The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-02-13
MUSIC
CHAPTER VI
Eavesdropping.

Twenty-four hours had gone by-and
something was seriously wrong.
or that there could be no doubt.
We had passed the day In a happi-
ness such as, think, Is given to very
few, but now the sun was sinking, yet
| Godfrey had not appeared.
That the forester's wife might be
late had never entered our heads. We
were up betimes the next morning and
were ready and waiting for Freda at
quarter to eight. We might have spared
our energy, for eight o'clock went by,
yet she did not come
And nine o'clock went by s. and
ten
Bad news Is trying enough: but when
the absence of news Is 30 prolonged
that only fool would continue to
hope against hope, 1t is, think, stout
heart that will feel no alarm.
There was no longer any doubt In
our minds. Somehow or other Pharaoh
had put q spoke In our Wheel
At II o'clock that Thursday / led
the way into the kitchen, took my seat
at the table and opened the map.
Il must leave you, Nell" / said qui-
city. There's no other way"
| Helena nodded, and 4 hand went up
to her head.
what will you do, John7'
Il must get lift at Witchcraft and
hire a car where / can considered
the map. Il should think I'd get one
at Sabbot From there must drive to
Salzburg for all I'm worth" / drew
some paper towards me and started to
make some notes.
An exclamation from Helena snapped
the sentence In two.
looked up sharply.
There was horror In her beautiful
eyes-and these were fast on the pa
per on which l was making my notes.
What Is 1t. Nellf" / cried, rising.
She clapped her hands, to her face.
"Oh. John" she walled, that paper
j.. y
For an instant ! stared at the sheet
one Of cheap, gray packet which,
when we had asked her for note-paper,
the forester's wife had produced.
"Listen, John. l think that paper
has told me why Godfrey isn't here
You wrote to him In pencil, the pencil
Was blunt and you pressed She
pointed I trembling finger ~There or
that sheets the impression OF what
you wrote"
This was true.
q 'D'you remember our last patrol
how, when we parted, I offered to wire
to your cousIn7 And you said yes, ant
did But wrote out the wire on 9
pad Of writing-paper the pencil
was blunt"
.You mean
| THE pad was on the library table
| II Pharaoh saw 1t and read 1t, II CAV,
him your cousins address. Supposinl
he wired the next morning, while W.
! we're talking to Freda, here in thii
! room. Is. Surprising he wired, az
did. using your name. .. Supposinl
!, he said, Return.
, Zone moment" | said. u mus
think"
! | thought very fast.
Hypothesis or no, here was goot
explanation OF my cousins failure Il
, come. II Pharaoh had wired to Geof
frey, Godfrey would have left Sale
, burg before my letter arrived.
Il must go at once" | said, ant
picked up the map.
ITO Plumage, John?'
/ nodded
, u must get car somehow and driv,
there as fast as | can. can hide tn,
car near the high road and 20 through
the woods to the farm. There's not Al
instant to lose-we're three days late
God knows where Freda isl can onl,
hope and pray that she's missed he
train
Together we studied the map.
j glanced at my watch.
with average luck" said |, II ough
t. be there not later than half-pas
three"
And them" said Helena quietly.
My sweet I don't know. I've 20
to find out something and to act Of
what find out. And now for you. Yol
mustn't stay In the cottage; you mus
I spend the day In tn forest and keel
I out OF sight And I'll come back, M
darling, as soon as ever can"
I Two minutes later | was treadln
the path to Witchcraft, and the brack
II enwhleh eiled-my Lady was=eaat-e
my sight
At half-past SIX that evening | mad
/. the woods behind Plumage. and fiv
y minutes later was lying just clea
+ of their foliage, surveying the back 0
v the farm The stars had fought againe
/, me. and my journey had taken ia
longer than | had hoped, but now
saw very clearly that all could
was to watch, for that | must go n
@ closer until 1t was dark
n That Bugle and Rush were at Plum
Il age | had no doubt; leave the wood
o therefore, | dared not, while II wa
!" day, for the shutters OF the house wer
open and the valley was full OF ligh
From where | now lay there wa
nothing at all to observe. | therefor