford. How l welcom-
ed the opportunity | was now to have
of living in the same apartment house
with her, close at hand if ever l could
serve her. l was glad now that cir
CumstanceS had prevented my going
to France with Birge and Roller.
AS | arrived at my great-uncle's cor
ner, l saw Miss Bradford approaching
from the opposite direction. She was
in riding toys. timed my steps to
reach the corner as she did. Would
she, I wondered, consider our strange
meeting a few evenings before sutfi-
cient introduction to justify her speak
ing to me.
Good morning, Mr.. Nelson" she
greeted me pleasantly. Making an
early call, aren't your
I'm coming here to live for while"
l answered, falling into step with her
"The GastOns are going to Maine and
have asked me to occupy their apart
ment while they are away"
AS we chatted we had entered the
building, and as before l went into
the elevator with her AS left her
at the door, wondering If she had had
any more encounters in the park, yet
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 my 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" l insisted, "you promised to
let me help you."
81 have not forgotten. I'm grateful
really 1 am. Perhaps I may call on
your services. l may have to. If
do, I'll find some way Of letting you
know"
"Some secret way" 1 suggested, halt
sarcastically.
Perhaps" she laughingly nodded as
= we separated.
As l took out the keys my great
: uncle had given me and entered the
apartment, l looked about me with 9
wholly new interest. That little V,Ort
"mine" makes vast difference in the
: way we regard things Now tha
these luxurious quarters were to b.
my home, temporarily at least, l look
:, ed about curiously. Certainly at frs
7 glance there was nothing mysterious
J. in the atmosphere. Setting my bal
e down l began an immediate inspeC
ton Of the rooms.
: The CASTOR apartment, discovered
: occupied one whole side of the siXtl
e floor of a twelve-story building
2 Around the elevator shaft that cam
$ up through the center was a small
: square court with four doors, tw
t opening into the Bradford apartment
opposite and two into the one wa
}, Occupying The east apartments wer
e known as Six A and the west as Six E
2 The door by which had entered le
into lofty foyer, connecting by slidin
+ doors with a great dining room, and be
g yOnd it, in the front of the house, wit
g a reception or living room that ran tn
o entire width Of the apartment. Bac
n of the elevator, with a separate doc
!. for the servants use, were the kitchen
o the buffers pantry, servants sittin
room and two bedrooms From tn
foyer long hall ran almost the lengt
of the building. On the servants sid
it was blank as to doors, save for tn
passage from the pantry to the dinin
n room, but on the other side sewers
o doors opened into spacious sleepin
q rooms. each with its own bath. AS
i, was wondering which of the bedroom
II my great-aunt had expected me
II occupy, | noticed still another doc
!. which found led into a small BET
;. room on the servants side of ii
n house but unconnected with the
!. quarters. While it was less elabo
o+olv furnished than the rooms ODD
81 site, it was comfortable enough, an
% it had a spacious bathroom adjoinin
4 The fact that the bed here had bee
" left turned down was evidence enoug
!, that it was intended for my occupanc
r Returning to the foyer to get my ba
+ and unpack it, was startled by II
I ringing of the front dOorbell.
cnronry nnrnrIV tn answer If