Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-07-27


that position by 8 chain. and the face
of a middle-aged woman peered out
at me.
Wen. what is itT' she snapped, in
no encouraging tone
Il should like To see Miss Conrad"
began alphabetically. Il have an APP
pointInent with her"
Not here yer amt, young man, for
there amt nobody by that name in
this house."
Are you sure? This is PAT. is 1t
not? That was the number given me.
She was to be here at two O'clock"
This we're is 247 all right. l amt
denyin' that" the voice more acid
than ever, "but there amt no Miss
Conrad yere; so that's all there is
about It,"
But there must be-"
Must be nuthin' / guess I know.
I've been yere seventeen years, an
ther never was nobody of that name
cleanin' and can't stand yere talkin
all day."
do you know a man named
KrantzT' / flung al her desperately,
In a last effort to arouse some re-
Spouse, "Adolph Krantz."
"No, don't; Their amt none Of
those people we're, / tell yer"
The door slapped shut in my face,
and ! heard a bolt shot into place
the interview was ended.
stared a moment at the blank door
In bewilderment; then turned away,
and slowly retraced my steps TO the
street. So the young woman had de-
liberately lied to me; had merely been
amusing herself at my expense; had
sent me on this wild goose chase so
that she might laugh over my sim
pIicity. Gut was this true? II so,
how was / to account for the strange
coincident that both she and Harris
had named the same number, and
street? 1t could not have occurred
merely through chance. Something
must have happened In the mean
while to overthrow all her plans, and
to cause this rabid housekeeper TO
even deny her very existence. And
held the key Of explanatiOn-the muir
der of Alva.
Beyond all doubt here was both
cause and effect. The girl had intend
ed 20 either see me herself, or by
proxy In the form Of this mysterious
Miss Conrad. But what had since
occurred had compelled a sudden
change In plans, necessity for con
cealing her escape. There was no
way In which she could notify me, but
she might very easily have telephoned
to her landlady. And, if the place
was what / suspicioned it to be, she
might have every confidence that her
secret would be guarded.
l glanced up at the front of the
house, searching the windows. but
without results. The curtains were
closely drawn to keep out the sun.
and the place appeared forIorn and
deserted. At the delieatessen shop on
the corner gained a CLEAN Of light,
but merely enough to strengthen my
former Judgment. The keeper. fax.
en-haired Swede, was Ioquacious
enough, but had only been In business
there few weeks.
"247 lie Compile, you say. Yes, she
takes roomers: some are men. and
some are women. They come in here
and buy, but I never ask the names; 1t
was all cash. so why should | eare1
Sometimes I hear them cali names
sure; but never Conrad. The woman
what keeps the house? Wait and !
tell you; IT Is on the books; ah you
read as she wrote It for me-Mrs. Au-
gusta wsldron; maybe w.dow7
What you think7 Bah, she never like
anything have to sell. care moth
ing for trade with her-a cat this Mrs.
Augusta Waldron"
/ left him with the familiar sound
Of the name ringing In my ears-the
whole thing was travelling il q circle.