Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1921-04-16


= .,,..o,sr his disappointment and wourc
enrfors. | thought the physico,
,,..,-cr ro Jed was greater than eve
and found some pleasure in teiin-
uu $50.
y. WAS convinced of thai himself
and WAS not happy.
-Eaa don't You end your ra~cau,y:.
,r,..l him. why don't you give m.
r..py~rrpr ro Mrs. Sidney aud ano.
t.. ro ulaSc whatever disposition >t.
,,.,rt. nf il: Then your con-rf.r...
will me- ra-y-your position IN This
Inns. will for the first time he toIrr;,.
bI. IA decent man, and your physi
,aI security will be promoted"
He would not. He seemed 10 hest.
fate for moment, but his purpose
was TOO long fixed and too much q
part of his life.
He no longer was .surly with me
and seemed to have lost my ability
I, eprare him. We parted with nv
telling him that there would be no
nossihlr truce or peace between u
u,Iess he respected the women of the
household. He bowed.
"Anything else, sir?" he asked; and
then ne departed as the servant.
Mrs. Sidney's relief to find that
the robbery had proved only hoax on
the robbers was such as would come
| from escape from tangible horrors.
| The lady had been keeping control of
herself. as was necessary to protect
/ her husband and daughter from hcf
own agony of mind and to keen tn,
household from finding significance il
what could be- passed over as a triy
| ial piece of robbery.
when she learned that the alarm
WAS over. She relaxed Imply in he.
/ chair. and | feared that She Nigh
! collapse: but in moment she har
| STRUGGLED back to command of herself
/ Then She excused herself and wen
/ into her hcdroom-fOr prayer, | knew
Mr.. Siducy'S JOY at the return
Jed was robust, and Jed went to hcG
very tip~y with two bottles of win,
i'm him | found him in the hall as F!
went my rounds Of the house. H.
was singing.
| knew we'd hear again and soon
from Dravada, but not in what man
ncr. Naturally l was apprchenSive.
and no doubt Jed was more 50, al
though to save himself from my con
tempt he tried to conceal his fears.
The Spaniard could not be expected
to accept his failure as final. He
would try again. That expectation
was fulfilled in a disconcerting fash
ion.
Thus far we had been dealing witt,
chance, with apparitions and threats
We now came to deal with inevitable
ity. Our experiences had been disa
greeabIe. bur they had not presented
unacceptable consequence. We had n
choice of ways. Now we entered q
way from which there was no es
cape.
Four days after Jed's return maj
came TO Hartley house and inquired
for me. He was detective. Hi,
name was Morgan; he was the head
of the Morgan Metropolitan Detectiv,
agency. | thought on first seeing hin
while yet wOndering'w what his bust
ness with us could be- and yet know
ing instinctively that itbRd ~ do witt
Dra-rtr----As-e--thSs aenulsr, re-
more than a suggestion Of shrewt
malevolence in his fice.
Before he was through his inter
view with me. or rather his inquire
of me. | knew that inevitability ha,
entered our case. We were no lOnge
progressing at the mercy of Opportuni
~ or chance. Morgan was fate. Tn
whole aspect had been altered. Nor
gan. a muscular, black.haired. Sordid
INSCRIPTIONS man of action ana oh
viouSly of queer action. was pur
! Greek tragedy to us
| CTO BE CONTINUEDD'