Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-23

the women at the residence and
prompted this abrupt departure. There
was no reason why Alice shouldn't run
to town if it pleased her to do So and,
vet it was odd that she hadn't men
toned the matter. Flynn hurried
away, and from the window | followed
the cars course to the house. and a
moment later caught glimpse of it
on its way to the gates.
| called from the window to one of
the gardeners who knew how to man.
age a machine and told him to be
ready to drive me to the village in
half an hour. There was an express
at ten-forty. and by taking il would
at least have the satisfaction of being
somewhere in New York when the
runaways arrived. Antoine packed my
suitcase; am not sure that he didn't
shed tears on my belongings. The
old fellow was awed into silence by
the rapidity with which history had
been made in the past twentyfour
hours and clearly was not pleased by
my desertion.
We drove past the Toulouse, where
| found the prisoner seated on a
wheelbarrOw smoking a cigarette. He
was no more communicative than
when | had questioned him after his
capture. He smiled in q bored fash
ion when | asked if he wanted any.
thing, and said he would be obliged
for cigarettes and reading matter. lie
volunteered nothing as TO his identity,
and the guards said that a thorough
search of the captive'S clothing had
disclosed nothing discriminating. He
bad three hundred dollars in currency
(thfs was to cover Elsie's bribe money.
conjectured), ii handkerchief. a cigar
cite case. and a box of matches. ! d.
rected that he be we'll fed and given
all the reading matter he wanted, and
hurried on to catch my train.
took a room at the Thackeray club
and pOndered carefully whether, in
spite of my misgivings, | hadn't better
see Terrence and tell him all that had
happened since his call on Mrs. Bash.
ford. If there was any chance OF do
ing the wrong thing in any matter not
prescribed in the laws governing the
administration Of estates, he would
be sure to do it: but | was far from
satisfied with the results of my own
management of affairs at Barton.
finally called up the trust company
and learned that Terrence was in AL
hs, Ii,1rr fln f1ol of
and might not be in town for a couple
of days. His secretary said he had
instructions to wire my daily report to
Albany. | told him there had been no
developments at Barton, and went out
and walked. Inquiries at hotels large
o'clock. No one had heard of Mrs.
Bashford or a Mrs. Farnsworth. My
inspection of the occupants of several
thousand automobiles proved equally
fruitless. | ate a lonely dinner at the
club and resumed my search. Hang
ing about theater doors, staring at the
crowd, is not a dignified occupation,
and by nine o'clock, having seen the
most belated theatergOers vanish,
was tired and fOOtsOre. The flaming
sign of SearIes' "Who Killed Cock
RObin?" over the door of the LAS You
Like 1t" caught my eye. sought
seat-the last in the rack-and
squeezed into my place in the middle
of the last row. AS | had seen the
piece at least a dozen times, it's nov
city was gone for me, but the laughter
of the delighted audience was cheer
ing The first act was reaching its
elimination, and | watched it with a
glow of pride in Seares and his skill
full craftsmanship.
AS the curtain fell and the lights
went up amid murmurs of pleasure
and expectancy, glanced across the
rows of heads The half-turned face
| of a man three rows in front of me
suddenly caught my attention. There
was something curiOusly familiar in
| his outlines and the gesture with
| which, at the moment, he was drawing
| his handkerchief across his forehead.
| 1t was Northumberland any question
| MOntani-and instinctively shrank in
my seat and lifted my program as
he turned round and swiftly surveyed
| the rows behind him.
watched his black head intently
until | remembered the superstition
that by staring at a person in pub
| lie place you can make him look at
you. MOntani knew a great many
things | wanted to know, but | must
have time to adjust myself to the
shock of his propinquity.
The house now took note of stir
ring in the boxes. There was an eX-
cited buzz as the tall form and un-
mistakable features of Cecil Arrow
smith, the English actor, were recog-
niZed. | had read that day of his
arrival in New York. With him were
two women. My breath came hard and
| clutched the iron frame of the seat
in front of me SO violently that it's
occupant turned and glared.
The trio settled into their places
quickly, but not before | had satisfied
/ myself that ArrOWsmith'S companions