Show arm VIM 49 0 amm U 0 N L D b y 4 U CHAPTER VIII continued a a 8 yi I 1 decided to wait for the results of so n I 1 s search and I 1 was so sleepy ibbe ater er tile the wakeful night and the walk the open air that I 1 curled up in my tee se cushioned chair for ten minutes ad d slept for forty I 1 woke to tind find arridean in my room sitting stolidly ere confronting me with an all air of tin scrutiny I 1 sat up quickly juick lYt putting pulling down my impaled gray frock and brushing my W ir out of my eyes staring a at t him ith something very much like fright ehlend him the door was closed rlou try to run he be told me yd id I 1 flung filing back why should I 1 ruo rim do you want sir air Har harraden riden a 1 11 I want to know what you know all tills this he growled growl cil at me er et joure foure in with deck I 1 want to know bat all that row as about that row ath elkins allis ails olce loice fumbled so nt lit the file words r cat at I 1 felt a pang of pity for him in lie of fill all my other leel feel ing 1 I never saw alan deck until 1 I came liette are I 1 said and spoke as quietly and antly is 19 1 I could 1 I dont know any ing about his analis affairs k your story and ou can stick k it before the others put cut I 1 wand wan ae e fats facts and vin prepared to pay for tern tem and ill let you olt ril let sou ie 11 IV whitener teTer trouble those stones hilie tet t you in for if tell me die eiery ing lou know cai 1 I 1 I know nothing ayou know why yeii boll went elit up ill to my kites room last ni night bt you load some een if ion saw tier slapped u gr go in like ilke that ollis eyes grimly skeptical looked me 1 enough adough nod and through 1 ia you cant pull any wool oner ocr toy my h alses es you were meeting deck before vaner aner I 1 want to know aliat liat lie he and what lie he was my wife out ile he wanted money from her vic that it if you never met him CZ gyore fore I 1 as nou ou say lies hes interested ou ough b in you now to to tell sou your on n safety and a good substantial sum slim qz money ought to wake you see tile cht ill give iou fie e thousand five fl e busand for a few words only no DO eking ing I 1 want the truth you are utterly mistaken in me bt Har harraden riden I 1 said steadily 1 I sell information if I 1 had it c 1 I know nothing at all of of alan deck d b his 1 seel secrets secie cis ts come sume one knocked I 1 called come 11 ll and the door opened there stood ian ian deck bit sight of Har harraden riden he stiffened ean irn with assumed naturalness to rue me bout those pictures got to his feet ills his e eyes fruin from deck back to me ul with tb a jille kile sort of satisfaction action twell well ls Is it yes he said harshly tj look holding mine tits its no mr air Har harraden riden another word to me with n i a glance toward deck he marched vt it ill him out t the door t burst out olt oil why did aou ou come peik deck 1 ils Is gaze that had biad followed Har harraden riden rupie door flashed back to me jabat was dan doing here trying to buy me I 1 said offer me five thousand dollars to find out il X W ti 12 1 d 05 e C rs I 1 s eyes looked hie through and through you and his wife quarreled ted skit ant we me to toss you a aarn arn to win j kleive kl five said alan deck with willi a sud smile gm lle aler as sorry for him for the torment jook that underlay the pride and plenge pledge of his high held beld head began to talk about and discovery of ills his sword cane Ot thought hought his interest would se seize ize on I 1 ael t but lie shrugged it away well alto il to of it what do you think you ace w prove w t the unrest Ons heness of his face AN cade ct De out but dont iou aou want to find did it before the inquest to lowi tow cis aa let tile the dick s find out lie le sald said say S cant hol hold d roe me now on a few ne W when I 1 was lit im not dot irys about tomorrow ill jew jewart jj 31 aut to get bt out of this damn 11 be e I 1 he broke out 1 I want to get oe no to new york back to my illy office I 1 dl to sanity y and sense I 1 never want 11 e a soul here again I 1 except you a 10 ti ant 11 to take tak you out to dinner and an 0 d theat theater cr and I 1 want you lou to go ng S with me in that blue blua satin le Is sh y 0 mary Hastin hastings ds bradley copyright by D appleton century co coina inc service gown awn 1 mint ant to hold you in my arms to soft music you understand and then lie ho dropped into a chair the lie deep cushioned chair beside the little white hite one I 1 was sitting in and said coaxingly talk to me lelia leila tell me about your picture puzzles and the fakes and the millionaires you rescue the pro depression millionaires tell me all the stories of your young art life nothing that we said mattered it was all about paintings and artists and people and plas the telephone broke in on it monty mitchells idee told me to come down at once we both went down I 1 expecting headen knows what of reel revelation atlon but finding only that wanted my report on the hair ornament I 1 murmured that lie had said I 1 was barking irking bt up the wrong tree but I 1 scurried back upstairs anil and this time I 1 got the crescent with no delay for miss van alstyn was in tier her room and produced the he gewgaw from tier her box Is thore special about it she and I 1 said lamely enough