The Ordway new era., 1920-05-14

envelope ana handed lt 10 me, reillurh-
ing at the same time. There was fifty
dollars in it." The letter read:
Dear Madame Delario:
II was unable to return according
| to promise because of telegraphic com
| munication notifying me that my wife
I-Claire's mother-is probably Ill with
a fatal illness nnG l am leaving for
California Immediately. My child
| knows nothing of her mothers illness
and the reason of my so sudden depar-
tlre. am concealing it from her by
saying that 1t is diplomatic business
which calls me away. 1t would be
| cruelty to subject her so sensitive ma
ture to anxiety and shock of long jour
ney when she could not hope to see
her mother alive.
81 implOre you In human kindness
take pity on her once more and shell
ter her for few days. keeping from
her the knowledge of this calamity
that threatens her. i shall communl-
cate with you in few days. My
gratitude" etc.
"And Claire followed it in an hour!"
Mrs. Delario whispered.
'Did he bring her?"
"NO-he sent her in a carriage. OF
course he didn't bring her! He didn't
take any chances of my refusing to
keep her for him."
poor child" I exclaimed. "She
was devoted to her mother-it will be
n terrible blow to her"
Mrs. Delario sniffed at me-takihs
the letter from my hand and glancins
at 1t before she answered: you don't
think for minute there's anything the
matter with Claire's mother, do you?"
"There isn't?"
"Why, of course not oh, /
KNOW" she answered the question she
must have read In my face. 81 psyche
metrlzed this note as soon MS l got It,
Thnt man cant deceive mel feel
scheme and plot all over it."
She held 1t moment IN n testing
sort of way. running her fingers back
and forth over 1t. then placed 1t in my
hand. asking: Cant you feel the Oc-
cult infuences?" and looked as If she
expected me to reply that l could feel
the occult influences. plain as any
thing. Which / couldn't. She seemed
disappointed and put the letter into
its envelope and that into her hand
bag remarlllng: ITS part of a scheme
he's working. I haven't made out the
rest of tim not clear on it yet
though know it's something-tricky."
"And you think he didn't go to Cali
fornia?"
I'm sure he didn't can't see
journey for him-I mean an Immediate
journey. There ure journeys all around
him-he travels great deal-but l
don't see anything for today-for to-
morrow there's nothing like that near.
But do get the word-clairaudient-
ly-'Hiding.' That doesn't help things
very much for US. II he ls!'
| "Or for Clairei".
| mo. But please don't think I'm not
willing to do all / can for the child
for her own sake. But having her
thrust on me In this mysterious
way"
She broke Off and looked at me help
lessly and finished for her HAS up
set you"
'Terribly! I'm nearly distracted!
And that isn't ALL mean Claire's be-
ing thrust on me; there's a new man
come on the scene-Tm more troubled
about him than almost anything else"
"a new man? When did he ap-
pear?"
Last night-just after I got back
from here and was waiting for mon
siour; so 1 let him in" and she de-
scrlbed the very man who had just
been to see me, and who was either
thief or Baron Won Follow-up for the
Emperor William. as Billy had called
him. He had reached Mrs. Delarlo as
he had me. through Claire. saying she
had disappeared.
"And what's your impression of this
new mani" asked. 1 was beginning
to take some little stock In her impress
sions. partly because they coincided
| with my own; partly because l was
clutching ut anything that might help
"Trouble-trouble for monsieur. ]
| get the word clairaudiently. You see.
| I'm 80 upset-why, my dear, it isn't
any more possible for me to do my
work-get my readings right-in an ut
| mOsphere of confuslon-and fear and
| anxiety-than it is for you to do your
| work-write, and compose beautiful
things. You couldn't could you? You
| couldn't write, If you We're nll upset."
admitted shouldn't expect to pro-
duce much of my own line of goods
under like circumstances; and having
won this from me. she laid her hand on
my arm in an appealing way and said:
Its why cnme to you'll didn't know
what else to do or where 10 turn for
advice. What am to do about Clnire?"
was sure didn't know. but asked
some trite question about how she
seemed to be taking 1t.