< I I
' hr±—
"My Mistress Is Not at Home."
MffeeTASH of I
.tIICIRCUMSTANCE
WIM} HAPRT IRVING GREENE _
| MM&XJ Author <?/"" Yosonde of the. Wilderness"*
j IllusfVrv.Tioiis tvy H»gnuS CJ. Ke"ttno r*
N COPYMOMT jy W, O. CHAfMAJi V*m
1A
SYNOPSIS.
■* _
A.bner Halllday, a miserly millionaire.
JH found gauge, tbounii and Insensible In
his r'som, Ills safe rilled and $40,000 miss
3ng. T'he thread of the story Is taken up
by his pephew Tom. Diving In the same
house are other relatives; reckless Bruce
Halllday and pretty Clare Wlnton. Bruce,
who is a bond broker, has been trying to
raise slo,oon to put through a deal and
save himself from financial ruin. He has
applied to his miserly uncle and to others
for the loan but has been refused. Tom
■sends for William I.eDuc, an old-time
friend connected with a detective agency.
In relating the story Tom reverts to his
acquaintance with a Airs. Dace, a wealthy
widow, whoso business agent is Richard
Varkay, a boodler and political Doss.
Tom is Jealous of Mackay ami l« deeply
1n love with Mrs. Dace. Bruce Halliday
varus him to shun her as an adventuress.
Tom sees Mrs. Dace and Mackay togeth
er. He afterwards meets the woman at
.a horse race, and. happening to mention
that Bruce had u tip on the winner, she
gives him 1500 to place on the race. The
tip goes wrong and she loses her money.
?..Bter Tom invests In stocks. He makes
j«ome money, and returns the lost SSOO to
Mrs. Dace. It is at this juncture that the
theft of the $40,000 from old Abner Halli
day occurs. I.e Duo meets Clare and
Bruce. He learns that the key which
Clare had to the house is missing. Mac
kay's dealings with Mrs. Dace make Tom
more Jealous. The detective Intimates a
iruspicion against Bruce Italliday as the
,hief. Thl3 Clare Winton indignantly re
pudiates. Mrs. Dace accepts Tom as her
ilance.
CHAPTER Xlll.—(Continued.)
"But nevertheless I atn going to do
It. Soul and body I want you to pre
vail, and your sacrifices to the com
mon cause shall be mine. There will
■be enough wine left for us when we
<3o nut have to think of a tomorrow.
Come. Let us go now." I looked
around and then glanced at my watch.
It was 11 o'clock and a steady stream
of humanity was flowing towards the
exit, as we wedged ourselves lato
It. Once outside the enclosure I
started the motor and taking my
place assisted her to her seat,
standing erect for a moment there
after as I allowed my eyes to
wander over the outpouring stream.
Through the midst of it I saw
a big man with a coarse face and
(lowing mustaches plowing his way,
his small evilly set eyes riveted upon
me with ominous fixity. It was
Richard Macltay, and the malevolent
Jealousy of his expression filled me
with an unholy joy of triumph. I
laughed point blank in his face as I
seated myself beside my fiancee and
tucked the robe close about her with
lingering and ostentatious familiarity
before throwing forward the lever. A
t-idelong glance stolen at her told mo
that she had not noticed him in the
press, and with no reference to his
having been present I sent the car
humming homeward.
She asked me if I cared to come
within for a few moments and to
gether we were lifted to her floor. In
her reception parlor I seated myself
close beside her, gathering her hands
in mine. The first intoxication of
success had passed and a great, quiet
Joy had settled upon me, soothing and
reposeful. Never had I been filled
with better Impulses than In this
hour. In my victory the better side
of my nature t> .me uppermost in my
gratitude to <ne Infinite. Firmly I
resolved that my life In the future
should be one of which no man might
be ashamed, and for what I had done
in the past that was unworthy I si
lently avowed amends. For the sake
of the woman by my side I should
had a life that our sons would be
proud to emulat«. I would command
b*r remp&U ic >ll things. Sacculation
I did not consider a moral offense.
It was but a battle of money and
wits, and to the victors of the earth
the spoils legitimately belong.
