Graham guardian., 1922-12-19
You DO NOT know 4. :

lied to, and yet nothing has been made
clear"
III Is devilish conspiracy that has
been plotted for long while. There
must be dozen involved In II. one
way or another, but, as near rs can
learn, the chief devil, the brains of the
gang, Is the fellow named Hobart.
Have you known him--longf"
NO" she said doubtfully, mot m-
less his other name was Jim. There
was fellow they called Jim. He was
my jail0r after that woman locked
me into room"
"Where was thisT
"Why surely you must know. In that
cottage where we stopped with Per-
cival Coolidge"
He drew deep breath, more thor
be her purpose to make so bold an
effort to deceive? His heart sank, but
. he determined TO go on, and learn how
far she would carry this strange tale.
Perhaps out OF the welter he could
discern some truth
Jim Hobart The woman passes as his
wife. You knew nothing of all this?"
"No; only saw the man twice; he
was very rough then, and swore when
/ questioned him"
l., "And the woman?"
"She would not talk, either; only
once she told me that Percival Coo
lidge had committed suicide. That
made me wonder, for I believed he
had something to do with my being
held there. What did he say when
he returned to the auto without me2
What explanation did he make for my
absence?"
Explanation! He needed none;
you came out Of the cottage with
him"
~? What do you mean?"
"But / saw you with my own eyes,
talked with you. and all three OF us
drove back to 'Fairlawn' together. My
Cd, Miss Natalie, have you lost your
mind? Do you even deny dismissing
me from your service?'
She gazed at him through the
gloom, utterly unable to comprehend.
81 must have, II what you say is
true" she admitted. For I certainly
have no such recollection"
He stared off into the black night
his lips pressed closely together,
Could this be false? Could she sit
there calmly, In the midst Of such peril
rs surrounded them, and still de-
libcrately endeavor to deceive?
"And you knew nothing Of the death
of Perclvai Coolidge, except what was
told you by that woman?"
"She brought me newspaper which
l read: that was all l knew"
"And In that house on Wray street
where met you again last night. And
you talked with me; tried to get me to
quit following yOu. You surely haven't
forgotten that already?"
She dropped her face YEARLY into
her hands, and her voice sounded list
less. Aa-
I'll almost believe you are the
crazy one, Captain West. swear l
have never knowingly met. or spoken
to YOU since we drove to that cottage
on Sunday. / cannot believe what you
say"
"Yet II Is true. every word true:
he asserted stoutly. "Why else should
be here7 You returned with us to
'Fairlawn,' and we chatted together
pleasantly all the way. Later y0u4
seemed to change, and discharged me
rather rudely. Then Perclval Coolidge
WAS killed--shot down by an assassin.
You were at the inquest. and testified.
The next day you discharged Sexton.
and later he learned, and reported TO
me, that some one called You on the
phone from Wray street, and wanted
you to come oyer there at once.
found you there. and this fellow Ho.
bart with you"
"But, Captain West. never saw
you; never left the room in the third
story where I was locked in except
when they took me away In ma
chine to the yacht.
"You dropped a note In the alley,
enclosed In silver knife?"
"Yes. did. Did you find it?"
Sexton did. and that was what
brought me here"
"But II is all so strange" she ex-
claimed despalringly. "How could
have done all these things, been in all
there places. and .ycr f.,ur roth'ns
shout 1t? Could | nave been druggCG
or influenced in some way by those
people?"
II do not believe you were either
hypnOtized or drugged. Good Cd;
why did not think of this solution
before? must have been blind: that
was not you; can recall hundred
little things now to convince me-"
"What is 1t you mean?'
Another woman played your part:
woman most wonderfully like you,
even to the voice. There is no other
solution Of the problem. And that re-
veals the plan of robbery--to get you
out Of the way, and then have her
take the fortune"
She sat silent motionless. apparent
! ly unable at once to grasp all the
meaning in his words. Then she point.