The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-11-02
J ooovR1nr i922 ~
= ALFRED ANNops NC

ting his pose. "Are you trying to get
your nose into my affairsr'
Most certainly not" returned West
coolly, yet facing the other with u
steady eye. But I may be led to in
vestigate those Of Miss Coolidge, IL
she should so request. It seems she
possesses no one to represent her at
present-not even the family lawyer"
what do you imply by that re-
mark?"
THAT she has gone to you, and to
the attorney who represents the es-
tate. relative to some very strange oc-
currences Of late. only to be laughed
at. No effort has been made to re-
heve her anxiety"
"You mean that fool story about
some one else pretending to be herr
And you propose investigating her
wild imaginings, hey7 BY Cad, you
are going TO have an interesting time"
II hope so; at least. 1 am hoping
to discover some truth"
"GOod. I wish you WE'LL" and his
tone was one Of decided relief. "Your
adventures ought to prove quite anus
ing"
Coolidge laughed heartily. the whole
affair apparently taking on a new as
pect, now tnat ne felt he COMPREHEND
ed the real purpose of the other.
"Oh, by the way, West, you must
pardon me IL send Sexton into your
room for a valise I left there. You
see I occupied that suite until you
came. I do not know why Natalie de.
cided to change me this tme-natur-
ally wished to reserve the best for you,
presume"
"Very kind Of her, am sure. There
is Sexton now"
(which means breakfast Is served.
Shall we go in7"
The two men walked slowly up the
graveled path, leading to the side
door. Vests thoughts were busy with
this new discovery. Had he mad.
vertently stumbled upon clue? So
he had occupied the room usually re-
served for Percival Coolidge. Per-
haps here was the explanation Of the
coming Of his strange visitor. West
glanced aside at the face Of his un-
conscious companion, deciding quickly
to venture a chance shot.
"Were you expecting a caller last
nightf" he asked calmly.
Coolidge wheeled about, startled out
Of his self-control.
"A callerI OF course not. What
put that in your headf
Because had one, in that room
you say you always occupied. The
visitor vanished as soon as I was
seen, and the thought occurred to me
just now that you might have been the
one sought"
Perfectly absurd. West! You must
have had nightmare. What did she
look like"
"Oh, only had q glimpse in tho
moonlight; resembled a ghost moro
than anything else"
"And just about what'it was" with
q laugh Of relief. "Some dream you
better forget about. Come along; they
are waiting on u.s."
They passed up the steps together /;
and into the pleasant breakfast room.
where the remainder Of the company
were already gathered. Coolidge was
again perfectly at his ease. genially
greeting the guests, and had apparent
ly already dismissed the incident from
his mind. But West had settled on q
point which Coolidge overlooked. He
had gained the very information de-
sired. He had carefully refrained
from even suggesting the sex of his
mysterious visitor. Percival Coolidge
knew, without being told, that the
caller was a woman. Then he also
knew who that woman was.
Tho morning meal proved delightful
iy informal, Natalie gracefully pre-.
siding, and apparently in the highest