Show I THE THREE STRINGS SPRINGS By NA NAT T A ALINE SUMNER SU LINCOLN Author of 0 The Nameless Man fr t I 1 9 V I 1 tJ i. i I I r t 1 S s t 1 I t I t 1 f I r I t 1 rl J t 1 n Kc a t w 13 t fyK V 5 y tl r f 1 h q k 1 r 1 r S t r I J t r. r 1 ri tr 1 a t i r 1 1 A I 1 Is Ills Mr Maynard in in ak cJ Marian Van Ness as she sho ped across tho the threshold Copyright ht InS 1915 by D D. Appleton li Co 0 Copyright Public Ledger Company READ THIS FIRST Evelyn Preston discovers the bo body h of oC ofa oCa a stranger r in the 11 library r of oC her ho home e eIn In 11 Washington ashington Her mother and amI stepfather step step- father P Peter ter Burnham but hut arc unable to throw any light on the mystery Captain Ja La Montagne Monta Ionta ne e. e In love o with l Eve Lve- velyn ve- ve lyn learns that his letters to her have been Leen Intercepted and blames Burnham Burnham t is wounded h by a bullet fired b by byan byan an unknown and blames La Mont Montagne Ho He also tells the police pollee he has reason to believe e La Montagne lonta nc killed the unknown un- un known Coroner Penfield not nol satisfied with his lIst fist examination of the room v here where the tragedy occurred makes a second vl visit 1 t THEN READ THIS CHAPTER 20 Continued t Penfield consi considered ered a a. moment then moved mo toward the front door I will be bo around In tho morning he said Please tell Miss Preston I desire to see sec her Certainly sir Jones held the thedoor thedoor thedoor door an and watched tho the coroner down the steps and saw him turn the corner corner corner cor cor- ner before ho he a again ln entered the house closed the door and returned to his pantry lIe He was some somo minutes putting awn away plates and then gathering tho the soiled dishcloths which the second man matt had left In an untidy heap on the tho floor he turned turne off the light and went down down- stairs The light In tho the lower hall hall had been left leCt burning burning- but dimply andIn andIn and andIn In the almost complete darkness Junes Jones stumbled d against ag a a. heavy object and with difficulty kept his balance Look but ut for my bag exclaimed a a. cold voice olce back of or him The Tho word slipped between the butlers butler's clenched teeth as 09 ashe ashe he tenderly nursed his bruised shin and with difficulty suppressed his do- do siro to kick the ba bag down lown the hall hallas as a small vent ent to his feelings s. s Suddenly Suddenly Sud Sud- denly ho straightened up nn and turning up tho gas g-as jet under which he stood glared at Mrs Irs Ward ar but h hr r wooden c In n no In indication of or hav hn having I ing heard his hk ejaculation or observed i his sudden badly concealed Cur fury Controlling Controlling Con Con- I trolling himself b by a supreme he hid his feelings un under er his familiar sua suave sua manner Why h do you leave leavo your our bag In the tho way he asked ed at the same time lime stooping to stand the suitcase upright against the wall Shall ShaH I carr carry It upstairs upstairs upstairs up up- stairs for you OU I No put It down Mrs Irs Wards Ward's acerbity was unmistakable and Jones I released his hold of or the ba bag with alacrity alacrity alac alae- Its rity while silently marveling mar at weight Go answer tho the bell Imbecile do you vou not hear har it ringing Casting Casting- down tho the soiled dishcloths on top of ot the bag bag- Jones dashed b by tho the housel housekeeper an and ami l ran upstairs the front door bell kc keeping up a ceaseless din dinas dinas ln as aR ho hurried along but In spite of oC his haste he paused long enough to scratch his bald head before opening I tho the door Tho The bag bag- had an M 1 on It 11 he mut mut- MW I It It was no W I have havo a n mind Another Im Imperative e summons summons summons sum sum- mons on the bell hell sounded and he Jerked open tho the doorIs door Is is s sIr Mr Ir Maynard In asked Marian n Van Ness as she sho stepped stopped across the threshold Mr Ir M I Maynard M Fluttered Jones his surprise at sight of Marian plainly evident No miss no maam Catching Catching- sight of ot her expression his own ell changed to ono of or concern Are you ou ill maam ma'am No Marian rubbed her cheeks checks forgetting the they were rouged roused and un- un that it was tho expression of her eyes ces that had alarmed the tho butler I have haY lost lost lost-I I would like like like- She Sho pulled up short Has Miss the theatre Evlyn Elyn returned from Not yet maam Marian mo moved mod d over oyer to the hall seat sheet of and sat down wearily Get a n paper per and a pencil Jones she di directed di- di r cled I want to leave lea a note for for for-for for Mr Ir Maynard fumbled 1 Surely Surel maam Jones about on the hall table and pro produced a a. much chewed pencil an and 1 a small piece of folded paper Just write your message her h herr rl maam ma'am and I will gi give e eIt It to Mr Ir Ma Maynard nard Marian threw back her cloak and the hI butler m inspected peNI d her striking co costume cos- cos co- co tume of or Jeane dArc d'Arc with admiring e P PH H 4 Forgot ml of J Jones Jones' on s presence Marian stared st at the blank paper then wrote a few lines Imes and amI folded it into a n cocked hn hat t add added Dan Maynard fi 11 l th In her distinctive writing and handed the note noto to JonesI Jones I r 1 will bo ho greatly obliged Jones she said stepping to tho the door If IC you OU will not mention my presence hero to tonight to to- to tonight night to anyone but give my noto note to Mr Maynard Certainly maam ma'am I understand But nut the tho butlers butler's face was blank as he hc closed the tho door behind Marian and went slowly downstairs He lie quickened his footsteps on hearing subdued voices In the hall haIl lc leading to lo the hase- hase ment front door and reached rachell there thor j juo sr in time to see sec the housekeeper hand her suitcase to a a. taxicab driver Here wait wail hr hp- call called d But Dut Instead of oC complying tho the taxi driver slipped lIpped outside and Mrs Irs Ward shot the bolt Into place before turning to face the I Irate butler buller JI Hold 0 your our fuss fuss' she exclaimed authoritatively au authoritatively au- au I el And mind your own business 8 It Is m my business ss to know who comes comos here at night stormed Jones I giving ins vent ent to his bottled up anger at last Think you vou Mrs Burnham I 1 likes to have at at I I door And think jou OU she h stil such companions companion as I Oa cu tri j t Mrs Irs Wards Ward's blood wa wag op off TV whom horn tho the OlI f police want want-to want the o have ha rr kept here jr M r |