The Taney County republican., 1920-04-22

ture. i am concenling II from her by
saying that It Is diplomatic business
which calls me away. II 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.
II iTplore you in human kindness
take pity on her once more and shell
ter her for a few days. keeping from
her the knowledge Of this calamity
that threatens her. I shall communi-
cate with you In few days. My
gratitude" etc.
"And Claire followed 1t In an hour"
Mrs. Delario whispered.
"DId he bring herf"
"No-he sent her In a carriage. OF
course he didn't bring herl He didn't
take any chances OF my refusing to
keep her for him."
"Poor childp I exclaimed. "She
was devoted to her mother-It will be
a terrible blow TO her"
Mrs. Delarlo shifted at me-taking
the letter from my hand and glancIng
at II before she answered: "You don't
think for a minute there's anything the
matter with Claire's mother, do yOu7"
There isn'ti"
why, of course not Oh, !
know" she answered the question she
must have read In my face. II psyche.
metriZed this note as soon as I got II.
That man can't deceive mel feel
scheme and plot all over It."
She held It moment In n testing
sort Of way, running her fingers back
and forth over II, then placed It In my
hand, asking: Cant you feel the oc-
cult infuencesT and looked as II 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, remarklng: "It's part Of a scheme
he's working. I haven't made out the
rest OF it--Im not clear on II yet.
though I know It's sOmethlng-tricky."
And you think he didn't 60 to Call.
forniar
I'm sure he didn't can't see a
journey for him-I mean on immediate
journey. There are journeys all around
hlm--he travelS a great deal--but /
don't see anything for today-for to.
morrow; there's nothing like that near.
But do get the word--clairaudlent-
ly-'Hiding.' That doesn't help things
very much for US, II he is"
"0r for Clairel"
"No. But please don't think I'm not
willing to do oil can for the child
for her own sake. But having her
thrust on me In this mysterious
way"
She broke Oft and looked at me help.
lessly and finished for her: HAS up.
set you"
Terribly! I'm nearly distracted
And that isn't ALL mem Clalre's be-
Ing thrust on me; there's q new man
come on the scene-I'm more troubled
about him than almost anything else"
"A new MANI When did he ap-
pearl"
Last nlght--just after I got back
from here and was waiting for mon.
sieur; so I let him In" and she de-
scribed the very man who had Just
been to see me, and who wns either n
thief or Baron von Follow.up for the
Emperor William, as Billy had called
him. He had reached Mrs. Delario as
he had me, through Claire, saying she
had disappeared.
"And what's your impression Of this
new mani" | asked. / was beginning
to take some little stock In her impres.
sions, partly because they coincided
with my own; partly because was
clutching nt anything that might help.
"Trouble-trouble for monsieur. I
get the word clairaudiently. You see,
I'm so upset--why, my dear, II isn't
any more possible for me to do my
work--get my readings right---in an at
moSphere Of confuslon--and fear and
anxiety--than It Is for you to do your
work--wrlte, and compose beautiful
things. You couldn't. could youi You
couldn't write, II you were all upsets"
ladmltted shouldn't expect TO pro-
duce mitch OF my own line Of goods
under like circumstances and having
won this from me, she lnld her hand on
my arm in an appealing way and said
TITS why ! came to You'll didn't know
whnt else to do or where TO turn for
adviee. What am to do about Claire7"
! was sure didn't know, but asked
some trite question about how she
seemed to be taking II.
"The poor child went Into Mysteries
the minute she got In the house Il
had to put her to bed. I'm afraid she's
Ia for sickness--a nervous break.
down."
But the dlamonds" saN I, meaning
to test her attitude, since she'd had a
chance to think over what Id told her
about fiionsieur's claims on them and
particularly ds he'd gone TO her him
self: "Will you take them home with
your
Ia