Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1920-06-10

bclitVable. that l wanted TO go over Il
with her step by step, In order to be
able to convince the detective that Il
was the absolute truth.
I could not help hut realize how
preposterous 1t would sound In the
telling. Mr.. German could hardly bt
blamed for believing that my mind had
been intlamcd by witnessing too many
movie thrillcrs. Yet l had proof
There were the entries In my great
uncle's diary that l could show. l bad
the anonymous notes. My story of the
strange whispers, IL need he. could he
confirmed by the old laundyess, by
Barbara Bradford. yes, ard by Claire
too. That Is, II the renson Claire had
given ia ccount for her presence In
my room was the true one. Ii sounded
logical. and yet l did not place the
confidence In her that l did In Barbara,
Rut what | relied on most Of all Ia
convince German of the truth OF my
prrpnsterous tale was his own knowl.
edge of who the telephone girl was
Just when I had reached the drduc.
ton that the hand plotting against
us must have Il coadjutor In the build.
ing. he had come forward with the
knowledge that pointed toward the
person most apt to be involved.
l was bordering 1t all yer In my
mind us I left the house to meet Bar.
baru. l was out on the street and
Just turning the corne when ! remem'
bercd that l had spent most of the
none in my pocket the night before,
Retracing my steps. ! returned to my
apartment and took some" bills from
their hiding-plnce In the bookcase. AS
I emerged into the street again, l he,
came aware that across the street was
a man whose appearance seemed
vaguely familiar. AS I once more
turned the corner, walking briskly. ]
glanced back for n second look at
him and was SURPRISED to see him com,
Ing In my direction.
Then all at once my subconsciouS
mind came to my rescue. l realized
when it was that l had seen him he.
fore and what made his appearance
so familiar. As l left the house not
ten minutes ago TINT very same man
had been standing across the street.
As l had turned back at the corner
he had been coming in my direction
just as he was now.
He must be following Inc, trailing
me, shadowing me. l determined to
test out my theory. At the next cor.
ner I turned sharply, glancing quickly
back as l did so. He was still follow
ing mt, though on the other side Of
the street and perhaps half n block
away. l went a few steps out of
sight and then stopped as If to look
in a shop window. He came hurrying
around the corner an instant later,
slowing down as 500 as he spotted
me again and walked on slowly pass
mt as If not noticing me. I waited
until he was some distance beyond
and retracing my steps quickly to the
avenue again stopped In the shelter of
a building to light a cigar, purposely
wasting Il number Of matches. In
hardly ten seconds he was back, covert
ly watching me from the other side OF
the street.
There was no question about 1t. He
was trailing me. But who could be
having me Swallowed? Certainly he
was not in the employ Of the Brad
fords or of Detective German. Either
he must be one Of the band Of plot
tiers, orr hated to voice my suspi-
clon, but somehow the thought Of my
great-uncle Rufus kept obtruding It.
SELF 1t would be just like the srE-
picious old miser, II 1t was he who
had planned all this devl'ment, to put
me In a position Of trust and then to
me watched night and day.
Whoever 1t was that inspired this
pursuit, I determined to lead my
shadow a merry chase. Jumping into
a taxi l babe the driver take me to
a department store. Looking back I
the shadow hastily entering an
other cab. Arrived at my destination
I thrust fare and tip into the drivers
hand and hurrying inside managed to
ar elevator just ascending. One
flight up I got out and ~redescended to
the main floor by a staircase at the
rear, emerging thence on to a side
A second taxi took me to
the Twenty-eighth street subway sta
ton. and there, with no sign Of my
pursuer, l took a train to Times
and went to the Astor to meet
Barbara Bradford, arriving on the dot
Of one. She was there awaiting me
and we quickly found a secluded table
in n Of the less conspicuous rooms.
"T've told Claire everything" she
said as sOon as we were seated. II
hope you're not angry with me-"
"Of course not. You had to tell
her. I am sorry to have frightened
"She shouldn't have gone to your
room. That's just ltRe her. though.
hin GA|dInh