Evening star., 1921-08-21

the matter of the ink. apologized for his
remissness. and left the room, return
ing a few minutes later with a bottle
of fountain-pen ink. Malcolm Sage drew
from his pocket his pen and proceeded
to replenisn the ink from the bottle.
of the lettering of the brass from a
rubbing produced by the vicar.
x X +
AS they crossed the hail d.; fair girl
suddenly rushed out from door on
the right. She was crying Historically.
Her hair was disordered, her deep violet
eyes trimmed with red. and her moist
lips seemed to stand out strangely red
against the alabaster paleness of her
skin.
'Muriel."
At the sight of stranger the girl had
paused. then, as if realizing her tear
stained face and disordered hair. she
turned and disappeared through the door
from which she had rushed
my daughter" murmured the vicar,
little sadly. Malcolm Sage thought.
'She has always been very highly
strung and emotional he added, as If
considering some explanation necessary.
1--WE have to be very stern with her on
such occasions. 1t is the only way to
repress it,
You find it answers?" remarked NAL
colin Sage.
''She has been much better lately
although she has been sorely tried. Per-
haps you have heard"
Malcolm Sage nodded absenky, as he
gazed intently at the thumhnail of his
right hand. A minute later he was
y1-o L ne he ri Ii fu
occupied with the pretty daughter of the
vicar of Gylston.
At'the curate's lodgings he was told
that Mr.. Blade was away, and would
not return until late that night.
AS he turned from the gate, Malcolm
Sage encountered pale-faced. narrow
shouldered man with dark moustache
and hard. peevish mouth.
To. Malcom Sage's question as to
which was the way to the inn. he
he. had come and continued on his way.
"a man who has failed in what he
set out to accomplish was Malcolm
Sage's mental diagnosis of John Gray,
tie Gylston schoolmaster.
1t was not long before Malcolm Sage
realized that the village of Gylston was
intensely proud Of itself. 1t had seen in
the London papers accounts of the mys-
terious scandal of which it was the CEN
ter. A Scotland Yard officer had been
down. and had subjected many of the
inhabitants to careful cross-examina-
tion. In consequence Gylston realized
that it was a village to be reckoned
with.
The Tired Traveller was the center
Of all rumor and gossip. Here each
private parlor. according to their So
cial status. the inhabitants would for
gather and discuss the problem Of the
letters. Every sort of
theory was advanced. and every sort
Of explanation offered. Whilst popu-
the curate was the guilty party, there
were some who darkly shook their
heads and muttered,, I'VE shall see."
During the half hour that Malcolm
Sage spent at the Tired Traveller.
eating a hurried meal. he heard all
The landlord. rubicund old fellow
whose badness extended to his eye
lids. was bursting with information.
By nature capable. of making mys-
ery out scsndai 1f spat ne
him.. 80
After a quarter Of an hours con-
the landlords conversation,
Malcolm Sage found himself pos
sessed of bewildering amount of
"a young gal don't have them
for nothin'." my host res
marked darkly. HAS fits Of. 'em
every now and then ever since she
was a fiapper, sobbins and cryin' At
to break 'er heart, and the vicar that
cross with her"
That is considered the best way to
treat hysterical people," remarked
Malcolm Sage
Maybe" was the reply. "hut she's
only gal. and a pretty ohe, too" he
added inconsequently. '.,--
Then there's the schoolmaster," he
"'ates the curate like
poison, he does. Shouldn't be sur
orised If it was him that done it. 'E's
always been a bit sweet in that quar-
.er himself, has Mr.. Gray. Got talked
about a good deal one time. 'angin'
lbout arter Miss MurieL" added the
publican.
By the time Malcolm Sage had fin-
shed his meal, the landlord was well
IN his stride Of scandalous remi-
1iscence. 1t was with. obvious re-
uctance that he allowed so admirable
) listener to depart, and 1t was with