Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-10-27
The Case and The Girl

UcI III duy way 81 uS W OOt1ln a
pered private word of guidance. He
ventured upon thin ice once or twice
most carefully, but The information
obtained was infinitesimal, although 1T
bore to some extent on the problem
confronting him. The colonel innocent
ly lifted the veil slightly, permitting
him to learn that this was weekend
party, and that Miss Coolidge was the
mistress of the place, her parents hav-
ing been dead for two years. Percival
Coolidge, her fathers brother, and
manufacturer in the city, was her
guardian, and the affairs of the estate
were not yet entirely liquidated. Be-
yond this he apparently knew moth
ing of the family history, which he
felt at liberty to communicate
West was assigned to escort Miss
Willis, a tall willowy blonde, and
quite talkative, into dinner, but her
conversation ran largely to the the
atrical offerings in town, and he found
it impossible to change her trend of
thought into other channels. Once the
smiling Natalie appealed to him, ia
miliarly calling him Matt" across the
table, and he responded with equal in
timacy, yet her eyes avoided his, and
it was plainly evident to his self-con-
seriousness, that her remark was
merely part of the play. More and
more her actions mystified and per-
picked; he could not discover the key
to her hidden motive, or guess at her
purpose in this masquerade. Nothing
remained but for him to go quietly for
ward, playing the part assigned. She
coolly and deliberately defeated every
effort he made to get her alone, and
yet this was accomplished in man.
ner so as not to attract the attention
of others. Even Percival Coolidge,
who, West felt, was watching them
both shrewdly, never suspected the
quiet game of hide and seek being
played under his very eyes. AS the
evening progressed West became al
most convinced that Natalie's princi-
pal object was to deceive this gentle
man; that she really cared nothing for
what the others might think, or say.
It was all masterpiece of acting, so
exceedingly we'll done, as to finally
convince the young man that she was
She desired Percival Coolidge to have
no lingering doubt Of her engagement
And, finding all opportunity Of ex-
PLANTATION denied him, West yielded to
the inevitable. and. for the evening at
least, silently accepted his fate.
Nor did circumstances favor him
when the company finally broke up.
and retired for the night. He had
thought this moment might be propi-
tious, but she calmly outgeneraled
him again, suddenly bidding the men
remain and smoke as long as they
pleased, and disappearing herself up
the stairway with Miss Willis. West,
convinced that her retirement was
final, soon sought his own room. 1t
was eleven o'clock of a bright, moon
light night and, feeling in no degree
sleepy, he seated himself at the win
dow to finish his cigar. Again and
again his mind reviewed the strange
events Of the evening, unable to ar
rive at any definite conclusion. The
harder he sought to delve into the mys-
terry, the more obscure it became.
He had, indeed, reached some con-
illusions already. These might not be
fhou oil Hu TN,
| planted in his mind. The guests Of
the night were mere puppets, having
| no real connection with the game be-
ing played, utterly ignorant of what
| was going on behind the scenes. The
only one present having any real part
was Percival Coolidge, and West had
| taken an instructive dislike to this
man. Only one explanation flashed
| into his mind to account for Miss Coo
lidge's unexpected announcement of
an engagement between them-this
would excuse any future intimacy !;
would enable them to meet alone free
ly without arousing comment This
appealed to him as the most reasonable
explanation of the situation. But be-
yond this vague guess, 1t was impossi-
| BILE to delve.
Tired by the uselessness of such
| thinking West finally sought the bed,
and must have slept, although scarcely
aware that he had closed his eyes,
Some slight noise aroused him. The
| door leading into the hall, which he
| had failed to lock, stood partially ajar
and his eyes caught the vague glimpse
of figure gliding swiftly through the
opening. With one bound he was upon
his feet, springing recklessly- forward.
| The hall was dark, but for patch of
moonlight at the further end. Against
| this he caught an instant, fitting
| glimpse of the intruder. 1t was wo-
man, yet even as his eyes told him
| this, she seemed to vanish into thin
air-the hall was empty.
Vague and indistinct as was that
| fleeing vision in the moonlight, West
| felt no doubt as to the identity of his
visitor-the woman was Natalie Coo
lidge. His one glimpse of her vanish
| ing figure assured him of this fact, and