The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-12-12

| needed one; but could not tell her
even that The true reason which prevent
ed Dora Lyne's brown eyes and sweet
voice making their due impression on
me was the remembrance of face seen
but during three-honrs' railway jour-
ney,a lace with dark gray eyes and quiet,
thoughtful expression, and of voice
heard at somewhat rare intervals in the
space of time, whose full, low-pitched
tones still vibrated 10 my Imagination.
Alice would haze been too good-natured
to laugh at me, but felt sure that, had
che known the state of the case, she
would have entertained, and probably
expressed, fears that overstudy had az
fected my brain-an opinion shat would
probably have been shared by all per
sons whose characteristic was common
sense.
Miss Lyme, perceiving that Alice wa:
vexed with me, and wishing, I think, tc
show that she did not share the feeling
called me over tc look at some prints
and photographs which she was examin
ing.
"Alice,' said Miss Lyme at length, 'dit
You show Mr. Lestrange the sketch yol
found in that book2"
"No," said Alice; 81 forgot 1t. Yo,
will find it in that volume of the Stones
Of Venice on my table, Richard. 1t il
really beautiful sketch. wonder hov
it came to he forgotten in the hook"
brought the book to Dora Lyme who
turned over the leaves until she found
the drawing which she put into lnJ
hands. The moment | saw it l utteret
an exclamation surprise which brough
nv cousin at once to my side.
1t was q spirited water-color sketch o
mans heai-a dark, foreign-lookins
face surmounteh by red cap. 1t was
however, neither the skill Of the artist
nor the picturesque beauty Of the mode
that attracted nv attention; it was tas
fact that in The somewha: peculiar fea
lures of the latter | recogniz d those 3
my client, Luigi Bernini. s
"Wbat an odd coincidence !" said Al.
ice when had explained. 81 wonder
who could have taken the sketch-some
one who knows how to handle brush,
she added, looking critically at it. "See
here are initials and date, but they are
so faint that cannot make them out. y
"Let me try" said Dora; L have good
sight" She took the sketch over to the
lamp and scrutInized It closely. Nv
NJ. D, but | cannot make out the date
Stay, have it. May 10, Is ="
"May 10-why that was the very day
of the robbery" said. Then The fuli
significance OF the date flashed suddenly
upon me and l absolutely turned giddH
THE albi!" gasned; "if we could fiad
the man who did that sketch we might
succeed in proving the alihi1n Dora Lyme
grasped my meaning with ready quick
ness
"Morrison's Library that hook came
from, was it not, Alice? They ought
to be able 10 tell you there who had it
on, or immediately after, the 10th OF
May"
"And the person, whoever he or she
is, will have to be hunted up," said,
land there is so little time, This is Mon
day, and the trial is fixed for Wednes.
day. ! suppose Morrison's is closed by
this Alice"
"Indeed 1t is," she answered. "Yuu
would find no one there but csre-taker.
lou musl just wait patiently until to-
morrow, Richard"
| bad perforce to wait; as to the pa
iience with which | did so the less said
the better.
The following morning found me at
Morrison's Library. On explaining my
business / was referred to the clerk in
charge of the library department, from
whom totally failed to obtain the re-
quired information The young man
who usually attended to that part of the
business was away; il could call next
week"
/ in;imated with what appeared to me
ct the time most praiseworthy self con-
troll, that next week would not do, giving
partial explanation Of the circumstan-
ces. But the clerk, although apparently
willing TO help me. professed himself
qnite unable to do so.
"You see, sir" he said, ssif you want.
ed to know what book any subscriber
had out at given time, l could proba
bly, tell you, hut as for ascertaining the
whereabouts OF special book-il's ar
impossibili,y. If you like TO look ovel
our entries for yourself you are welcome
to do So"
l accepted this offer and spent good
part of the day turning over the blotted
pages wherein we're inscribed the name.
and course of reading of the subscribers
to Murrison's. And an Improbable
mornings work it was. The record was
to all appearances imperfectly kept, and
| failed TO trsce the second volume o.
the ''Stones OF Venice" throughia period
longer than three weeks, during which /
had twice changed hands
Some hours more were spent in hunt
ing up the persons in whose possession
it bad heen for that length of time, nei
ther Of whom could give any informa
tion concerning the sketch. An apDlics
ton to Bernini himself was equally
frultless He remembered that lady
and gentleman whom be had met during
his wanderings had asked him TO sit tt
them, but be did not know who they
were, nor could he even make it ciea
where the incident occurred.
returned home at dinner time, ,iret
and bsffled, to report my failure TO Alic
and her husband, from whom receives
much sympathy but no suggestion of an.
practical value. / had given up hop
and was endeasoring to dismiss the sub
ject from my Thoughts. when late in th
evening the hall door bell sounded an,
message came up that person wante
to speak to Mr.. Lestrange. Going dow
I found waiting for me bright lookin
hoy. one of The shop assistants at Nor
rison's, who had been for short tim
aiding 10 my investigation OF the Ell
tries
81 think I have what you want, sir,
he sad, as | entered the room ut Wa
in my mind all that day that had give
out that hook to some one, couldn
think who, and chance word that
heard this evening brought it all hack I
NE like fash. 1t was to Mrs. Frencl
of Redcourt. that gave it, and it mu
have heen on the 81 or 4th Of Ma,
| Haro 10 Tho Iadu'a namo ond oddrae