Show THE r rBy THREE STRINGS By NAT NATALINE ALINE SUMNER LINCOLN Author of o oThe The Nameless lVIna Copyright ht 1918 by D. D Appleton k Co Copyright Lodger Ledger Co CHAPTER 24 Tho The Blotted Page Marian Van Can Ness turned the latch latchkey latchkey latchkey key and amI stepped Into her apartment with wIlh reluctance After Arter her visit to the hairdresser she had persuaded Evelyn a against the latter's better judgment to take a light dinner down town with her herand herand herand and had prolonged the walk home be because because be- be e- e cause of ot her hel desire for companionship It was as Mammy's church night and Marian dreaded the lon long evening ening by herself before the return of oC the faithful faithful faithful faith faith- ful old servant who ho had been her mother mothers mother's mothers mother's moth moth- er ers er's personal maid years ears ar before Mammy Mam Maui- m my was a privileged ed character and her shrewd comments and homely homel maxims frequently wiled away the tedium of ot evenings at of a home When Marian I felt the strain of or overwork over over- work orl and 1011 long hours at th the state depal de- de pal Mammy lamm on her return would put her to to bed and nurse her heras heras herts as ts she had hall done in Infancy Her lar large e black hand possessed a ma magic lc touch healing in Its sooth soothing In Influence every cry tortured nerve and ard bringing sleep in its train She would have made mado her fortune as a masseuse but loyalty loyally to her chile kept her in devoted at attendance attendance at- at sharing Mailan's Marians varying vicissitudes with fortifying ln courage Marians Marian's light fool footfall tall made no sound as she crossed the tin tiny dining room on her way to the kitchenette opening from It A peep Inside disclosed disclosed disclosed dis dis- closed Mammy lammy dosing dosin In a comfortable Arm wicker chair Marian's Marians surprised ejaculation awoke her Laws Honey Hone She ejaculated straightening her white turban Yo am am late toni tonight ht jCl jes' take yo yo lIn tings lings s off an an hl hat hab supper in a jiffy Dont trouble Mammy I 1 had my ray I dinner down clown town Marian looked up at the kitchen clock You are arc Inte late dear deal hurry and get your things on I Isn't goin to church dis evenin c Hone Honey You are not Marians Marian's surprise In Increased Increased Increased In- In creased for tor Mammy to miss her weekly weekly weekly week week- ly devotional was almost unheard of or Arent you OU well well Oh ye yes I e C well but Ise lse tired Mammy sighed as she reached across to a corner r and pull pulled d forward an nn electric vacuum cleaner Tee Ise been cen a wit dis byar contraption most mo t tall all RII day Taint faint an any use ob oh Hone Honey de store tore cheated yo o fodis to fo todis todis dis machine aint no s-oo s good de done gone out ob obit It it Marian Marln concealed her amusement from Crom the tender old eyes ees watching her Im afraid Mammy ramm you oU are too loo ad addicted nd- nd to dusters and brooms she re remarked re- re marked Deed I specs da dats dat's 5 so so Honey an anole anole anole ole broom knows whar de do dust I Is is Mammy followed Marian Into the parlor Yo Yose e kinder peaked hone Honey is dc dey yo O as hard as 33 gibber ebber Everyone Everyone works hard these days Mammy Marian l handed handell her hat and gloves to the servant and threw herself herself her her- self on the sofa sora which stood In front of tho window Ill just sit here and andrest andrest rest lest a bit hit You go to bed Mammy and AmI dont don't won worry over o this apartment It is the most spotlessly spotless clean place in n 1 town Yes Hone Honey Mammy carried Marians Marian's Marian's Marians Ma Ma- larlan's rians rian's belongings in s Into her bedroom I and r returned turned with a lightweight summer summer summer sum sum- mer afghan wh which Ich she spread 0 CM of I er Marian larlan who ho had curled up in a corner cornel of the sofa and was lying back with closed eyes She did not stir and Mammy with a final pat stole tole from the room and went back to her quarters quarteT quarters teT there to dose close In comfort Marian la lay lav quietly on the sofa sora fur more than an hour and when she sat up darkness had succeeded the twilight twi twi- light Too tired to move she leaned back anti and propped her on the window ledge e and looked out The view was more attractive than that generally seen from back windows the rows of ot neat back yards however were devoid of light and the hou houses cs the they belonged to were also lightless ex except n- n Celt the tho Burnham mansion 1 From where she sat Marian could coul see soe that lights burned In tho the octagon- octagon I shaped wing of the mansion on several of ot its floors and her familiarity with the houses house's architectural arrangements arrangements arrangements arrange arrange- ments enabled h her r to locate the different different different differ differ- ent rooms Mrs Irs Burnham had ne neglected neglected neg neg- to pull down the shades In her boudoir and Marian larlan saw her knitting U by the tho aid of ot a movable standing electric electric electric elec elec- lamp while Peter Burnham sitting sitting sit sit- ting tinE before the desk was examining some ome papers In Jn the tho room above only a n. faint taint light glowed and Marian wondered wondered won won- dered If Ir tho the housekeeper Mrs In Ward Waid had left her ue bedroom room and resumed her duties Marian's Marians e eyes es tra f traveled IEl to the open windows of or Evelyn Preston's Pres Pres- tons ton's bedroom but the they were dark evidently Evelyn elyn was either l lying down or had gone one to another part of ot tho the house Even R as she hc looked ed a light flashed in Evelyn's Evelyns room and In the sudden illumination sho had an excel excel- I lent view of or the white walls of or her friends friend's room liven Kven as she watched Evelyn Eveln crossed before the windows and a second later tho light lIht wa was switched wit hed oC oft off For man many minutes thereafter there there- after aCter Marian sat in darkness The front doorbell sounded BOunded with I such uch sharp sud suddenness enness that Marian larlan started up In alarm Throwing the afghan aside MidI and amI switching on tho the electricity she hurried to the door before beCore Mammy lammy whoso whose dose had developed developed developed devel devel- Into heavy slumber could pull herself out of ot her chair A trusted I slate state department messenger stepped inside the entrance hall and handed Marian a sealed scaled envelope lope I was instructed to wait walt he ex explained explained ex- ex I plain ed and took a chair Just Inside I Ithe the tho parlor nailor I I I I I I I First FIr stopping to pull down her window win win- Ilow dow shades Marian hurried to her desk t n taking th the pages pae from rom the envelope she roc proceeded to decode the message e written thereon Sho She han hin almo almost t completed th the task when on starting a Crt fresh sh p page e. e her fountain pen commenced to leak and sent Bent a stream of or Ink across l Her er writing With an impatient exclamation she she- picked up a afresh afresh fresh piece of or blotting paper and checked the flow of ot Ink then continued continued con con- the decoding When VIHn her WorK was completed she gathered up the tho dispatches and the original messages I and placing them In a J envelope carefully ci sealed the package pacas-o with red wax and a ring bearing her crest t I To be continued 1 |