Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-08-23

On three days in the week Bertha
gave lessons in music and singing at a
school. and these occupied nearly the
day; on the intervening DAYS she had
other lessons. But there were inter-
walls between, and on the morning after
the discovery Of the ring she took adj
vantage of one of these intervals, and
set off to find the house she had seen
the man stop at on the evening before.
She had no difficulty in recognizing
the china and glass shop, and thinking
her best plan would be to make inquiry
there first, she went in. A young man
came forward, and she explained her
errand, without however specifying the
lost article.
1t was rs she had been inclined to
suspect-the upper part Of the house
did not belong to the owners of the
shop, but was let off in apartments.
They had only one occupant at present
"a lady lately come from abroad. If
the man rang at the private door, he
had most likely called to see that lady,
the shopman said. lie advised Bertha
to ring and ask for Mrs. Lemont.
Accordingly Bertha went to the pri-
waite door and rang. 1t was opened by
stout elderly mau-Servant, who, on
learning her errand, uShered her up
stairs. He showed her into the draw
ing-room, placed chair for her, and
said he would tell his mistress.
Mrs. LemOnt Will not know my
name, said Bertha, as she gave the
man her card; "but please say Will
not detain her many minutes"
Bertha had to wait a while, during
which time she had leisure to take a
survey of the room. 1t was furnished
much like the generality of better-class
lNltrsYAfr,s. Inf thnr-o
tered about that seemed to indicate lux
urious and expensive habits on the part
of the present occupants. The centre
table was graced with bouquet of rare
dollhouse flowers. Near them lay an
opera-glaSS set in mOther-Ot-pearl and
/ ormolu, and fan of peacOck'S feath-
ers. An open wOrk-bOx displayed the
gold uOuntiuCs within, and an Indian
| cashmere was thrown negligently over
the arm of the couch 4 small white
| poodle, which sprung up with q shriTl
| bark as Bertha entered, had been repos-
ing in basket lined with quilted crim-
son SIi-. and in gilt cage by the WIN
dow were a couple of Java SparrowS.
Presently the door opened. and a
1 richly and rather SLOWLY dressed lady
came fOTward-a lady still young. and
with considerable personal attractions,
| though the high color and abundant
dark tresSes were not without suspicion
/ of some aid from art. But the express
| sion of the face was not agreeable,
/ owing to the hard lines of the thin lips,
/ and the cold glitter Of the black eyes,
| which We're set too near together.
Whether it was due to this circum-
stance, or to some vague resemblance
that could not be put into words. Der.
/ tina faneied she detected a likeness be-
! tween the person before her and her
| fellow-trayeler of the evening before.
And vet what relationship could exist,
/ she asked herself. between this hand
some, well-dresSed woman and that de-
| cldedly shabby and disreputable-look-
| ing parsonage?
Bertha re-seated herself at Mrs. Le-
| mont's invitation, and again briefly re-
| lated that she had found an article
| that she had noticed in the possession
of person in the omnibus in which
she had happened to be riding, and that
the person had alighted and rung at
Mrs. Lemont's door. Again she did
not mention the article found: she felt