Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-21

cltned to treat his wife t~yrannicAlly.
CHAPTER H-Continued.
How absurd!"
II don't know. Mrs. Carstairs
hates Anne. and though she is never
openly disrespec;ful, she finds hun
dreds Of little ways to annoy her."
And Anne,s step %.ehildren? How
"Oh. right enough. Morland
adores her, and though Barbara was
ofish at first, she is coming round,
Anne has shown great tact in manag-
ing Barbara, ana / think they'll get
to be chums."
I hadn't yet had opportunity to
converse with Barbara Van Wyck,
ana d pretense Of a quest of
fresh tea. I led Miss Fordyce toward
the tea-table.
Miss Van Wyck was cordial, but
not ELUSIVE. and struck me as being
what is sometimes called strong.
/ minded"
She was a strtking-looking girl,
with a pale face and large dark eyes;
but s n had no such charm as Anne,
nor had she the gentle s%oftness Of
things with a graceful air Of being
accustomed to it, and included US at
once in a conversation she was car
rying on with some other callers.
It seemed the Van Wyck tea hour
was" something Of an institution; and
neighbors and village people were
always in greater or less attendance.
new public library in the town, and
as It was of slight interest to me, I
p~ernitted my attention to wander
about the room, and began to plan
some way by which I could unob-
itrusively make my way back to my
hostess.
But just then a motor-car arrived,
and ~ group Of callers came in
through the great portals Of the
study. The general confusion of in
Productions and greetings followed,
and when 1t was owe I somehow
found myself standing beside Mrs
stelton. the pretty young widow from
whose tolls Anne hoped to rescue
Morland Van Wyck.
commonplace compared to Beth
tFordyce OF Anne. She chatted pleas
antly, but her conversation was OF
the sort that makes a mans mind
wander.
Are you here for the week end,
have a heavenly time! It's the dear.
est place 10 visit. And they are all
such lovely people. The beautiful
Mrs, Van Wyck is a perfect hostess
and Mr.. Van Wyck is an old dear,
though = bit of a curmudgeon nov
You're speaking Of Mr.. Morland
You naughty man! O course
not. I mean our host. Morly ISM
In the least curmudgeonish!' She
tapped my arm with her lorgnon' In
a playful manner. A if any one
could be-to you" 1 returned, know
ing her type:
"Nice gentleman" ahe babbled on
and then. I'm glad you're here
We're such . pleasant house-party.''
who 10 that strikins-looking mar
standing by the window" I asked
1--WE were introduced az he came in
but i didn't catch his name"
"Stone." she replied. "Flemin,
a'o sston. Ts'{ :sss,. h. y . s q. e veal.
"? Detectives. ! should think hi
was! Why. he's probably the great.
est real detective who ever lived,
what is he doing here 2"
"His home Ii in Crescent Falls
Mrs. Gtelton informed me: that IS
live in the village, and he. naturally
visits her. He is staying with hel
now"
is heya friend OF Van Wyck'y?"
mo, he has never been here be-
fore. He came with Mr.. ana Mrs
Davidson, Crescent Falls Village PEG.
pie, and i think he came principal,
- zee the house. This room. 20,
know, is famous Il
mot a. famous - he is,"" I said
saxfng at the man / 20 much admir-.
81. but had never before
Fleming Stone was q man WHIT
would have compelled notice any
Whsre, and yet his appearance wa
entirely quiet; snd uno~stents4tous. HI
wa slightly above average height. o.
9 strong. well set up figure and /