Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-05-07
/ The House of
/ Whispers

aDOutS. More tnan likely he had leIl
a forwarding address for his mail with
her.
With a letter l had written to my
mother, 1 descended to the main floor
and began a conversation with Miss
Kelly by asking where was the near
est place that could buy stamps. AS
we chatted I began complaining how
lonely it was in the apartment and
wound up by inviting her to dine with
me that evening.
1 had anticipated a ready acceptance
of my invitation and was amazed to
find it firmly refused. In a much con-
fused manner she advanced a dozen
reasons, or rather pretexts. She did
not go out with the people of the
house. Her mother would not like it.
She did not know me well enough.
Mr.. Wick would discharge her if he
heard about it.
From an unexpected source, though
none the less unwelcome, 1 found an
ally. Mr.. Wick himself bobbed up
from somewhere, apparently having
to know what it was abut.
"Why, of course, Mr.. Nelson" he
began in an ingratiating manner that
was most repellent to me, miss
Kelly'll be glad to go to dinner with
you. It's part of her business to make
things pleasant for the tenants"
1t seemed to me that the girls eyes
flashed defiance at him and that she
was still inclined to refuse, and I was
about to explain resentfully that my
invitation was not issued on a busi-
ness basis, when into Wick's face
came an ugly look, something almost
threatening.
"Of course Miss Kelly will be glad
to go with you." he repeated sharply.
Certainly" said the girl quickly,
before 1 had a chance to speak, ''if
Mr.. Wick thinks it is all right, I will
be glad to CO."
Her acceptance did not ring true.
I was convinced that it was unwilling
ly given under some sort of COM
pulsion from the odious Wick.
I met her, at her suggestion, in the
parlor of one of the less pretentious
hotels. In the hour that had elapsed
since she left the apartment, she had
exchanged her neat black working
suit for more modish clothes. After
one quick glance at her transformed
appearance my mind was quickly
made up as to what sort of restau
| 10 +o1y hnr r %ho-
she was of the type that would enjo!
to the utmost the costly whirl of thu
fashionable cafe of the moment. I
was my purpose to give her such ;
delightful evening that she would b,
wishing to spend others in the SAM
way, for I felt certain that she, per
haps better than anyone else, coult
supply me the information 1 wantet
about the tenants in the building.
. was sure it would be we'll worth M,
while to win her good graces, cos
, what it may. Calling a taxi, bad
the chauffeur take US to the "Whit
: Room" the very latest fashion in res
taurants, where hordes of hectic pul
suers of pleasure were wont to assen
bic to dine and dance. I observed tn
gleam of satisfaction that came int
? her eyes as she heard me mention on
destination.
At first we talked, in Broadwa
: fashion, of the theaters and restaI
rants, of the place we were in, of th
I people at the tables about US, bu
gradually I led the conversation I
q Miss Kelly herself and to her wor
in the apartment.
! 'It was funny, wasn't it." I sal
: "about Mr.. Wick insisting on yor
coming with me? I had a notion /
didn't like me-"
Hitherto my companion had bee
. most vivacious, chatting merrily, fasI
ing back at my sallies with clever bi
!, :, of that slangy repartee of which mo
of the metropolitan business girls al
such clever mistresses. At my last r
= mark a quick change came over h
face. 1t was as if a mask had be-
set up between US behind which 81
/ was hiding from me.
u 81 guess he likes you," she answe
D ed guardedly. 81 never heard him S,
. one way or the other"
- "While we're talking about t
y apartment" I went on, "did my gre
II uncle happen to leave a forWardil
- address with you? There are SOL
" things I want to send him-sor
'l pearls they left behind-and he b
" not written me yet where his addre
~ will be-"
III 1 had not intended to mention t
le CASTOR pearls. had slipped til
.e phrase in on the spur of the momel
IL but little was I prepared for the
ce founding effect my words had up
We her.
q !"The pearls!" she gasped, turni
ay white. you're going to send him t
e CASTOR pearlsp'
I'd There was a note of amazement,
US incredulity in her tone.
10 excuse me-" she said, rising ,
by expectedly. - gotta telephone"
he Before I could gather my wits
* gether she had vanished, leaving
Is, sitting there, staring after her in {
ny may. What did she-the telephc
US girl-know about the CASTOR pear
Ill How could she possibly know Il
they were missing? had told no {
as no one except Barbara Bradford
he about the rifled wall safe. How CO.
her excitement and perturbation
lid accounted for except by the fact t
i'd she knew of their loss? I was slit
set there, puzzling over her mysteri
ed conduct, when I became aware t
FOR a man was standing beside my tai
FOR glaring down at me. 1 looked up,
rt- pecting to see the waiter. or h,
ev- waiter. Instead it was a man il
IDS dinner jacket, a stocky, broad-sht
up dered chap with a close-cropped 6
led mustache.
nd you're got your nerve" he snee
Jus at me. bringing a woman Of t
Inv sort here"
ew "a woman of what sort?" I as
,ss. eagerly, surprised to find someone
rly a place of this sort who knew