Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-16

and trembling and Bryce Continued TO
,ooS %otcn her s steadily. She stole furtive
WHY Why didn't you tell all this at the
inquest?' she asked, in a whisper.
because l knew how damning Il
would be to--Ransford," replied Bryce,
ptIo,mp'iy; 1T would have excited sus-
pie,on; was certain that no one but
myseli knew THAT Braden had been to
.he surgery door; therefore / thought
.nat IL l Kept silence his calling would
se neyeI pc known. But have since
round That was mistaken. Braden was
ford's." ~ 'o''o' ''""'
"By--whom?" asked Mary.
Mrs. Deramore-at the next house."
answered Bryce. she happened to be
looking out Of an upstairs window. She
saw nun go away and cross the close.
Did she tell you that?" demanded
May. who knew Mrs Deramore for
Between ourselves" said Bryce, she
aG, a,d not. She told Mrs. Foliot-Mrs.
"so--it is talked about! :" exclaimed
II said So" assented Bryce. You
know what Mrs. Folliot's tongue is."
Then Doctor Ransford will get to
hear of H. said Mary.
hear Ee os gilI be The, the las, person to get to
things are talked OF, hole -and corner
fashion, a long time before they reach
the ears Of the person chiefly concerned"
mary hesitated moment before she
asked her next question.
why have you told me all this?" she
demanded, at last.
| Because I didn't want you to be sud-
denly surprised" answered Bryce. This
whatever 1t is-may come TO a sudden
head-of an unpleasant sort. These
| rumors spread--and the police are still
Keen about finding out things concern
ing this deadman. IL they once get It
into their heads that Doctor Ransford
Mary laid her, hand on the gate be-
tween them, and Bryce, who had done
| all he wished to do at that time, in
stantly opened 1t, and she passed
II am much obliged to you" she
said Il don't know what 1t all means
but II is Doctor Ransford's affair. IL
there Is any affair, which I doubt. Will
you let me so now, please?"
Bryce stood aside and lifted his hat
and Mary, with no more than a nod,
walked on toward the golf clubhouse
across the common. while Bryce turned
on to the town. highly elated with hts
Of uneasiness and suspicion broadcast |;
some of them, he knew, would mature.
Mary Bewery played no golf that
morning, In fact, she only went on to
and presently she returned home. think.
ing. And. indeed, she said to herself,
she had abundant food for thought.
Naturally candid and honest she did
not at that moment doubt Bryce's good
faith; much as she disliked him In most
ways she knew that he had certain COM
mendable qualities and she was inclined
10 believe him when he said that he had
kept silence In order to ward off conse-
| quences which might indirectly be un-
| news she thought little; what occupied
her mind was the possible connection
between the stranger who had come so
| suddenly and disappeared 80 suddenly
and forever-and Mark Ransford. Was
II possible, really possible. that there
had been some meeting between them
| In or about the cathedral precincts that
morning? She knew, after a moments
not? And from that her taougnts fol.
| lowed a natural trend-was the mystery
surrounding this man connected In any
way with the mystery about herself and
her brother; that mystery of which, as
II seemed to her, Rsnsford was so shy
OF speaking. And again. and for the hun
dredth time she asked herself why he
was 90 reticent, so evidently full OF dis.
like of the subject why he could not tell
her and Dick whatever there was to tell
once for all
She had to pass the Follots' house
in the far corner of the close on her
way home, fine old mansion set In
wel-wooded grounds; 'nctosed by high
wall stood open. and inside 1t, talking
to one Of his gardeners, was Mr.. Folliot !:
the vistas behind him were gay with
flowers and rich with the roses which ne
caught sight of Mary as she passed the
open door and called her back.
Come In and have look at some
new roses I've got" he said. Beauties
I'll give you a handful % NO to carrX nrIiot homei Gs
was a big, half-asleep sort Of man. who
had few words and could talk about
little else than his hobby But he was
a passionate lover of flowers and plants
and had positive genius for rose cul-
ture and was at all times highly de-
lighted to take flower lovers round his
garden. She turned at once and walked
in, and Folliot led her away down the
scented pathsA =,
"it's an experiment I've been trying. :"
he said, leading her up TO cluster or
blooms Of a color and size which she
had never seen before. What do you
think of the results?" 80,
Magnificent exclaimed Mary i
never saw anything so fine"
"No!" agreed Folliot. with a quiet
chuckle. Nor anybody else-because
there's, no such rose in England. shall
have to go to some some OF THESE these, 'earnea ms a
Latin name for this-it's the result or
careful experiments In grafting--took
me three years to get at IT. ana see
how It blooms-scores on one standard
select a handful OF the finest blooms,
which he presently pressed into Marys
"By the by" he remarked, as she
thanked him and they turned away alonS
the path, IT wanted TO have word with
you--or with Ransford. DO you Know
does he know-that that confounded
slllv woman who lives next to your
house-Mrs. Peramore-has been saying
some thngs-or a thing-which-to put
II plainly--might make some uhpieas-
antness for him.
Mary kept a Arm hand on her wits
and gave him an answer which was true
enough, so far as she was aware;
I'm sure he knows nothing she salo
What is II, Mr., ro, Foi,,Sst niSst naprsned las.
week" continued Folliot., glanc,nr
knowingly at her. The accident to tina
stranger, This Mrs. Deramore. who
nothing but an old chatterer, has beel
saying, here and there, that IT'S a very
Know anything about him, and can't say
anything, for she herself. she says, saw
the very man going away from Doctor
ansfords house not 30 long before the
accident"
at Doctor Ransford's." said Mary. Il
never saw hlm-and l was in the gar
den, about that very time, with your
$50 Sackville told me-" remarked
Folliot He was present-and 80 was
when Mrs. Deramore was tattling
about IL in our house yesterday He
said, then, that he'd never seen the man
20 TO your house You never heard your
servants make any remark about 1T"
Never :" answered Mary
u told Mrs. Deramore she'd far better bette.
ttIa of that aOrt Ia n lead