I told her the general trend of my
thoughts with much earnestness and
she listened without comment, her
face slightly averted and her hands
resting contentedly In mine. I kissed
her eyes and forehead and she sighed
softly as her bosom rose. Just what
the sigh meant I did not know and
did not ask, but believed It was the
responsive chords of her nature sound
ing to my touch. She had told ma
that slie cared more for me than for
any other man, and that under condi
tions which I appreciated were not
unreasonable, she would rather live
within my arms than those of any
other person. Neither had she'made
my financial success an unqualified
condition of our marriage, but had
merely pointed out the great desira
bility of it as an added stimulus to
my endeavors. That the principal
reason she had advanced as to why
she wished me to possess wealth was
that I might be able to be more often
at her side thrilled me with joy
whenever it recurred to me. Had she
not really loved me her desires in
this respect must have been Just the
reverse.
The buzzing of the door bell aroused
us from our close communion with a
mutual start. It was an unusual sum
mons, one sharp pressure upon the
button closely followed by two more
of some seconds duration each. At the
first alarm her hands involun
tarily tightened In mine, and as
the longer notes hummed their
insistence I saw the color rush
from her cheeks In a scurrying
tide. Her form straightened and
grew tense, and arising she glid
ed with swift noiselessness across the
room and touched the buttoin that
summoned her maid. As though she
had been waiting In the doorway
Janet slipped into the room. Her mis
tress addressed her swiftly.
"Janet, say that I am not at
home. Under no circumstance permit
him to enter. If he says that it is
important, tell him that he may call
me up In the morning." Beyond all
question greatly agitated she returned
to near where I sat, placing herself
before the piano in the attitude of
one about to play. Her face was un
naturally bloodless and a thin, ) air
like line about the corners of her
mouth seemed to be constricting her
lips. Altogether the change in her
appearance was not to my liking, and
the quick stealth of her movements
caused a most uncomfortable sensation
to run through me; a mingled feeling
of guilt and doggedness as though I
had been surprised in a forbUden
bower by its rightful lord. A totally
different type from the soft and per
fectly poised creature of the moment
before was revealed to me in tliose
fleeting seconds of quick action and
swift sentences, and my breath c»me
faster before the contrast. In the
few steps that had been require 1 to
take her across the room and I ack,
her face had become that of an oder,
harder woman. The sensitive be tuty
of her mouth had been lost in Its
compression; her cheeks were like
polished marble; the soft luste of
her eyes had turned Into the glinting
brilliancy of gems. Whether It was
fear or anger or a blending of the
two that had wrought this uaglo
transformation I could not determine.
Almost breathlessly 1 watched the
maid as she swung the door slightly
and stood blocking the opening with
her lithe form. From without rum
bled the heavy tones of a man un
steady and thick from drink. "Good
evening, Janet. I would like to see
Mrs. Dace." The girl's answer was
softly apologetic.
"My mistress is not at home." The
reply which followed was preceded
by a laugh.
"You know better, Janet. Tell her
T wish to see her. Tell her, also, that
It Is a matter of importance."
"But I have said that she is not at
home. But of course she will be here
In the morning and you can then
communicate with her. I have no
doubt she will be pleased to hear from
you."
In the instant of heavy hanging si
lence which followed I shot a glance
at Mrs. Dace. She had leaned slight
ly forward, her hands clenched and
her ears strained in the direction of
the door. Then the notes of the man
arose again, a sullen growl sounding
through them.
"Did she order you tell me this non
sense or are you acting upon your
own responsibility?" The voice of
the yellow girl, theretofore respect
ful, took on a cold insolence.
"That is a matter for you to form
your own opinion about. At least I am
willing to accept any responsibility
for what I may tell you. You may
ask her concerning It when you see
her again."
Plainly and distinctly Mackay
swore, and I saw the door yield slight
ly to the pressure of a heavy hand
from without. In the twinkling of an
eye the maid's slender figure became
that of an enraged panthress, and her
tones rang out with positive vlcious
ness. "If you try to force your way
in here, against me I will have you
thrown head and heels into the street
by the employees. Release that door
instantly."
He swore again, the pressure ceased
and I heard his heavy step as it re
treated down the hall. In a trice the
maid had closed the door behind him
and stood before us with a hot flush
upon her face and her eyes alight.
Mrs. Dace drew a long breath and her
form and features softened. Once
more she became the low-spoken, per
fectly self-controlled woman of the
minute before. "You did vety well,
Janet. I think that is all for the pres
ent. You may retire now." Noiseless
ly the girl slipped past us and disap
peared behind the portiere.
I turned to her mistress. "What
does this mean, Matie?" I asked quiet
ly, but with the sickening sensation
that I had experienced once before,
making my knees weak and my throat
dry. She faced me with an almost
imperceptible lifting of her eyebrows
and shoulders.
"So far as I know it means nothing
except that Mr. Mackay has been
drinking and wished to see me for
some reason of which I am as Ignor
ant as you are."
