The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-11-23

greatly, Miss Natalie, that my conf.
dence In you has been severely tried"
"You no longer believer"
II hardly know fail utterly to un-
derstand you of lnte; you seem an en-
tirely different girl. For one thing, Won
have deliberately deceived me-"
Indeed In what?"
. I'm your visit to Arch street with
PerciNal Coolidge. That was no mis-.
sion of charity to poor widow and
children" -
what then?"
AN arranged conference with this
fellow Hobart. He rented that cottage
Tor no other purpose, and left 1t the
next day. You made mistake when
yon took me along"
She Strengthened up slightly In the
chair, yet spoke rather indifferently,
her voice cold.
mo doubt did," she said tersely.
Indeed I have already discovered,
Captain West, that I made an even
greater mistake when I first took you
into my service. You have proven al
together too inqusitive. Now l will be
plain with you. Whatever need I once
supposed had for your services ended
with the explanation received In that
Arch street cottage. 1 told you so very
distinctly after our return home. You
recall that Interview, no dOubt?"
He bowed, waiting for her to 20 on.
You were then and there dismissed
from my service. That should have
been sufficient. knew nothing of your
silly feeling Of personal interest In
me; nor did Lrealize any occasion for
discussing with you the reasons caus.
Ing me to change my plans. You were
my employee, and I discharged you
that was all. 1t Is true Perciyal
Coolidge took me to that cottage to
have certain mysterious things ex-
planned, and they were explained to
my complete satisfaction"
'By HobartT
Eyes"
"You knew the fellow before?"
She hesitated slightly, although
there was no perceptible change In the
answering voice.
"For several years; he was In
my fathers employ; the-the whole
trouble originated in joke. and-and
was quite amusing, once I understood
or course, after that, had no further
need for-you. Why did you persist In
annoying me2"
West hesitated an instant, his mind
struggling with the situation. Was she
honest, truthful, in this kstatementl I
Could he say anything which would
Change her viewpoint? She must have
heen deceived by these men, yet how
could be expose them so she would
comprehend? He was so little certain
OF the facts himself. that he had moth.
ing but suspicion to offer.
"Why do you not answer, Captain
West?"
The girls eyes were clear, insistent,
little amused; they somehow aroused
his determination.
II will endeavor to make you under.
stand, Miss Natalie" he explained
slowly. 81 would no. have you feel that
l deliberately pushed myself into this
affair. When l left Fairlawn after
your dismissal, had no thought of
ever seeing you again. I have already
told you the interest had felt in you
up to that time, but your abruptness
during our last Interview left me
angry, and with no inclination to seek
your presence again. You can scarcely
blame me for such feeling?"
"NO," she confessed. "I-I was so
excited and nervous 1 was not very
nice"
'You certainly hurt me. ! departed
with a sense Of wrong ranking, and nc
desire to come back. But fate inter
vened. You know, perhaps, that over
heard the shot which ended the life OF
Percival Coolidge, and was the first tt
discover his dead body. I supposed 1t {
case of suicide, and so bore witness nj
the inquest. The, whole matter would
have ended there; but the next day
you discharged Sexton also and thu
man sought me out mt the clfb."
She leaned forward, her lipi
parted, new light in her eyes.
"Hc told you something? He made
you sispicious?" she asked hreathless.
ly.
ale caused me to see the affair from
somewhat different point of view-a
point of view which, I confess, revived
my interest in you. / began to believe
you had been deceived, and your treat
ment of me arose through misunder-
standing; l thought you victim, and
that / would be cad If failed to
stand by you. We put this and that
together, carried out some investiga.
tions quietly, and arrived ut definite
conclusion"
"What Investigations"
"In the field where the body was
found first" West went on steadily,
but no longer looking at her, Tracing
the different tracks through the clover.
Then looked up that cottage in Arch
b street, and thus learned about Hobart
Somehow he seemed to At into the pic
ture, and your mysterious visit there
made me anxious to interview the man
He had left no address. however, just
faded out of sight suddenly, which In.
creased suspicion. Then, when wa
were completely baffled Sexton learned
about ynur cnnuoranfin, nyor tho talo