New Britain herald., 1921-08-04


to give to you, wrapped them both
| in the paint rag
"A paint rag!'' interrupted Dick.
Good Lord! Then the red smear"
''Was paint, of course, you dear
old goose!" -...
Nora also said that when Dick had
found her sobbing there in the woods
near Altonville, Vincent Quartley had
Just asked her to marry him and she
had ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS she loved Dick
The moon lost sight of Nora lust
then and there was but one long
shadow on the road.
49, CHAPTER VII.
O'Mauey Pulls Aside the Curtain.
The next evening OMalley sat
quietly in his room. The green shad-
ed electric light hanging above the
table threw grotesque shadows upon
walls and floor. 1t shone brightly
on O'Malley's enigmatic face and
watchful eyes.
Presently Peter Clancy opened the
door softly. '.All right, captain" he
whispered.
startled the silence.
/ L.
Schuyler is here Capt. O'Malley," he
said in his ordinary manner. May
The come in and
| Certainly. How do you do, Mr..
Schuyler"
| How are you, captain? Sorry to
have been delayed. I've brought Miss
Wentworth with me, you see. She
! insisted on coming
| Except for a slight paleness and a
small plaster on the back of his
head, Dick appeared none the worse
I for the accident of the preceding
evening. Nora's face, also, had lost
some of it's color and she limped a
little as she entered, leaning on Dicks
| arm
| Miss Wentworth" O'Malley rose
from his seat ''Ah, I understand.
He's found you out, too, has hep
The captains face was grave. He
motioned them both to be seated and
resumed his chair. Peter remained
| in the shadows near the door.
| ct asked Clancy to bring you here
Mr.. Schuyler" O'Malley began, lean
| ing both elbows on the table in front
of him and looking hard at Dick, "for
several important reasons. First of
1
finger, IT want to know what. you
ledge house on the night and at about
the time that Mrs. Rutledge was muir
dered %
| Nora drew in her breath sharply
and glanced anxiously at Dick. His
| face was imperturbable and he an
swered quietly: Il don't know why
you think"
| st don't think, I know O'Malley
raped out angrily. We've got the
goods on you, all right. Look here,
if you don't believe me-
| With quick motion of his hand
he lifted the cover from a box which
stood at his elbow and~ttIrned the
contents out on the table.
| ooh, my Lord. Those internal shoes
again. groaned Dick. isn't it the
| limit"
! "You admit that they're yours,
then?' questioned O'Malley, sharply.
| ooh, thunder, yes! They're mine,
all right
| Peter leaned forward with anxious
| interest and O'Ma1ley's eyes never left
Dicks face while he told the tale of
his misadventures.
l
The said when Dick had finished, 'but
iif you're as innocent as all this
amounts to, why not have told us al
once?' --.
HE was shielding mel" cried Nora
breathlessly
What" O'Malley wheeled side.
wise in his chair and regarded the
girl sternly. $50 you're mixed up in
it, too?"-
"Oh, Capt O'Malley, Mr.. Schuyler
is perfectly innocent and SO am I, but
1 did a very foolish thing on thai
dreadful morning! I had something
of my very own that I didn't want
any one to see, so I gave it to Mr.
Schuyler to take care of for me-"
"And as I had it in my poke
when you came Dick interrupted
sit cramped my style a little; dom
lyou see?''
Hmm" said O'Malley non-com
mitally, fixing Nora with his ligh
blue eyes; what was it that you gave
him?''
I'm not really a servant" the cir
began deprecatingly. Tim"
Miniature painter, by profession
rejoined O'Malley, crisp1y. Eyes, we
know all about that and about how
you came to know Mrs. Rutledge."
"It was a package containing two
of Miss Wentworth's miniatures
said Dick abruptly, not liking O'Mal-
ley's tone I'VE had made up oul
minds to tell you the whole stor,
when we came here tonight. Tha
; is why Miss Wentworth insisted OF
coming with me. We both acted OF
: Impulse and foolishly, I admit it
But
capt. O'Malley!" Peter started
: from the shadows and held up {
warning finger.
There was the sound of light foot
fall on the landing, followed imme
diately by a clear, purposeful knocl
on the door. Peter, who was stand