The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-15

You've never denied me any, thing" replied the girl.
 Mrs. Sanderson turned from her | impatiently.
 Its no use," she said. Nothing | that I can say or do will make you candid with me- And with this she went off abrupt ly. leaving Nora alone. "Oh, how hateful I must seem to her!" cried the girl. And how hate full I am to myself!" Life was becoming less endurab1e every hour. Her fathers warning hung over her like the sword of Damocles. She knew that the words | had not been merely the outcome of a guilty conscience. She knew, more over, that her enemies were of the caliber that stops at nothing to full | i'll an end, however vile. Throughout that day she was in a | constant state of nervousness. | Every little sound made her start fearfu11ly, Each time Bashi came 1 into the room she turned white. Her hand shook as she ate her meals. | Mrs. Sanderson watched her nar- rowly.
 She drew attention to the latest news-the loss of the cruiser Hide garde-and noted the widening hor- TOT in Morals eyes as she read it to her.
 l From this and recent events of a similar kind Mrs Sanderson drew certain deductions. | Although she could not fathom | why or how, she convinced that these | reeated naval catastrophes were af- fecting Nora personally. and in no minor degree. But no suspicion of the truth struck her-a fact which did not surprise her when, not many hours later, it was laid bare! After dinner Mrs Sanderson went to her son. and Nora remained alone in the library. | Taking out a book, she began to read it, in the hope that it might. | even for a few minutes, distract her | from the thoughts and fears that op- pressed her. | The words however, danced before | her eyes, and soon she replaced the l novel in its case The loneliness of the room began | to work on her nerves. She won | dered when Mrs. Sanderson would re- | turn to her, and whether she would be required to play in the dark room | that night.
 Not half an hour had gone since her benefactress had joined her son, I She walked up and down restlessly-
 Once the door was pushed open and the head of Bashi appeared round the corner The movement was quiet, and to Nora, stea1thy.
 Her dry lips opened. | 'ewhat do you want?" she demand ed.
 s'Mis' Sanson," replied the Jap. with his usual broad. good natured
 smiled. 'She not here, eh?" 'tNo, she's upstairs. Shall I call
 NO matter, mis-. I wait come back"
 Smiling and lowing he disappear ed and the door was noiselessly closed after him.
 Nora breathed fast as she resumed her march.
 Presently he reappeared.
 'Tis' San son-she not here yet, eh?" he inquired. "No: you'd better tell me what you want" Nora exerted herself to say. Mrs Sanderson may be gone some time.''
 "AlIa light, mis-, I wait" repeated 1 Bashi, and once more vanished. 1 Irritation mingled with Nora's ner- vousness.
 l What did Bashi want? Why would he not tell her? | There was nothing really mysteri- ous in the Jap's conduct, yet to Nora | it was full of meaning. Imagination conjured up one horrible thing after | another in her distorted brain. 1 Her fears increased as the half | hour heightened into an hour. | How much longer would Mrs. Sam | derson remain upstairs? | She stood in the center of the room, listening for the sound of her foot | steps, but they were not to be heard. | The house was silent. It was a still and frosty night, and everything within and without the house seemed more than usually quiet. | She trembled violently, and turned | icy cold. It seemed to her that some | thine-some one-was outside the | window.
 To Be Continued (Copyright, 1922. Thompson Feature
 Servfce)