"But at this hour of the night! It
seems strange that even a man like
him should have the presumption to
,call. I think under the circumstances
I have a right to inquire. Does he
sometimes do such things?"
"He never has before. He had no
right to do so now. if it is a matter
of important business he should have
notified me of his coming at least a
few moments in advance."
"But what business could he pos
sibly wish to confer with you about
at such a time of night that could not
be transacted over the telephone?"
1 pursued unhappily. She waved her
hand.
"I am sure that I am as ignorant
and disturbed over the affair as you
can possibly be. When I see him
again I shall demand an explanation.
Then I will be able to tell you."
"And those rings—they sounded al
most like a signal—one short and two
long ones."
"It is one of his peculiarities. I
think he so announces himself every
where." She came close beside me.
dropping her hand upon my shoulder.
"You told me once that you would
never mistrust me again. You are do
ing so now. I cannot wholly control
the actions of others, and there are
reasons why I do not wish to quarrel
with Mr. Mackay unless I am driven
to It. Your Jealousy may ruin our
prospects and make us bad friends
after all. I do not feel flattered by
It."
I got upon my feet and slipped my
arm about her. "You must forgive
me once more, dearest. While I ad
mit that my love is a Jealous one, yet
where my heart is my faith also re
poses. I trust you impllcity and will
ask you nothing further. I was very
much surprised, that is all."
She smiled upon me with a sweet
ness that was incomparable, and for an
instant her palms held my cheeks.
"You had better go now, Tom. It real
ly is late and I am Just plain, physic
ally tired. You may kiss me good
night if you wish—just once."
She turned her cheek to me and my
lips paid reverential tribute to It.
She accompanied me to the door, her
hands locked above my elbow, blew
me a farewell from finger tips that
touched her lips and disappeared be
hind the oaken panel. Sobered of
spirit by the occurrence of a few
minutes before, and despite myself
somewhat depressed by thoughts
which, notwithstanding the fact that
I would not permit them to crowd
themselves Into my brain, nevertheless
hovered upon the horizon of it, I
started homeward on a brisk walk aft
er having ordered the car, now hers,
to one of the garages within the build
ing. A vacant lot with a path cutting
diagonally across it spread itself be
fore me, and in accordance with my
usual custom I took this short cut aa
a saver of steps. The remains of a
natural grove wero scattered through
out It, and upon Its center the night
shades lay heavily. As I passed an
oak that leaned over the path I was
conscious of a slight rustling move
ment at my back and ducked my head
with an involuntary quickness that is
the gift of a natural boxer. Then I
whirled with my heel for a pivot.
Close behind me through the murk
I saw a big form lurch across the way
I had Just left behind me, thrown
completely from its balance by a ter
rific blow that had been wasted in the
empty air. In a flash I became a fight
ing machine; my flsts knotted and
muscles hardened as with my guard
raised I edged towards him, on the
alert for either attack or defense. At
the same Instant he regained bis bal
ance and came towards me. "You
puppy," growled the heavy voice of
Mackay.
Cold as Ice. externally, but never
theless with the fires of satisfaction
burning fiercely within, I stepped
backward and to one side, my left
hand darting towards him In rapid
feints. Knowing the man's reputation
as I did, I was not in the least sur
prised at his attempted thuggery, and
I now determined to give him the
worst beating I was capable of with
out using more than my flsts or en
dangering his life. Ills reputation
was as an open book. When sober he
used his brains for the destruction of
his enemies, but when drunk the beast
within him arose raging, and many
was the man who, crossing him in his
cups, had been felled unconscious by
his great fist. Instinctively disliking
him to the very core of my being,
raging Inwardly at the cowardliness
of his attack, I stopped his approach
by a straight left-hand blow that
cracked like the report of a pistol and
sent his head rocking. He was prob
ably as powerful a man as myself,
but much slower, much older and in
much poorer condition physically and
mentally. Mis bear-like rushes and
swings I evaded without difficulty,
sending his head backward with short,
quick blows until his wine-filled mind
whirled and he staggered as he tried
to reach me. My time had come and
deliberately T took full advantage of
it. For the first time I used my right
hand, sending it over his guard with
the vlciousness with which I would
have struck at. the head of a serpent.
He spun in his tracks, threw up his
hands and came down like a falling
wall.
