The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1922-12-14

Miss Apperthwalte was az home the
following Saturday. ! found her In
the library with Les Mserabies" on
her knee when came down from my
roam n little before lunch time: and
she looked NJ and gave me n smile
that made me feel sorry for any one
she had ceased 10 smile upon.
Il wanted Ia tell you" ! said. with
little nwkwar,lness hut plenty Of
truth. i've found out that I'm an aw-
full fool
'But that's something" she returned
eneouragingly--"at least the beginning
of wisdom
Il mean about Mr.. Beasley--the
mystery was absurd enough 10 find
In 'Slmpledoria.' want TO tell you"
-Oh. I know" she said: and al
though she laughed with an effect Of
carelessness. that look which had
thought far away" returned to her
eyes as she spoke. There was a Ger
tain inscrutabllity about Miss Apper.
thwaite sometimes. u should be added.
as II she did not like To be too easily
read. "rve heard all about n. Mr..
Beasiey's been appointed trustee 90
something for poor Hamilton Swift's
son. a pltiful little invalid boy who In
vents all sorts ~ characters. The old
darky from over there told our cook
about Bin Hammersley and simple
doria. So. you see. unders,snd-"
I'm glad you do said.
A little hardness--one might even
have thought II bitterness-became
apparent In her expression. And I'm
glad there's somebody In that house.
at last. with a little imaginaticn'-
"From everything I have heard" I
returned. summoning sufficient bold
ness. at would be difficult 20 say
which has more-Mr Beasley or the
child
Her glance fell from mine nj this.
but not quickly enough 20 conceal u
sudden. half-startled look Of trouble
II can think 81 no other way 10 ex-
press iD that leaped into ~; and she
rose. for the lunch-bell was ringing.
-rm Just finishing the death ~ lean
Vatican. you know. In Les Miscr-
ables." she said. rs We moved to the
door. TIN always afraid I'll cry over
that. I try not To. because IL makes
my eyes red"
And, IN truth. there was n vague
rumor 81 tears about her eyes-not n
N she had she'd them. but more as n
she were going to-though ! had not
noticed n when came In.
That afternoon. when I
reached the Despatch Office. was
commissioned to obtain CERTAIN politi-
cal information from the Honorable
David Beasley. nm assignment ne
cepted with eagerness. notwiihsiand-
ing the commlscration II byought me
from one or two ~ my fellows In the
reporters room. "You won't get my
thing out Of him they said. And
they were true prophets.
found him looking over some docu.
menis Ia his oiice: a reflective. un-
lighted cigar In the corner ~ his
mouth his chair tilted hack and his
feet on a window-slll. lie nodded.
upon my Statement, of the affair that
brought me. and without shifting his
position. gave ne a look % slow but
wholly friendly scrutiny over his
shoulder. and babe me sit down. I
began nj once 90 put the questions
was told TO ask bim--lnterrogntion
the seemed to believed satisfactorily
answered by slowly and ruininatively
stroking the left side Of his chin with
two long fingers Of his right hand. the
while he smiled In genial eontempla-
tion Of a tarred roof beyond the win.
dow. Now and then he would give me
q mlid and drawing word or two. not
brilliantly iiiuminative. a. may BE- re-
marked "wsll-sb0ut that" he BE-
san once. and thea came immediately
- \ full nfon