The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-11-07
IF. VAN DC WATER
W. ". v. Service

find another escort for the opera to-
night"
The girl nodded without expression
and for an instant her eyes strayed
to lone who asked the old lady:
"You don't go, Miss Paget?"
The composure in her rich voice
once more Knocked my suspicion.
Miss Agatha shook her head.
''My dear" said she, ST was
reared in the Paget tradition. I
went to the opera as regularly as I
went to church. Being a cripple, I
had no conflicting engagements. I
went. / still have my fathers seats.
Allegro and Grove pretend to like
it. l grew tired long ago of hearing
nonsense sung in one language by
folks who speak another, to people
who don't understand either"
GAS rule" Lyon said, operas
could stand a deal of editing"
determination" Miss Agatha
told him, sis the better word"
laughed and so did he, and catch
ing my eye, he asked:
''By the way, were you coming
out of the cellar last night when I
left?"
Once more my spine prickled-I
thought that a hidden something
lurked beneath that easy question.
Out of the murk a new theory sud-
denly jumped at me. Perhaps the
Frustrated Everett after all had been
my basement antagonist. I gath
cred my wits and tried to drive
into the open whatever fear hid be-
hind Lyons query.
eyes"
He smiled.
"After passed, I thought it had
been you. At the moment I mag
ined that it was just another de-
tective following me around. I
haven't dared look under the table
this noon, Miss Paget, for fear of
finding one"
81 can vouch for this company"
Miss Agatha said dryly, "unless Da-
vid is one in Disguise" I wondered
what she meant but Allegro asked,
mockingly:
"Just social call on Casanova?"
Out of an eye corner, I saw that
lone held her fork motionless above
her salad.
"No," I said. ct went to get my
suitcase. I didn't see Higgins till
later"
LATER" lone repeated.
looked at her, but her makeup
might have been a mask.
"You see," I told her, "the help
full Higgins had left the suitcase in
the basement hall. I fell over it,
which pleased him, I think"
''The swine," said Lyon and his
calm disappointed me. '"That's how
you hurt yourself, eh?"
He nodded at my trampled left
hand. I shook my head, weighing
the merits of reticence and complete
exposure. I chose the former and
merely said:
''No. Someone else gave me that"
81 hope" said Miss Agatha and
bit that invisible thread, "that you
skinned it on Timothy's Jaw"
''He seemed pleased" I replied,
"when he came out and turned on
the lights, to see me and my bag
spread all over the floor"
With the others, / followed Miss
Agatha's chair into the living room
and looked at my watch.
"It's time," told the old lady,
"that I stopped being a guest and
became an employee"
lone, bright and exotic as tropic
bird, smiled at me as I backed to-
ward the hall door. Lyons right
hand went through the movements
of the sword salute.
"Oh, I say" he checked me as
I turned to leave, "why not stop in
when you leave this afternoon? I'd
really like to have you see my col
lection of blades, if you'd be inter-
ested"
Thanks" I said. finding no way
to refuse without seeming churlish,
"I'd be glad to-"
Splendid. At what timer"
Between five and six?"
Fright. I'll be looking for you.
wish there were room for us to fence
a bit, but I'm afraid that's impos-
sible."
"I'm glad there isn't" told him |;
"I'm very rusty" and went back
to the workroom.
It was five when / finished and,
under Annie's convoy, took the COM
pleted copy to my employer. She
sat in the living room at her version
of afternoon tea-solitaire, ciga-
rette and highball.
I waited while she read the script
slowly and without expression. When
she had laid the last page aside, she
said:
You're very able as well as will
full. You've done it exactly as /
should-if / had your gift. Will you
| take Allegro to the opera this eve
ning?"
The question, flung at me while
was a little unsettled by her approx
all had not had much praise in
the last few weeks-was like punch
in the stomach. I gasped. She chose
to misread my confusion.
ga purely business proposition.
Allegro was going with Grove. All
| the other young men she knows have
engagements She can't very well
go by herself and if you'll escort
her"
ct can send in my bill tomor-
row?" I asked. ''No, Miss Paget.