1 stepped back, readjusted my coat
and stood waiting. Perhaps thirty
seconds later he stirred and climbed
"If I Don't Get You for Thi3, You Will Be the First One That Got Away
From Me."
to his feet after several unsuccessful
efforts and stood rocking in his tracks
as he wiped the blood from his face
and glared at me. "If I don't get you
for this you will be the first one that
ever got away from me," he said,
wickedly. For the second time that
night I laughed in his face.
"At any time and place that suits
you, Mackay. There is a beauty doc
tor a few blocks down the street —
open day and night, I believe. I wish
you a pleasant evenirtg with the devil
for your partner." He picked up his
hat, coughed once in his peculiar way
and disappeared without reply in the
direction of the lighted street. Al
though I knew that I had made on
unforgiving foe, against whom it had
been charged and almost proven had
more than once hired professional
thugs to half kill his enemies; know
ing also that there was no reason
why he might not do the same in my
case, I was still more than half glad
that the affair had happened. At any
rate, if he had any status beyond that
of a business agent with the woman
who had promised to be my wife, this
Incident would develop the fact. Even
though he was her financial guardian
he would be seriously embarrassed
should he attempt to uphold himself
In what he had done this night; and
certainly if she cared for me at all
she would express her satisfaction to
me over the outcozno. Nursing wy
sole Injuries, which were conflhed to I
a pair of battered knuckles, I went to
the nearest public telephone and
Palled her up. She answered rather
sleepily at first, her voice quickening
a bit as I told her what had hap
pened. But when I had finished I
waited In vain for her answer.
"Have you nothing to say?" 1 In
quired at length, rather coldly per
haps. Her voice came to my ears
again, strained, it seemed to me, and
somewhat expressionless.
"I very much regret that the afTair
happened. Certainly you did quite
right to protect yourself. Hut I am
really unfit to talk nny more tonight.
You may come and see me tomorrow
and tell me more about it, If you care
to. I wish you a restrul sleep after
your adventure. Good night."
Taking everything together, I went
homo fairly content. She had re
pulsed his attempt to call upon her;
had made no attempt to excuse him
for his actions then or later in his at
tack upon me; and all In all it had
been a bad night for the enemy. In
the nature of things, it was but
natural that she should be more or
I<RS perturbed over the two disagree
aDle events of the night, and I could
well appreciate that she might be re
luctant to talk of such matters over
a public telephone, with all Its pos
sibilities of unseen listeners. But I
was confident that she would express
herself with more warmth upon the
subject when we were together on the
morrow.
CHAPTER XIV.
Somewhat contrary to my expecta
tions, Mrs. Dace had little to say con
cerning the matter when I next saw
her. She accepted my version of the
episode practically without comment,
and when I tried to draw from her
some expression of sentiment on the
subject, she threw the whole matter
bodily out of our conversation with
the request that we talk about some
thing less unpleasant. In a measure
this disappointed me for the reason
that 1 felt that I was entirely In the
right and that she, therefore, should
have been rather more outspoken In
her approval of my actions. Still. I be
lieved that I understood her thoughts.
Mackay was her business agent; was
in a position to be of great service to
her, and for that reason she did not
care to antagonize him by coming out
in open partisanship over our disa
greements. I had given him a hand
some whipping and escaped unhurt
myself, and so far as I was concerned,
therefore, there had been no damage
done. I accepted this as the natural
solution of her desire to refrain from
further comment upon the matter.
From my own standpoint I considered
mj'self invulnerable to him, except in
the case of treacherous physical at
tack, and that I could guard against
by watchfulness. Figuratively speak
ing, I snapped my fingers In his face.
Of Uncle Abner, still mumbling and
grumbling like a bear stung upon the
nose by a bee, I saw as little as I
conveniently could. When I was at
home I kept myself pretty close
within my own quarters, and he sel
dom disturbed me beyond the occa
sional opening of the door to glare at
me for a moment and then close it
with a bang. In fact, he seemed to
more and more consider me as respon
sible for his loss by reason of my not
having been present upon the night of
the assault. The few attempts I
made to reestablish myself even par
tially in his favor met with such lit
tle success that I gave them up, leav
ing matters to take their natural
course. The securities that he had
previously kept in the safe he had
now deposited in the bank, even going
to the extent of reposing his gold
watch among them and buying a dol
lar timepiece for his dally use. The
experience of the night of the crime
had seemed to make an arrant cow
ard of him.
I had not Men LeDuc for several
days. I wag MiTlwa to mtot him, a*
I was wondering considerably what
he was up to, and was desirous of
questioning him as to progress. Brueo
I had hunted up on one occasion after
my interview with 'the detective, an<i
had found him in seemingly far beto
ter 6pirits than when I had last seea
him upon the day after the burglary.