that I 1 wanted anted to study the stones I 1 might as well have studied plymouth rock hock for there was no blood to be found on if there eer had been any shed hid had all the lie time tiina in the lie world to wash it off I 1 gave it birk back to tier her and went nent downstairs again finding Allt diell and ded deck jeep deep in talk 1 I found it nothing I 1 reported shortly to Allt eliell ile he merely nodded then sat said earnestly 1 I am telling deck this 1 I dont remember stuff w wont ont wash ith a coroners jury decks eyes e cs and haggard played with fill him what want do you suggest I 1 say monte was ready As I 1 dropped down on oil the end of the couch beside him ile he offered olf ered low toned suppose nora was jealous of dan and letty and threatened to raise the roof about then and you warned tier her not to what got a cigarette said pock deck mine aline are all gone ue lie put the case lie had taken out anek in his pocket rather slowly casually he mentioned what about the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth the lawyer did not hat bit an eyelash that the truth now that your head has de cleared ared why drag g in letty why not hae to explain those threats and that does it with no DO discredit to yourself deck grinned you re a swell liw law er monty and you need one deck rose with a vague word or two silently we sat there and watched his tall figure sauntering away monty lips were creased in a taut line lie he knew and I 1 knew with heart catching anxiety that whatever deck had bad done or not done whatever had been between him and that lead dead worn wom an whatever danger menaced him now lie was going on in his own high hand ed way to play its ills lone one defiant game and I 1 was terribly afraid for him CHAPTER IX nothing happened that night I 1 gathered in a stout dignified gray cat that I 1 found promelia promenading ding the hall and fed it morsels from my squab and tried to pretend that I 1 was not lonely it seemed a n thousand years since I 1 had first entered that room since I 1 had looked down to those two dark silhouettes in that front window I 1 tried again to reconstruct those silhouettes hoping that sonie some trick of memory would bring to life a forgotten detail but I 1 was so tired that their shapes wavered fantastically before me inc nothing was going to interest that jury I 1 thought except the finding of those diamonds inside my dress and tile the report of decks violent threats to nora Har harridan Harrl riden den and its his absence from tile the table 1 I needed deeded all the rest I 1 could get to face that tomorrow so go I 1 took a hot bath and add went to bed at first I 1 slept then as my weariness wore off my worrying thoughts kept kep t coming to the surface rousing we me and at last in the early morning dark I 1 lay wide awake my mind racing like an engine I 1 thought of tile the questions they were likely to ask me and a sudden qualm assal assailed led me I 1 had taken it absolutely for granted that I 1 would tell the same story which I 1 had bad told tob Don donahey abey about ray my reasons for going up to mrs airs liar room and that deck would tell his same story but now this was diffrient this testimony before a coroner and a jury tills this was under oath suppose deck wanted me to tell the truth it hie e whole truth tind and nothing but the truth ll 11 to show that since he be had bad asked me inc to go up lie be believed ildved that nora Har harridan Harrl riden den was still alive I 1 had to find out I 1 thought stricken with belated panic before I 1 went into that jury room I 1 would phone him for an all interview the very moment it was light enough to make my luy call possible then my mind turned to that handkerchief with the rust marks some time on friday night that handkerchief had been drying on a radiator now a came to me I 1 know alno all that donahey had bad abed but I 1 knew that in front of me ine no one had bad asked if such a handkerchief had been seen I 1 made up my mind to see every maid on that floor in the morning it was anson my thoughts circled about I 1 remembered that anson had not volunteered anything about the open window though its being open must have seemed a trifle unusual she had not volunteered anything she had gien eh en we me a distinct impre impression on of diffident reticence elkins too had not come forward with his statements until he tin had been questioned and then lie he had had a tind bad struggle between his duty to his employers and his conscience and love of importance I 1 began to think it quite possible that some one had seen something that only direct questioning would bring out day was a desperate laggard very slowly the pale oblongs of my window lightened seven could I 1 telephone then no that was far too early I 1 forced myself to wait till seven thirty then there was no answer the instrument ment was dead I 1 decided to dress aud and go g downstairs dressing took time I 1 combed my fluff dun of hair into decorum and put on a subdued lipstick then just as I 1 was ready to leaie leae came a knock at my door find and the breakfast tray I 1 asked my maid what rooms she looked after why yours miss and tile the next nest when it Is occupied then you arent cry busy now I 1 sn suggested ested 1 I assist with the linen the mending