South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-12-15
Eomney hampshire County, West Va December U.s. 1882

ten in the book
brought the book 10 Dora Lyme.
who turned over the leaves until she
found the drawing. which she put in.
to my hands. The moment | saw il
| uttered an exclamation OF surprise
which brought my cousin mt once to
my side.
1t was a spirited water oolored
sketch of mans head-a daik, for.
eign.looking face surmoun,ed by o
red cap. 1t was, however. neither
the skill of the artist nor the pic,ur-
esque beauty of the model that attract.
ed my attention it was in the fac.
that in tho somewhat peculiar features
OF the latter recognized those of my
client. Luigi Bcrnini
What an odd coincidence?' said
Alice when had explained. Il won.
der who could have taken the sketch
some one who knows how to handle
brush, she added. looking critical
~ at it. See Lere are initials and a
date, but they are SO faint that / eau.
not make them out
Let me try said Dora; L have
good sight She took the sketch
yer TO the lamp and scrutinized 1t close
ly. Nv. nj. d., but l cannot make
out the date. Stay, / have it. May
10th, 49,
May l0-why, that was the very
day OF the robbery suid. Then
tho full significance of this du,e flash
ed suddenly upon me and [ absolute.
~ turned giidy. The alibi / | gasp
ed If we could find the man who
did that sketch we might succeed in
proving the aiibi.' Dora Lyme grasp
ed my meaning with ready quick
ness
'Morrison's library that book came
from, was it not, Alicea They ough,
to be able to tell you there who had
1t on. or Immediately after, the 10th
OF May
And the person, whoever sho or
he ID, Will have to be hunted up ]
SAID, and there's so little time. This
IS Monday. and the trial is fixed for
Wednesday. 1 suppose Morrison
is closed by this, AIicey'
Indeed it is sho answered. You
would find no one there now but a
caretaker. You must wait patiently
until tomorrow, Richard
! had perforce TO wait, US to the
patience with which did 50, the less
said the better.
The following morning found me
at Morrison s library. On explaining
my business | was referred to ,ht
clerk i'll charge OF the library depart
ment, from whom | totally failed to
obtain the required information. The
young man who usually attended &c
that part OF the business was away
If could call next week
intimated with what appeared &c
me, at the time. most praiseworthy
! sclf-conrrol, that next week wonld
not do, giving partial explanation
of the circumstances. But the clerk
although apparently willing to help
me, proiessed himself quite unable to
/ do go.
You see, SIR he said, If you wan.
ted TO know what book any subscIi-
Der had out at given time could
probably tell YOU, but as for ascertain
ing the whereabouts Of u special book
it's an impossibiIiiy. Ii you like to
look over our entries for yourself, you
are welcome TO do So
accepted this offer, and spent q
good part of the day il turning over
the blotted pages wherein were in.
scribed the names and course OF read.
ing Of the subscribers TO Morrison 8
Aud an Improbable morning it was.
The record was to all appearance i'm.
perfectly kept, and | failed to trace
the second volume Of the Stones OF
Venice through a period of longer
than three weeks, during which il had
twice changed hands.
Some hours more were spent in
hunting up The persons in whose pos.
session il had been for that length OF
time, neither of whom could give any
Information concerning the sketch -
An application to Berniui himself was
equally fruitless lie remembered
that lady and gentleman whom he
had met during his wanderings had
asked him TO cit TO them, but he did
not know who they were, nor could
he even make it clear where the Incl.
dent bad occurred.
returned home at dinner-time.
tired and bafiled, to report my failure
to Alice and her husband, from whom
! re eived much sympathy but no
suggestion OF any practical value
bad given mp hope, and was endeav.
oribg to dismiss the subject from my
thoughts, when late in the evening
the ball bell door sounded and = NEE
sage came mp that a person wanted 10
speak TO Mr.. Lestrange. Going down
] found waiting for me a brIght.look-
ing boy, one OF the shop assistants ut
Mr. Morrison's. who had been for a
short time aiding in my investigation