He did not seem to hold it against ma
that I had charged hiin with having
had the key, telling me he had no
doubt but that I was honestly mista
ken. Hut when I made a slight al
lusion to his operations on the board,
he shut up tight as a clam, which of
course was unusual for Bruce. There
fore I did not -feel warranted In pur
suing the matter further. He was op
erating openly now and I thought a«
recklessly as ever, but whether hi»
deals were being made on his own ac
count or on behalf of some client II
had no Information beside what th»
detective h~.d given me. Clare wh!l»
equally uncommunicative about hi#'
business affairs, still remained defi
antly loyal to him.
"I don't believe there is a crooked 1
hair In Bruce's head; won't listen to*
anything that anybody may stiy i
against him, and have my own opln-i
ion of those who do," she assertedl
strenuously. I sincerely admired her
fealty and told her so as I emphatical
ly indorsed her views. Still I could
not help secretly acknowledging that
there were very ugly looking features
about the case that I would have con
sidered him wiser had he explained.
But he seemed rather inclined to
avoid me since the affair of the safe,
and as it was his business after all,
and as I did not care to be snubbed,
I went my way and allowed him togo
his without disturbance.
A few evenings later I happened to>
be standing In front of one of the
leading hotels. I had nothing In mind
that I cared to do, and was Idly watch
ing the passers-by when some on»
gave me a poke in the back and ®
turned to find LeDuc grinning at me.
We shook hands and sauntered off
together as I plied him for the latest
information. He was mystically eva
sive.
"Talk about hustling." he said,
with a short laugh. "A fly on a ban
quet table Is Idle beside the way I
have been buzzing around. If there
has been any busier man in town t
would like to stand somewhere and
behind something and watch him go
by. He'd whizz like a bullet. I havo
run down every possible clue that I
could get hold of and ti'ied out every
reasonable theory that I could conjure
up, and at last know pretty near
where to put my fingers next. Any
way, I know who stole the money." I
stopped short, seizing him by the
arm.
"Who?" I demanded. He pulled pie
along with him, gently shaking hia
head.
"Can't tell you Just yet. It is al
ways bad Judgment to let a cat out of
a bag until the right time comes.
But I know who he is and I will tell
you soon enough." Burning with im
patience to know whom he referred
to, but restrained from further ques
tioning by the manner of his refusal
to enlighten me, we continued our
way for some distance without fur
ther conversation. In a certain sense,
his statement was a shock to me, and
I could not rid myself of a haunting
impression that when he made his
disclosures there would be disagree
able facts revealed. Yet my curiosity
could hardly have been at a higher
point.
"Are you positive?" I ventured after
a while. If there was any doubt in
his mind as to the identity of the
criminal his voice did not betray it.
"As absolutely sure in my own mind
as though I had been hidden in the
room and seen him. But you know
proving these matters to the satisfac
tion of other people Is finite another
proposition, and it is the proof that
will convince those who do not wish
to be convinced that I am after now."
He turned to me with a slow scrutiny
of my face. "But I am going to get
that proof tonight, and I want you to
help me."
I pondered his proposition over
briefly. I could see no objection to
acting upon his suggestion, and it
might give me an inkling of whom he
had in his mind. Therefore after a
short reflection I agreed. "Very well,
I will give you any assistance that I
can. Where are you going and what
do you want me to do?" He pulled
out his watch.
"It Is nine o'clock now and Is aa
dark as It is going to be tonight. We
can take a stroll around and inspect
the place I want to visit. If the coast
is clear we will go ahead; if not we
can wait until It is." He uttered a
little chuckle. "For your information,
I will say that I am going to commit
a burglary on my own hook." I must
have hesitated a little In my pace,
for he laughed, and taking me by
the arm led me, half resisting, with
him.
(TO BR CONTINUED.)
Naming the Gerrymander.
The gerrymander was christened in
1813, although it must have been in
operation long before that. A stanch
old Federalist, Gov. Elbridge Gerry,
controlled through his legislature the
redisricting of Massachusetts under
the census of 1810.
In the office of Benjamin Russell, an
ardpnt Republican editor, hung a map
of the state as newly subdivided by
Gerry and his men. Gilbert Stuart's
ready pencil whimsically added to the
outlines of a grotesque district the
wings and tail of a dragon
"Ha!" he said when he had fin
ished. "How's that for a salaman
der?"
The Republican Russell growled:
"Petter call It a Gerrymander" And
American politicians have taken hi*
fcdvic*. —TU# Independent.