The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-02-27

ture. am c0ncealing 1t from her Dy
saying that it 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-
neX when she could not hope to see
her mother alive.
II 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 commune
cate with you in few days. My
gratitude" etc.
"And Claire followed it in an hourT
Mrs. Delario whispered.
did he bring herr"
"No-he sent her in a carriage. OF
course he didn't bring herI He didn't
take any chances of my refusing to
keep her for him."
""Poor childl" I exclaimed. "She
was devoted to her mother-it will be
terrible blow to her."
Mrs. Delario shifted at me-taking
the letter from my hand and CHANGING
at it before she answered: "You don't
think for a minute there's anything the
matter with Claire's mother, do your
'There isn't?"
"Why, of course not Oh, I
know" she answered the question she
must have read in my face. 81 psyche
metrized this note as soon as got it.
That man can't deceive mel feel
scheme and plot all over It."
She held it moment in a testing
sort of way, running her fingers back
and forth over it, then placed it In my
hand, asking: "Can't you feel the oc-
cult infiuences?" and looked as If she
expected me to reply that could feel
| the occult influences, plain as any
| thing. Which I couldn't. She seemed
disappointed and put the letter into
! its envelope and that into her hand
bag, remarking: ''It's part of a scheme
he's working. / haven't made out the
rest of it-rm not clear on it yet,
though know it's something-trieky.''
"And you think he didn't go to Cali
fornia?'
'Tm sure he didn't can't see a
| journey for him-I mean an immediate
journey. There are journeys all around
him-he travels a great deal--but
don't see anything for today-for to.
morrow; there's nothing like that near
But I do get the word-cIairaudient,
ly-'Hiding.' That doesn't help things
very much for US, if he isl'
'Or for Clairel'
mo. But please don't think I'm not
willing to do all I can for the child
for her own sake. But having heI
thrust on me in this mysterious
way"
She broke off and looked at me help
lessly and I 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 new mar
come on the scene-Fm more troubled
about him than almost anything else
"a new man? When did he ap
pearl"
LAST night-just after I got back
from here and was waiting for mon
sieur; so let him in" and she de
scribed the very man who had just
been to see me, and who was either q
thief or Baron Won 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 man?' asked. I was beginning
to take some little stock in her impress.
sions, partly because they conceded
with my own; partly because I was
clutching at anything that might help
"Trouble-trouble for monsieur.
get the word Clairaudiently. You see
I'm so upset-why, my dear, it isn't
any more possible for me to do my
work-get my readings right-in an at,
mosphere of confusion-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 were all upset?'
I 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 came to you'll didn't know
what else to do or where to turn for
advice. What am to do about Claire?''
/ 1 was sure I didn't know, but asked
some trite question about how she
seemed to be taking it.
1.-THE poor child went into Mysteries
the minute she got in the house! j
had to put her to bed. I'm afraid she's
in for q Sickness nervous break
down."
1 mo ETr CS0NITTNTTEDN