men I 1 mean she explained wending and the third floor rooms and mice was nas the only one occupied on tile the third floor no nin use going into the questions about the handkerchief now though I 1 decided to ask matchell Ml to see that the question was asked nt at the inquest of every one I 1 hurried through my breakfast to get downstairs I 1 took the staircase to the left une one light flight down I 1 saw anson standing in talk with the mald maid who did my room and I 1 quickened my stops steps toward tier her her arms were piled with fresh towels ton els and tile feminine in pie me could not resist paying attention to those towels towe I 1 s they t lie y were so lovely ansons pretty face was troubled as slie she turned it to roe me I 1 said oh anson theres something I 1 want to ask you and the other maid slipped away anson said just ft a minute please IT ill be right out ont and turned into tile the door of prince francini Ran cInI with a 0 quick preliminary Ilin Inary knock I 1 want to stand there waiting so I 1 waltzed walked on oil down the hall past the closed door where nora Har harraden riden was lying then tinned and sauntered slowly along ahead of toe me I 1 tv anson come hurriedly out of door her hands to tier her disordered hair and behind tier lier the prince made a jack ln in the cox box appearance pe arance popping back as lie caught sight of me but not before I 1 had glimpsed his hashing flashing amused smile anson was breathing quickly those foreigners she threw outs out tucking in the looR loosened ened edges of tier her starched white fill fiill lie he can tin keep his hands orf she added resentment stirring tier out of her reticence why dont you complain to the princess I 1 suggested Avic wickedly kedly that startled anson more than ran llin cini had done she looked at me out of shocked ees oil oh the alie mald maid Is always it wrong she sald said with cynical succinctness if excuse tile me miss ill be going back for my towels and she cast a look troubled for all lier ber recovered composure at the closed door of the room just a moment anson I 1 was walting waiting to see aou ou I 1 want to ask you something site she kept tier face away frum from me die ill be telling all I 1 know at the inquest this morning 1 I know but I 1 want to speak to you yo U first you h know now you on said to the inspector that you could not say that mr air deck had bad been in mrs Harrl Ilar dens room when you saw him in tile the hall you remember you son sat said that dont you 1 I remember she said almost reluctantly luct antly 1 I like to sa say anything 11 thin else and make tile the gentleman M 3 11 trouble 1 I know what words lie he had been using to the poor lady tb then ell her voice changed to such sternness that I 1 said quickly cut but peili aps elkins understand lies hes not one to misunderstand she told me firmly im promised to elkins so I 1 might say I 1 know him hill tie ile like to say what lie he had bad to say but it was his duty A man making such threats all sympathy for deck was gone from her now I 1 went on anilou anxiously sly and theres another thing did you happen to see a handkerchief drying on a radiator in any of the rooms last night I 1 wished I 1 could know what that ell change ange in tier her face meant had I 1 lilt idt on something or was she merely startled at the hie idea her answer seemed slow in coming and when it did it was oblique will they ask me that miss yes they will ask you that but if I 1 could know first ill tell everything they ask me downstairs she said at last its my duty I 1 know though im sorry enough tiny any one might have washed out a handkerchief I 1 said more I 1 urged her eagerly but the girl was immovable she only repeated that she would tell all she knew later it Is quite futile to look back now and think oh if I 1 had only done that thai differently ferent ly if I 1 had only found the right word I 1 see tier her there in her pretty black and white that secret knowledge which she was so reluctant to repeal in tier her troubled eyes and I 1 think that if only I 1 had been able to induce her to share it perhaps cut but she moved away determinedly and not I 1 went on upstairs to ray my room where I 1 wrote a note to Al Itchell asking him to have that question put about the handkerchief and another to dock deck asking him to come to see me ine as soon as possible I 1 rang for the maid and asked her to deliver them then I 1 waited hoping desperately that each moment would bring deck ue be come ile he might be to festl fling ile he might be being kept incommunicado mun mu leado I 1 let myself look so worried I 1 must seem natural and at case before that jury I 1 was as in a tense state of nerves when hen they finally came for me my ally heart was beating sickeningly when I 1 entered that dining room and for a moment the faces turned to me seemed like blurs in a fog then I 1 steadied and took in the groups I 1 saw a knot of people writing away busily on little pads newspaper people I 1 supposed and I 1 saw mitchell and donahey tile the six men of the jury were lined along tile dazzling black table and the coroner a tall thin roan man with a drooping mustache was at the end and a court reporter writing away sat beside the vacant chair for the hie witness across from the jury do you solemnly |