The Mystery Girl

ef, for she made no friends at the Adams house. Nor was this the fault of her fellow-boarde

ure and her manners were correct, but, as one persisten

seat next Old Salt, seeming to rely on him to protect her from the advances of the others. Not that

tery-and mysterie

ould have denied an imputation of curiosity, were exceedingly interested

truth, but, as he did on rare occasions, Old Salt Adams

ays here, she's not to be pestered by a lot of gossiping old hens. When she does anything y

h because of Adams' dictum as be

straight in the eyes, and then, with a monosyllabic repl

New York or where, Miss Austin?' and she turned those big, black eyes on me, and said, 'Where.' Then

o act like that,"

" Miss Bascom returned. "She's to

's experienced? What

mean when anything is discussed at the table, she doesn't say a word, but you can tell from her face tha

w, but that doesn't make her out

she's twenty-fiv

world! I'm goi

laughed. "You'll get

Mrs. Welby on, and she took the fir

the girl was about to go out

id, playfully. "You rarely give

forced to pause. She looked the older woman over, with an a

ising inflection, that somehow s

y was not so

better. You're too young and too pretty not to be a gene

e so grave, and seemed to hold such a world of wi

girl get past her, and out of the stre

ng Miss Bascom of the interview. "I give you my

ndred! What

d to hold all there is of

m rolled this suggestion like a

ere's anything wro

epths of evil, I should say

house, until, by exaggeration and imagination it grew into quite a respectable arraig

se a week, she had definitely settled

ke, save when necessary. It was as if she had declared, "

determination, and allowed her to sit next

tion meant for her and for this he sometimes received a fleeti

ous than was shown by her disinclination to make friends. They concluded she was transacting important business

and urged her husband to send the

stery, but not a wrong one, 's far's I can make o

lt, that girl don't hardly sleep at all. Night after night, she sit

o you

Adams admitted, without embarrassmen

an't s

up and down-and Miss Bascom-her room's cornerways on the ell, she say

, and I'd put her out of this hous

u're all set up because

that child makes much of me! I wish s

ike fashion. What men see in a pair of big bla

aid, reflectively; "oliv

ms, and with that cryptic re

Adams house. But as he took no meals there save his breakfast

e chanced to be late, and t

ame interested in the girl, and realized that to w

erest commonplaces, until almost

n? If you would care to hear any of th

e the s

him, and Gordon Lockwood marv

ng is to lecture on Egyptian Archae

"very much so.

may, then. Just

and gave it to her. Without another word, he finished his

took on a more scru

eeding the maid, who was at her duties there, the girl t

" she said to herself,

as she murmured the words half al

d inquiringly in front of her. "I don't mind your being here until you finish what you h

ma'am. Twi

ed and returne

ay have this to keep.

The Egyptian Lecture was mentioned, and in another column was

completed, left the room, she noticed Miss Austin still staring at

of scissors, and cut out the portrait

hich she then locked in her trunk, and

ent alone, for Gordon Lockwood did not re

you be up?" she asked of Mrs.

oked at her kindly. "You're lucky to get a t

aid Miss Austin

when she arrived, and her ticket en

n study, or, at least, sat motionl

after she was in her place, he quietly arose and we

he student of human nature gave hims

surmounted by a small turban shaped hat, of taupe colore

for Miss Austin was smartly groo

en material, ornamented with many small buttons. These tiny buttons formed two rows down her bac

ttle balls, rather than buttons, and he

ad a trifle, but she sat as mo

patiently waited for the lecture to

s the applause resounded all over the room, Lockwood

would have said that she trembled. At any rate she was a little agitated, and it was with an effort that she

er to leave the face of the speaker, and Lockwood mar

he audience, never rested definitely on any one f

e a mystery. But you're too young and too innocent to be-I'm not so sure of the innocent, though,-and as to youth,-well, I don't believe you're much older than you look any way. And you're c

in the writing of it, and almost knew it by heart anyway. But he was real

other boarders to make friends with her, but he had faith

His account of the girl's beauty and charm had first roused Lockwo

n across the collar. The vertical rows he could not b

. There's a sadness in her eyes that must mean something. Yet there's more

n sentences in his life! Yet he knew he was not mistaken. All that he had read in Anita Austin's face,

er, Miss Austin went hom

but he had to remain to report to Doctor

er a short interview with his emp

of what he knew to be Miss Austin's room. He fancied he heard a stifled sob

followed, quickly suppressed, but he c

to go back and ask Mrs. Adams to

ry for any reason, it was not his place to send someone to intrude upon her. He went on to h

the speaker with attention and interest. He remembered every detail of her appearance, her prett

etter let her alone. She's a siren all right, but you know

in the hall. Low of tone,

Austin was saying; "I te

ice, "what if she did? It was only a newspape

he had no reason to touch it; it was on the dresser-standing up

Tomorrow we will ask h

raid she de

Don't take on so.

rinth G

new

one she brought m

, you can get another copy. What

thing s

curiosity was aroused now.

ure of Doctor Waring, the

goodness! Why, you can get

want

spoke louder than she meant to, but at any rate, Lockwood heard

ph? Would you care to h

at him with a wh

eavesdrop and listen to a conversation no

pixie defying a giant. For Lockwood was a big man, and l

I don't mean any harm. But you wanted a picture of Doctor Wa

! His privat

e has few confidences. He's a publi

poise, and with it her ability to be s

thinking far more of the girl he was

rsonality. He watched her, fascinated, as she reached out

wned behind h

hild," she said with a kind, motherly smil

wanted to know why Miss Austin wanted that picture so much. But she didn't find out. After being of such help as she could, the landlady found herself pleasantly but defin