Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-09
CHAPTER Ill.
A Fan.


from Searles acknowledging my con-
gratulations on his play. While my
enthusiastic praise pleased him, he
was very scornful of my suggestions.
seeming even more depressed than
when he talked to me.
Its impossible for me to plan other
work Lady Larkspur' ate the soul
out of me. I'm done; finished clean
out of the running. There's only this
to report. l had a letter from Dalton
saying that some time ago he asked at
the hotel where he sent the script Of
Lady Larkspur' to know whether Miss
Dewing had sent a forwarding adj
dress. Her accumulated mail had
been called for by some one whose
identity was not disclosed. OF course
this isn't mucl. to hang rope on. but
if that play is what think it is and
Miss Violet Dewing ever reads it she's
going to jump for the telegraph office
the moment she finishes the last act.
/ have no plans for returning East;
the folks at home let me do as |
please, and it's relief to be in seclu-
sion where | hear nothing of the do
ings of Broadway. | hope your an
cient glObe-tr0tting aunt still fingers
in the far East! Keep the ink flow
ing, son. That novel ought to be well
under way when l get back"
The tale | had begun seemed utter
trash in comparison with the story of
Alice Bashford, in which, much
against my will, had become minor
character l had rather prided myself
on my ability to see through a plot in
the first chapter of the most cOmpli-
Gated mystery story, but there were
points in this unwrtten tale that
baffled me.
kept away from the house until
dinner-time, when | was received quite
as an old friend by Alice and Mrs.
FarnsWorth The table talk was Of
Celtic poetry, and proved less disturb
ing to Antoine than the previous
nights discussion of ghosts.
Their day had been spent, they ex-
planned, in a further examination of
my uncle's japanese loot, and they had
taken long walk beyond the estates
boundaries and were enthusiastic
about the landscape.
ITS so beautifully peaceful all
about here" Alice murmured. II feel
that ! never want to move again"
That's a real tribute to America"
Mrs. Farnsworth remarked; 'for Alice
dearly loves new scenes. She inner
tied taste for travel from her father.
you know"
didn't know and wanted to ask
questions about Alice's father. but as
though anxious to Illustrate such in
quiries my aunt asked how close we
were to the place made famous by Is
rael putnam's spectacular escape from
| the British. She had read the story
and would motor to the scene. she. de-
clared 1t was quite clear that there
were chapters in her life that were not
TO be opened for my perusal. No
SCORER had | caught glimpse of a
promising page than the book was po-
litely closed curtain hung between
the immediate present at Barton on
the-Sound and other scenes and IN"
dents Of the girls life; ard hrs.
| Farnsworth was equally detached from
any tangible background 1t seemed
! that might meet them daily for the
rest of my life in this same friendly
/ fashion without adding particle TO
! my knowledge of them.
l became alert Immediately when. as
we rose from the table, Alice SAID, with
the air OF asking an unimportant ia
vor:
I'VE. were speaking last night of
man who has been asking for US here.
His visits have alarmed the servants,
but there is nothing to fear from him.
You know'-she smiled at Mrs. Farms
wOrth-'it's rather he who seems TO
fear US; that, at least, is our impress
sion, though we have no idea why he
should do so. Still, it's rather good
fun to find yourself an object of spe-
cial attention and to be followed, even
pursued. We've even led him on lit
tie, haven't we, Constance!
Mrs. FarnswOrth laughingly admit
ted that they had led the gentleman
on a trifle, but with all circumspec-
tion," she protested
"We met him here and there in
Tokyo, and later were surprised to
find him crossing on our steamer. we
threw him off in the Canadian Rockies,
where we stopped for day. and elud-