The L'Anse sentinel., 1924-02-15
CHAPTER xIv-contlnued.


after him. she perceived at once what
had caused his alarm. There before
her. looking more sinister than ever.
stood the lunatic Peters; and there
was an ominous bulge In his right coat
pocket which betrayed the presence of
the revolver. What John Peters was.
rs matter Of fact. carrying In his
right coat-pocket was a bag of mixed
chocolates which he had purchased In
Windlehurst. But Billie's eyes, though
bright, had no X-ray quality. Her
simple creed was that, II John Peters
bulged at any point, that bulge must
be caused by pistol. She screamed,
and backed against the wall. Her
whole Acquaintance with John Peters
had been one constant backing against
walls.
Don't chootf" she cried, as Mr.. Pc
ters absent-mindedly dipped his hand
into the pocket Of his coat. "Oh, please
don't shoot!"
"what the deuce do you mean3 said
Mr.. Bennett. irritably.
He hated to have people gibbering
around him In the morning.
"Wllhelmina. this man says that you
told him you loved him"
''Yes. ! did. and do. Really. really,
Mr.. Peters, dor
Suffering cats!"
/ Mr.. Bennett clutched at the back of
q chair.
"Bnt you've only met him once I" he
added almost pleadingly.
"You don't understand, father.
DEAR" said Billie desperately. "Ill ex-
plain the whole thing later, when :"
"Father!" calculated John Peters
feebly. did you say 'father'?"
'Of course said 'father'w
This is my daughter, Mr.. Peters"
my daughter! l mean. your daugh-
ter! Are-are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. Do you think
don't know my own daughter?'
"But she called me Mr.. Peters 7"
"weil. It's your name. isn't itY
But. II shelf this young lady Is
your daughter. how did she know my
nameT
The point seemed to strike Mr.. Ben
nett. He turned to Billie.
That's true. Tell me, wilhelmina.
when did you and Mr.. Peters meetr'
~why. in--in Sir Mallaby Mariowe's
Office, the morning you came there and
found me when was-talking to Sam"
Mr.. Peters uttered a subdued gar
Cling sound. He was fnding this scene
oppressive to not very robust intel
lect.
"He-Mr. Samuel-told me your
name. Miss MIlliken," he said DULY.
Billie stared at him.
.Mr. Marlowe told you my name was
Miss Millikenr she repeated.
.He told me that you were the sister
Of the Miss Milliken who acts as ste
nographer for the guv'-for Sir MALTA
by, and sent me In to show you my re
volver. because he said you were inter-
ested and wanted to see It."
Billie uttered an exclamation. SO did
Mr.. Bennett, who hated mysteries.
what revolver7 Which revolver7
What's all this about q revolverf Have
you revolverT"
"Why, yes, Mr.. Bennett. II Ii packed
now in my trunk. but usually I carry It
about with me everywhere In order to
take a little practice at the Rupert
street range. bought II when Sir
Mallaby told me he was sending me to
America, because thought l ought to
be prepared-because Of the Under
world. you know"
A cold gleam had come into Billie's
eyes. Her face was pale and hard. II
Sam Marlowe-at that moment CAROL
ling blithely in his bedroom at the Blue
Boar In Windlehurst. washing his
hands preparatory to descending to the
coffee room for bit of cold lunch
could have seen her. the song would
have frozen on his lips. Which. one
might mention, as showing that there
II always q bright side. would have
been much appreciated by the travel
ing gentleman In the adjoining room.
who had had a wild night with some
other travelling gentlemen. and was
then nursing a rather severe headache.
separated from Sans penetrating BARI
tone, only by the thickness Of wooden
wall.
Billie knew all. And, terrible though
the fact is as an Indictment Of the male
sex, when q woman knows all. there Is
invariably trouble ahead for some man.
There was trouble ahead for Sam
Marlowe. Billie. now In possession Of
the facts had examined them and
come to the conclusion that Sam had
played practical joke on her. and she
was Z girl who strongly disapproved of
practical humor At her expense.
"That morning i met you at Sir NAL
laby's Office. Mr.. Peters," she said In a
frosty voice. 'Mr. Mariowe had Just I'M
ished telling me long and convincing
story to the effect that you were madly
in love with Miss Milliken. who had
yited you. and that this had driven
you on your head, and that you spent
your time going about with . pistol,