X - STRYKER’S HANDKERCHIEF––––––––
IT WAS soon after this, that the reporter, Pinckney, came again to see Avice. The girl liked the wide-awake young man, and granted him an interview.
“Shall I announce your engagement to Judge Hoyt?” he asked, gravely, but with intense interest.
“No, indeed!” said Avice, with spirit.
“You’re not going to lose all that fortune?”
“Not necessarily. But I object to having my engagement announced before it has taken place! Oh, do all these things have to be in the papers?”
“Certainly they do; and that’s why you’d better tell me the truth than to have to stand for all the yarns I’d make up.”
“Oh, don’t make up a lot of stuff, please don’t!”
“Well, I won’t, if you’ll give me a few facts to work on. First, do you think that Swede killed your uncle?”
“Oh,
