Daily Republican., 1882-05-25

|
If
Anne Bardulph was not very youth.
full, nor was she particularly handsome
aud she was housekeeper for the ailing
Mrs. Dorman.
This invalid lady resided in fine
wooden house of many rooms, through
which ran wide hall with walls OF
Pompelian red, and a git-edged cell
ing that was painted iu some curious
and uncertain tint Of pale, pinkish
brown. Tho floor was tessellated in
brown and red, and the dark, carved
doors opened upon columnar poiticO
with broad, brown steps leading down
upon great lawn tianked with thic 4
trees of beech and pine.
Across the greenipg lawn in the
s~eet April sunshine, walked Anne
Bardulph-a slim, Straight woman
| with regular and severe features, and
wonderfully large eyes of darkest
gray. She had an abundance of neatl y
arranged dark hair, and she was neatly
attired in servicable suit Of some
c,inging, dull blue fabric, with collar
and cuffs of linen-white, prim and
| immaculate.
Two young men coming upon the
pOrtico saw her-an interesting aud
not unlovely figure moving under the
grim, whispering pines.
"The housekeeper of madame pleases
you-her you admire, perhaps" one re-
marked rather quizzingly,
"Would you suggest that Miss Bar
dulph may not merit admiration" re-
turned the other evasively, and with
some perceptible irritation.
"I now do nothing suggest" was the
protest, in sharp foreign accents. 81
here am come to see much, too much
think; but nothing say until the-how
say you to it?--till the one exposure
grand.
Tory Dormon smoked thoughtfully
for several silent minutes. Finally he
tossed away his cigar and turned to-
ward his companion
"D'Eiselly," he began pleasantly,
"you are here ostensibly only as my
guest and intimate frieud-"
"On the what do you call the osten-
sible impose not" interrupted Louis
D. Razslly quickly and proudly. 81
but the detective am-the servitor
hired of madame to her diamonds of
value find, and The thief to discover.
eyes, l know" interposed the
young gentleman, uut have become
aware of yOur worth as man, and |
really regard you az friend.
No friend will ever be more warmly
welcomed to my home than you.
T ah
not be likely to confess to you that l
have been refused by Miss Bardulph--
for whom" he supplemented gently
and with hesitation-T fancy you
have a tender preference, even
though you would appear to disparsge
her."
The young Frenchman WINGED, and
in his bright black eyes was an express
sion of trouble aud distrust, as he gazed
steadily toward the stately pines that
loomed in sharp spires against the
swt ct blue April sky.
"It ia SO, he acknowledged, present
ly hot color reddening his swarthy
face ''Fo- her have lhe one liking
that is very tender; bat also have the
doubt that is much and not good.
"What of this do you think %
D'Razelly-who had become de.
tective only because he had an odd and
inborn fondness for what he considered
an exciting and most delectable vaca-
tion--opened what one would presume
to be, from its exterior appearance,
quantity bound book and nothing
more. it was, however, a detective
camera" by which he had shortly be-
fore obtained, and without her knowl-
edge, several striking photographs Of
the woman of " hom he had been speak
ing SO obviously.
"What of this do you think ?" he It'll
rated, exhibiting picture of Miss Bar
duiph as she was standing in curious
attitude of eager and fearful interest
beneath one of the great beech trees be.
yond the lawn. AT her feet, beside q
pile of mogs and stones, opened a small
cavity, over which she was bending
while holding low in loosening grasp,
what was quite surely number Of
jeweled ornaments.
81 do not know what to think
enunciated Mr.. Dorman, in tones of
dismay. "It would seem that my
hOUt tl JSWclS udN6 Dtcu StCIoJou III
that place; and l should say Anne has
discovered the depository"
"If that is 80, why to you or to the
madame honored, she come Dot-ali 30
glad, 80 animate--and tell the one dis
coyery so happy and not to be under.
stood?" D'Raz 5lly demanded with en-.
phasis.
"But-good heavens, Louis! do yon
mean that you suspect Miss Bardulph
of any wrong doing?" was the panied
exclamation. 81 must absolutely re-
fuse to believe that Anne-that inge-
NOUS and serious girl, with her pure
eyes aud innocent brow---is a thief?
Although there may be something in.
detinable and mysterious about her. l
could never associate with the mystery
of crime anything she might do"
She was but his mothers housekeep
er; sho had refused his love, and the
name and station he would have given
her, yet was he right royal friend,
and would not listen unmoved or &C.
quiAscent to any Accusations made
against he".
While D'Razeliy, who professed for
ber tender liking, although he
doubted her much, shrugged his spruce
sighed and looked vastly
and melancholy, albeit
=. ia l.