The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-05-29

p!oNoeS Of the 'Ur;lNuucck, WICK anu
the telephone girl.
ITO what am | Indebted for the
honor Of rhis visit" I asked at length,
adding with some sarcasm, from my
sister,"
Never for n second had l imagined
that other than It selfish motive could
have brought her thither, and the con-
versatiun that, followed was all the
more surprising to me on that ac-
count.
/ II had to say l was your sister"
she answered quickly. Il wanted TO .
/ be sure of seeing you and ! did not .
wish anyone To recognize me. You /
/ know. l believe who l ann"
"YOu are Barbara's sister," l re-
piled.
That's why came" she cried, "for /.
Barhara's sake have come to plead /
with you for her"
"To plead-with me-for her" l
echoed in establishment.
Yes" she cried pasSiOnately. !
"She'S young. She's little more than
a child She aid not realize what she
was doing You must not let anyone
know you even know her. You must
never. never tell
Never tell what?" | answered non
commttally.
She answered with a cnnvulSive sob.
thought for little that she was
going To break down completely. Her
manner and the pallOr of her face
attracted the attention of the Keeper
who was in the room with us. and he
started forward as if expecting her
to fall in n faint. Re>olutcly she
pulled herself together and went on
in calmer tones.
ooh. | know all about it. | know
that she is completely fascinated by
you. | know that she has been meet
ing you i'm the park. | know that
she has lunched with you at the
Aston" She heSitated and her face
, crimSOned-"I know that she has even
visited you i'm your rooms late at
, night Oh. please, please. | beg of
you. if there is spark of manhood
= in you. do not take advantage of Il
, silly girls weakness. Please help me
: protect my little sisters name; prom
p ise-you will. won't yOu?"
a "Why should II" | replied careless
: ", depressing my desire to leap at
once to Barbara's defense and explain
how pure and honorable her conduct
= had been and how lofty the motive
that had governed her actions.
i Tempted though | was TO defend her,
r realized that this might be an OPP
portunity to learn something of Claire
n Bradford's associates, and l deter
q mined 10 make the most of 1t. How
else could she know of all my meet
ings with Barbara unless she was in
h league with the persons who had been
# having me shao0wed? How the
h knowledge that Barbara had been in
Y my apartment could have come to her
, was n mystery beyond me. | would
have sworn that that was secret sa
cred TO our two selves.
Listen TO me-" she commanded
speaking in low tones, Barbara i,
NV baby sister. innocent of the ways
of the world. | must save her from
, herself, and her heedlessness. Never
never, if can help it, shall she suffer
the agony and shame and disgrace
Il that | have known. Years ago |, jus
II as she is now. became infatuated will
man far below me in the Socia
scale. He. too. was criminal"
4 l shifted Indignantly at the "he
IN {, .h of
4 81 ran away from school and mar
4 ried him and learned too late that h
had a wife and child already. All m
\ life. ever since. that terrible thing ha
followed me. It's like n specter eve
rising to confront me. Even If | hav
to kill you. am going to save my lii
tIe sister from following in my steps.
.sWhere is CASTOR Maurice nOw?"
asked. Have you seen him recently?
=. She gasped and shuddered, lOOkin
at me incredulously.
"You." she breathed eXcitedly. "wh
lis are you? How do you know hi
lie name?"
IN Never mind how l know It." I n
piled. "What l want to know
cd where is he now? When did you sc
lrt him last?'
or mot for years-nOt since long h
cd fore my fathers death-nOt since I'll
marriage was annulled."
"Nor heard from him." | persiste'
.st "No, nor heard from him." she hes
lst tated, unless"
"a. "Unless what?" / insisted, as 81
ps stopped abruptly.
ht. 81 can't tell you" she said firml
er- 81 don't know. They must have con
no from him, from someone that knew
ire the letters"
err "What letters? Tell me abo'
ng them"
no II can't tell what l don't know.
aiI haven't the least idea where CASTE
as Maurice is. / had hoped he was def
re. in the war. Yet he can't be. | ha'
had anonymous letters threateniI
me. They must have come from nj
or from someone whom he told of Of
,rd marriage? How else could they know
tn Her distress was so real and n
ION manner so convincing that | decide
nal that she must be telling the truth.
,.,- sXVeU" said I "if YOU cannot Il