Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1921-07-22

dear, will you tell them to get ,
room readyy"
With an inScrutable look at Hugh
In which. thankfulness and apprchen
sion seemed mingled the girl left tn,
room. There was an unnatural gilt
ter In her fathers eyes-a flush on his
cheeks hardly to be accounted for by
the warmth of the evening; and
IL struck DrummOnd that during the
time he had been pretending to look
at his ear, Mr.. Benton had been forti-
Tying himself. Ii was obvious. even
to the soldiers unprofessOnal eye.
that the mans nerves had gone TO
pieces, his daughters worst forebod-
ings were likely TO be fulfilled. lie
ta'ked disjointedy and fast; his
hands Were not steady. and he seemed
to be always waiting for something
to happen.
Hugh had not been In the room ten
minutes before his host produced the
whisky, and during the time Tat he
took to drink mild nlghtcap. Mr..
Benton succeeded in lowering three
extremely strong glasses of spirit.
And what made Il the more sad was
that the man was obviously not
heavy drinker by preference.
AZ eleven o'clock Hugh rose and
said good night.
nj
won't your" said his host. Eve don't
have very many visitors here. but I
hope you'll find everything you re-
Quire. Breakfast AZ nine"
DrummOnd closed the door behind
him, and stood for moment in
silence, looking round the hall. II
was deserted, but he wanted to get
the geography Of the house firmly i'm
printed on his mind. He stepped
across toward the drawing-room. In
side, as he hoped, he found the girl.
She rose the instant he came in.
and stood by the mantelpece with her
hands locked
what was it?" she half whispered
that awful noise at dnner?'
He looked at her gravely for
while, and then he shook his head. |
shall we leave II as n night-bird for |
the present." he said quietly. Then
he leaned toward her, and took her
hands In his own. go to bed. little |
GIRL he ordered; this Is my show.
And, may ] say, I think you're Just
wonderful. Thank God you saw my
Gently he released her hands. and
walking TO the door. held IL open for
her. IF by any chance you should
hear things In the night-turn over
and 90 to sleep again"
But what are you going to doT"
she cried.
Hugh grinned 81 haven't the re
hottest idea" he answered doubt
ess the Lord will provide"
The instant the girl had left the
DOM Hugh switched off the lights, and
stepped across to the curtains which
overed the long windows. lie pulled
hem aside. letting them come to-
ether behind him; then, cautiously.
e unbolted one side of the big cen
er window. Silently he lodged across
he lawn toward the big trees at
he end, and leaning up against one
Z them, he proceeded TO make more
etalled survey of his objective, The
Inns. Ii was the same type of house
the one he had just left. and the
rounds seemed about the same size.
wire fence separated the two places,
nd In the darkness Hugh could Just
AXE out small wicket-gate, clos.
" a path which connected both
buses. He tried II, and found to his
'tisfaction that II opened silently.
Save for one room on the ground
Dor the house was In darkness, and
ugh determined to have IA look at !
AT room. There was cllink In the :
lrtains, through which the light was =.
roaming out, which struck him as
wing possibilities.
Keeping under cover, he edged
ward 1t, and, at length, he got into n
position from which he could see c
side. And what he saw made him a
eide TO chance It. and go even closer. 81
Seated at the table was man he Fl
1 not recognize; while on either Il
lie OF him sat darlington and Peter d
n. Lying on sofa smoking
'arette and reading a novel was a HI
! dark girl. who seemed completely III
Interested In the proceedings of Il
other three. Hugh placed her
once as the doubtful daughter Irma In
l resumed his watch on the group an
the table. m
paper was In front OF the man, IN
4 Peterson, who was smoking a
re cigar, was apparently suggest n
that he should make use OF the RI
which Lexington was obllgingly a,
ding In readiness. In all respects
armless tableau, save for one small