The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-05-15

sounds as though my husband were
coming back
There are rumors of it." he ad-
mitted. Are you staying near here?'
Il am living at the Albemarle
Court" I told him. why not have
me watched? If he does come Back,
l am sure I am one of the first peo-
pie he would want to visit"
1T is a wonderful idea" he agreed,
with a peculiar CLEAN in his keen
gray eyes. Il would rather bride
you, though. to give him up
How much?' I asked. He has
treated me very badly lately"
Dine with me tonight" he sug-
gested, and we will discuss it."
7 shall be charmed" I assented
boldly.
AT my rooms" he suggested.
No. 10. About s o'clock?"
why not a restaurant" 1 asked.
"Out of consideration for YOU" he
replied promptly. You are probably
more or less watched, and your move
ments reported to the organization
of which your husband is the chief.
If you are seen dining alone with
me in a public place, they may i'm
agine that you have come owe to the
enemy"
You are most thoughtful" I re
Piled. with all the sarcasm in my
tone which I could command. Il
will come to YOUR rooms, then"
%@*
He nodded pleasantly. raised his
cap and stepped into the taxicab. I
watched him a moment, hating him
because he seemed the one person
who had the power TO ruf1e me. He
was dressed Just as I Ike to see men
dressed, in gray tweed, loose but we'll
fitting. He wore a soft collar, and
the tie OF a famous cricket club. His
tweed cap was set Just at the right
angle. He moved with the light cas-
Of an athlete. I hated his shrewd,
kindly smile, the cIearness OF his
bronzed complexion, the little humor-
Gus lines about his eyes. l went
straight back TO my rooms and wrote
him a few imDulsive lines. 1 wrote
to a that would dine with him at
any restaurant he liked, but lot i'll
Charges St, and that he could call for
me at s o'clock.
At half-past three that afternoon l
received the invitation which 1 had
expecting. and at 4 O'Clock I
stepped out Of 4 taxicab and entered
the Offices OF a firm of solicitors sit
uated in a quiet square near LincOln's
Inn An nEfra h04- V-D-a I'M FROM he
hind a worm-eaten desk and invited
me to seat myself on a hard wooden
chair while he disappeared in search
of Nj. Younghusband, the principal
partner in the firm. The Office was
decorated by rows Of musty files. and
a line of bills containing particulars
of property sales, the solicitor in each
case being the firm of Younghusband,
Nicholson & Younghusband. After a
few minutes delay, the boy summoned
me and held open a door on the other
side Of the passage.
Mr.. Younghusband will see you.
madam" he announced.
The door was closed behind me. and
I shook hands with a tall, elderly mar
who rose to welcome me in somewhat
distracted fashion. He was untidily
but professionally dressed. He wore
old-fashiOned steel-rimmed spectacles.
repOsing at the present moment on
his forehead. The shape Of his collar
and the fashion Of his tie belonged to
9 bygone generation. There were rows
Of tin boxes extending to the ceiling.
a library of law books. and his table
Uttered with papers.
"NIrs.-er-MorrisOn?" he began, us
ing the name by which I had been
known during the last few months.
THAT is more or less my name" /
admitted. q received a telephone
message asking me to call this after
noon"
Quite 50, quite So" he murmured
he went on, looking among some pa
pers. Your husband appears to have
been q client of the firm for many
years, but my memory-oh, here We
are" he broke off. drawing a slip of
paper toward him. My instructions.
cabled from New York. were to hand
YOU 300. You received that amount.
7 believer"
Il received it and have spent the
greater part Of it." I replied.
His~expression became a little less
benign.
Dear me- he exclaimed. THAT
sounds rather extravaganza"
He scratched his upper lip thought
fully.
Your husband has, I gather, been
engaged in operations in New York
Of a delicate nature. The world OF
finance has always its ~secrecies. He
appears now, however, to have
brought his operations to a close. You
are aware, perhaps, that he has
landed in England?"
My heart gave a little jump. I
could not tell whether the sensation
I experienced had more in it of Joy
or of fear.
rs he safe?' I asked.
Safe" Mr.. Younghusband re-
peated a little vaguely. why not?"
There was a moments silence. I
looked around at the shabby but i'm
posing contents of the office. at the
lawyers mildly puzzled expression.
I drank in the whole atmosphere Of
the place and [ was dumb. Mr..
Younghusband suddenly smiled and
tapped with his forefnger upon the
table. He was like a man who has
suddenly seen through a faulty phrase
in some legal document.
II apprehend you" he said. For
a moment I "a not altogether able to
appreciate the significance of your