Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-10-23
"You may be sure it is urgent.

J
to Louis smiled Louis's betrothed.-
"You would question nothing he might
do. You are an exemplary brother and
sister. You are very devoted.'
"Very devoted,' said Leslie.
The maid had re- entered the room.
She had Il note which she gave to Miss
Radctsky. The latter opened and read
1T through. She was rather silent for
awhile. Then she got up and with
some passing excuse went out.
! A half hour later she seturned dress
ed for the street.
"Wil you let me have the brougham9
l have thought Of something | want IN
town. I shall have time to drive in and
back before dinner
Cant send some onc?' asked
Helen.
"No, prefer to 60 myself.''
"Just as you like, Of course. Natur-
ally, ring for the brougham whenever
you please.
1t was a crisp autumn afternoon and
the horses travelled rapidly. When
they reached town Miss Radetsky stop
ped at large shop and badc the coach
man wait. She walked through the
crowded aisles lesurely and finally issu
cd into another street through all oppo.
site door. Then she began to accelerate
her step. She walked about ten minutes
and stopped at length before bachelor
apartment house She took the elevator
and rang at door. 1t opened almost
simultaneously and she entered large
room with partly drawn curtains
Louis closed and double locked the
door again.
By this time Leslie had become ac-
customed to the seeming obscurlty.
When Louis turned she saw his face
distinctly. A tremor seized her knees
and hands. She sank into a chair and
fastened her eyes upon him.
"Tell the whole truth" she said.-
''something horrible has happened. |
haye felt the catastrophe coming Ions
time"
He had thrown himself down beside
her. His beauty was defaced like a
Greek god prone in the dust.
He began in broken phrases, which
lllumned the situation for the listening
woman as flashes Of lightnin illumcs a
black landscape.
Leslie never spoke.
X
The last carriage rolling away from
Miss Nassar's ball faced the late rising
moon. The day had been cool and the
night had a warning Of winter.
There were sounds Of closing doors,
Of moving footsteps, about the great
house for half an hour or more. On the
landing of the first floor Helen said good
night to her guest and the women sepa.
rated and went to their rooms. The
last light was extlnguished after time
and everything sank Into silence.
The creaking Of door woke no echo
in the wide hall. A window at the end
of it admitted moonlight cloisteral In
its whicncss. 1t Just touched softly
stepping figure dressed in black. In
black, of course. How could one cell
what trick stray moonbeam falling on
white might play.
Miss Vassar slept behind locked
doors. But between her bedroom and
the hall was small boudoir. There
was moonlight enough here Also
Enough. at least, to see ones way to the
curious cabinet Of inlaid japanese wood
that stood in one corner. A fragile
thing in appearance, but not fragile IN
reality, unless you happened to know
the mechanism of its secret drawers.
When you did, what more easy than
to touch spring and assist the hinge
that noiselessly turned, exposing tie
indistinct contour of the well-known
Golfer behind The box was light Of
weight, despite the value it represented.
But those swift, dexterous fingers had
no thought of carrying it. Already
they had pressed the secret spring lock
that opened it and lifted the padded
tray. Just then the moon passed under
cloud. But there was no possibility
of mistake in the touch of those cold
chained stones, slipping, like snake,
against the palm. This was the won-
derful Vassar necklace, enriched, in
three successive generations, by gems
scarce anywhere to be matched.
The tray replaced, the Golfer put back
the hinge turned. The Japanese cabi-
net stood in it's corner as if no alien
touch had violated it. The dark figure,
! in the light Of the reappearlng moon,