Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-09-23
CHAPTER viII-cen.Inued.

will tell you all can, but that may
not be much.-
you mean I am to question your
"You may try. but / warn you: 1 am
q very difficult subject. may answer
and ! may not. II l refuse. still you
must pretend to be content. Are the
terms too rigorous2"
at sounds like test"
ut is a test. ! must remain mys-
terry, not from any real desire to con-
ceal my identity from you. but be-
cause of n duty to others. Now 1 will
tell you all ! can"
you greet me as Philip Severn to-
night. yet last evening told you my
name was Harry DAILY. How did you
know lied? And how did you dis
cover who I really was?"
Her eyes sparkled with enjoyment.
81 knew that would be your first
question. The answer is extremely
simple. Did you wonder why I did
not denounce you to those men in the
other room7 Oh, you did You
knew you were there surreptitiously,
in disguise, under false name, mas
querading as a friend of that fellow
Horner. You knew it-well, so did L."
"But how could you know that7
What gave you such a suspicion7 And,
knowing 1t. why should you desire to
protect mer
"rll waive your last question; that
can wait its own answer" She leaned
toward me and her extended hand
touched ring / wore.
1.A al
signet of 1890 are not going to be con-
nected with that kind of a gang" she
said gravely.
But" ! exclaimed, bewildered, "how
did you recognize the signet?"
my brother wears one"
"Your brotherl In my class7 You
will not tell me his name?"
mo, Mr. Severn. / have reason to
believe you know him very well, or did
a few years ago. However, that was
why trusted you so suddenly.
pinned my faith on the honor of old
Yale. That is why i kept silent and
asked you to call at PAT lie Compte
street"
"I did CALL" rather Indignantly.
"And was Informed there was no Miss
Conrad residing in the house."
II suspected you might make some
such discovery. Yet your coming was
appreciated; 1t afforded me the oppor-
tunity i sought to discover where you
were stopping and under what name
you registered. To confess the truth,
this was my sole object in the sudden
invention of Miss Conrad"
ssSr,.
81 would hardly go as far MS that;
undoubtedly there Is; In fact, l know
a very estimable stenographer by that
name, but she does not reside on lie
Compte street"
But how could my inquiry there
have brought you the information de-
sired? I was not asked my name"
"A boy got into the car. with you
at the corner, did he not-a Jewish
boy? You paid no attention to him
after that; you had no conception that
he got Off also where you did and was
not far behind you when you entered
the hotel. He did not remain long,
merely long enough to assure himself
that you were given key from the
box and went upstairs. That proved
you to be a registered guest. Ten
minutes later he met me outside and
told me what he had learned. Then
paid him and he went away. Not
at all complicated, you see."
"No, but even then your Information
was Incomplete"
'Yet l found II quite easy to fill In
the details. Do you recall your class
picture, with the names printed be-
low7 i copied those names-it was
quite task-and, in a way, memor-
lied them. With these in mind 1 ran
back over the hotel register until l
came to Philip Severn, Washington,
d. c., G-145.' Then l knew / had
found you" She laughed softly
"Then you did not return to Wash
ington7"
''There was really no need. Be-
sides, circumstances compelled me TO
change my plans"
The answer instantly brought back
to my mind what those circumstances
might be. Her immediate presence.
her ease of manner and happy mode
Of speech had for the moment obliter-
ated the dark crime with which she
was associated
"You know Of Alva's death, pre-
sumeY' l asked, endeavoring to put
the question carelessly.
Her lips were grave again, but her
clear eyes met mine frankly.
II read what the papers said. 1t
was very terrible. Who do you sup
pose did itr'
1.-The police seem to have no clew."
] answered. astounded by her calm
ness. IT wondered II you knew any
thing? He asked you to ride down
with him, did he notr'
"why. yes. he did make such a sug
gesuon but I never liked the man.