Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-12-05
HYDE Is THE TH1EF."


Bruce gazcd at the mysterious writ
ing in awe. This, man so positive in
his nature, had, strange to say. n con-
fused belief in clairvoyance. He read
it again, folded it reverently and placed
it in his pocketbook.
If there had been any doubts in his
mind as to the identity of the thief
before his discovery of this mysterious
accusation, they We're at once dis
PEELED.
All that remained to be done was to
trace the marked bills He went out
and hunted up the constable, whom he
took into his confidence
This worthy notified all parties with
whom the thief would be at all like1 y
to have any dealings to be on the look
ont for the marked bank notes.
Bruce went home that night tired
but inwardly satisfied
After the exhibition of so much sa.
gacity, it would have been well if he
had been content to let matters take
their own course.
Never dreaming that his daughter
would refuse to credit the evidence
which to his mind was irrefutable,
Bruce called Miss Edith to him and ar
raigned the absent clerk.
The result might have been foreseen.
Viewed through spectacles of common
sense. the evidence against Hyde did
lot amount to anything more than sus-
picion.
Very naturally, too, the girl resented
what looked to her like n mean 1ttempt
to injure her lover.
If you want to insure your rivals
success with lady. injnre him-the
more deeply the better for him.
1t was stormy scene. and ended in
an apology which cost Bruce an effort.
He retired second time discounted.
yet inwardly of the same opinion. Tom
Hyde was the thief, and he would prove
it in 4 manner that would leave even
that partisan daughter of his no room
for doubt.
Now, q new servant lad been recent
ly added to the establishment of Mr..
Bruce. This was Nora Mccormick,
who had not been forty eight hours on
the place before two things had hap
pened to her. First, she had made cap
tive the heart of strapping young
countryman of hers, who did odd jobs
about the neigh borhood. and who re-
joiced in the n anne of Grattan Flynn.
Be it known that Jaynes Bruce's ex-
ecutive ability did not con fine itself en-
tircly to his business. Oh no. IT was
a pet idea of his that women have no
system or order about them. and so
periodically he went over the house
from cellar to eupola, dragging with
him the domestics, who turned pale at
his approach.
When n new servant was hired, he
read the unfortunate a lecture on wha t
was expected of her, which resulted in
the servant leaving the house at once
in a rage, or taking refuge in tears and
Mysteries.
In either case Bruce was an object of
terror ever afterward. This was the
second thing worthy of note that had
happened to Nora
1t was Nora's night out, and conse-
quently late when she was escorted
home by the gallant and attentive
Flynn. They sat down on the rustic
bench beneath the maple tree.
They had sat there but a few min
utes when the chill air caused Nora ito
go inside for wrap"
She stepped into the woodshed.
Scarcely had she disappeared when
the tree across lots.
A moment later the moonlight re-
vea1ed the features of Jaynes Bruce.
Grattan had n wholesome dread of
Bruce's anger, inspired by the latter
when Flynn was doing work for him.
Stealing from behind the tree, which
had hitherto sheltered him from obser-
walton, Flynn came to the edge of the
long-neglected well, now nearly filed
in by the broken glass. old boots and
odds anG ends of rubbish, for which il
had long, formed convenient reposi-
tory.
Into this he slipped.
Above the humping of his heart he
heard the footsteps draw nearer.
Presently that organ stood still, for
o lace appeared over the verge and
pessed vaeartly into the darkness