St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-11-25

the evening to my brief instead of to
Dora Lyme. The latter was the daugh-
ter OF a solicitor in good practice, and
was herself very pretty, bright look
ing girl, who would, ! was compelled to |
admit, be a most desirable Vile 1or a /
Young unknown harris er.
] was thoroughly fond of Alice, and
she was my chosen confidante whenever
i needed one; but I could not tell her
even that the true reason which pre-
vented Dora Lyne.s brown eyes ana
sweet voice making their due inn
preston on me was the remembrance OF
a face seen but during three-hours'
railway Journey, a face with dark gray
eyes and quiet, thoughtful expression.
and Of voice heard at somewhat rare
intervals in the space OF time, whose
sull, low-pitched tones still vibrated IN
my imagination. Alice woald have
been too good natured to laugh at me,
! but felt sure that, had she known the
state of the case, she would have enter
tanned, and probably expressed. fears
| that overstudy had affected my brain
an opinion that would probably have
been shared by all persons whose
characteristic was commOn-sense.
Miss Lyme, perceiving that Alice was
yexed with me. and wishing. think, to
show that she did not share the feeling,
i called me over to look at some prints
and photographs which she was examln-
I ing.
ibid You show Mr.. Lestrange the sketch
| Won found in that book Pr s4sz.4f jafzs5
No. said Alice; II forgot it. You
4 will find it in that volume OF the stones
4 of Venice on my table, Richard. II IS
4 really beautiful sketch. | wonder how
1 it came to be forgotten in the book. :
i [ brought the book to Dora Lyme. who
!. turned over the leaves until she found
the drawing, which she put into my
hands The moment saw it uttered
an exclamation of surprise, which
brought my cousin at once to my side.
i It was a spirited water-colored sketch
i of mans head dark, foreign look
& ing face surmounted by a red cap. 1t
was, however, neither the skill of the
, artist nor the picturesque beauty OF the
! model that attracted my attention; it
. was the fact that in the somewhat pc
culiar features of the latter recognized
those OF my client, Luigi Bernini.
..What an odd coincidence" said
Alice. when had explained. II won
, der who could have taken the sketch
, some one who knows how to handle
, brush.'' she added, looking critically at
7 it. .sSee, here are initials and date,
but they are so faint that cannot make
: them out
Let me try said Dora; Il have
good sight" She took the sketch over
to the lamp and serutinized it closely.
..W. M. d.. but cannot make out the
date. Stay. I have it. May 10th, Is
MAY 1Oth-Why, that was the very
day of the robbery I said. Then the
full significance of this date flashed sud
denly upon me, and absolutely turned
giddy. 1.-THE alibi!" I gasped-.. il
we could find the man Who did that
sketch, we might succeed in proving the
aIibi.' Dora Lyme grasped my meaning mn
with ready quickness.
. Morrison's Library that book came
t from, was it not. Alice. They ought t
] be able to tell you there who had it on
i or immediately after. the 10th OF May:
} =. And the person. whoever she or he
: is, will have to be hunted up" ! said
/ .sand there's 80 little time. This j:
J, Monday, and the trial is fixed fol
: Wednesday. / suppose Morrison's i
Z closed by this. Alicep''
r Indeed, it Isl she answered. 1ol
: would find no one there now but a care
J taker. You must just wait patientl,,
!. until tomorrow, Richard.
o Ishad perforce to wait; as to the pa
4 fence with which I did SO, the less sail
Y the better.
{ The following morning found me a
: Morrison Library. On explaining m.
d business, i was referred to the clerk il
s charge Of the library department, iron
Y whom / totally failed to obtain the re
il auired information. The Young ma
NJ who usually attended to that part OF th
7 business was away; if ! could call mex
d week
/ Iintimated with what appeared to me
i at the time, most praise Worthy self-con
n :trol, that next week would not do, CIV
o ing a partial explanation OF the circum
J. stances But the clerk, although appar
!, emily willing to help me. protested him
Ii self quite unable to do SO.
q s. OH see. sir, he said, IF you want
i. ed to know what book any subscribe
i had ont at ID given time could Rroba
IS bly, tell you. but as for ascertaining th
e Whereabouts OF special book-it.s a
e impossibility. If you like to look owe
d our entries for yourself, You are we
= come to do so.
+; / accepted this offer, and spent goo
e part of The day turning over the blotte
u pages wherein were Inscribed the name
h and corese of reading Of the subscriber
4 to Morrison S. And an unprotitab]
d mornings work it was. The reeor
ct was to all appearance imperfectly KEEP
s. and / tailed to trace the second .yolum