Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-22
Mystery Girl Is Quizzed

III "He's dead" Mrs. Adams spoke
aA,untly on purpose. She had felt in
I'd vaeuc way that this strange person,
,Nsfbis Miss Mystery, had more interest
In Or. Waring than she admitted. and
HE landlady was determined to md
syTo her own satisfaction she did find
q hat, for the girl almost tainted. She
,hidn't quite lose consciousness >ndeed,
y was not so much a faint as such
IA desperate effort to regain her polse
FEhat il unnervcd her.
. Vow. now. Miss Austin, why do
y kou take It 50 hard? He was a stranger
b you. wasn't he!' :,
iYcs-yes. of course. he was
i "Why are you SO disturbed thcn!
= "He was such a---such II fine
nam" the girls stiflcd sobs impeded
h Der speech. .,
j At that Miss Austin seemed turned
stone. KILLED him. she whispered,
n accent Of terror.
II "Yes--or else he killed h!mself--they
rV Von't feel sure" Mrs. Adams, once
Embarked on the narrative, told all she
knew OF the circumstances, and in the
z&xcitng recital almost forgot 10 watch
!. NE effect of the tale on her listener.
But this effect was not entirely un.
noted. At the partly open door. Old
Salt Adams stood. eavcsdropping. but
with a kindly. anxious look on his face
,Nkhat BODIED no Ill to any ono.
i And he noticed that the girls ntten-
bi.o hor focc drawn md scared. and
; oon she exclaimed. with burst of
orvoua fnry. "Stor, nlease stop
Leave the room, won't you?"
II was not command. but IN agon-
Bumped, and alarmed as well as Of
tended, she rose and started for the
boor. only to meet her husband enter
.nnz.
MI go down stairs, Esther" he said,
I0kravely, II want to speak to Miss Aus.
lin myself"
Staring at one. then at the other. and
u, ,itterly routed BIZ this unbelievable turn
9snSf affairs, Mrs. Adams went.
nuJ Old Salt closed the room door, and
trssS Burned to the trembling girl.
Miss Austin" he said kindly, 81
sstfhke YOU, want TO help you--but
5 4au,t ask YOU to explain yourself lit
~ a H. The IM IH neople in nv house cali YOU
Mis- Mystcry' w % Wbv are Won here
PhlEby are YOU in Corinth at all?"
. 49,, ,;,., ,.o,od ,ho-,
CI ior i'oi''in. l i,, IT,. S' ou,in r o,,i,vI, u
~ Iesounu 10 Ms IN h.n"'s, huI hoth, "aun' ,n,.n
i audFeSs aud sho LOT bcr lovely % fa"s harder
stony a, pIannness' ,s "s f.na Tne w. ro'',,ru roo
I'll - o'' im'fu1'e, W. r, st,,do., -"
lpnnipn lpMnni not 10 le,i. l am an uSt s.uTsm'
i,ss,niAnd | came here to paint New Eng
msfnd winter scenery
''nnsS1 Have you done much!"
a. II haven't been here quite weet
e :4lts-and for two days I've had q
Did,"
of How did you get cold?' The voic'
mr Jas kind. but 1t had n definite note
Iqs II desirous Of an accurate answer.
Miss Mystery looked at him.
. How does any one get cold?' sh
aflaid, trying to smile; perhaps sittini
SdSn a draft-perhaps by means OF ,
Bo. erm. 1t is almost we'll now.'
% - md getting ones feet wet" Mr.. Adam
sn upnested. and the girl turned fright
nsd ewes on him.
Dn'tI" - 'D' '
Her voice was p,teous: her eyes I'm
: n lored him to stop torturing her.
10 "Why, what's the harm In my say
ymed r tbst," he went IN. ineIors III
ssaTfou wouldn't 20 anywhere that yo
lestnE Eouldnt want known, would you. Mis-
p Eystery?''
lent He smoke the last two words in
!, D1neaninc way. md the great dark erc
u}accd him with the look of a stag q
''G9,.fay.
,scJ Then opain hv n dcsnerate effort IN
% sakrI .a'I ,s,e ~ lii
IT, H., ST "Please sneak Mainly. Mr.. Adam,
onifs there a special meaning in YOU
Cheifords?"
IT. There is, Miss Austin. Perhaps
dent: (ave no right to ask you why, but
'ooDIS ask you II you went over to d.
ate arings house late In the evening nigh
l. dffore LAST"
ETI1 Sunday night do you mcan?''
DtedN Miss Mystery controlled her voic,
nst NJ her hands were clenched and he
.si 8, 2ot tapped the floor in her stihed ex
sr Yes, Sunday night"
iisnl, NO; of course. I did not go ovt
$ "A here at night. I was there In II
dmial fternoon with Mrs. Bates and NJ
.oulSayne."
fpA i know that And you then m,
an pr Waring for the first timei"
/. owncast face.
: Phi ..TThhe .The first time in your l!fe?"
sr me hrst time In my me- hut
.d,n b.t, statement carried ITS own deni