Passaic City record., 1891-10-17
nea though 1 was, for the life of me

red though L was, for the life OF me L
could not help looking round.
An ordinary hotel bedroom; the COM
monplace furniture, the pink -and-whlte
hangings, the cheap paper on the walls
But it seemed adorned and frightened
by the occupation of the beautiful crea-
ture that called it-temporar1y-h
A subtle, indefinable charm pervaded 1t.
A few dainty touches-lace on the look
ine-glass, ribbons to the bed-ctrta1ns,
photographs in gay plush frames-qulte
changed the character of the room. Nor
was the eye the only sense gratified. l
was conscious also of vague but pene-
trating perfume, some delicate and fay-
orite scent, plentifully used, and pro-
ceeding probably from the dresses hang
ing behind the door. or the richly
embroidered handkerchief sachet lying
by an ivory glove-box on the chest of
drawers, or from the dressing table, with
its toilet appliances, bottles and pots,
and the thousand odds and ends that
most pretty women delight to use.
My eye travelling round the room and
noting it's contents, with the half trem-
bling pleasure of an intruder tasting for
hidden fruit, rested last and longest on
this dressing table.
There, Just as 1 was about to leave the
room, where had already fingered too
long, I encountered a sudden and unex-
pected shock.
Just in front of the satin pin-cushion,
before the looking glass, was little sill
YER tray. what the French call vide
poche. Han dozen trifles-trinkets,
keys, and what not, lay heaped together,
and among them was a tortoise-shell pin.
The impulse to take it up and examine
it was perfectly irresistible.
Yes, it was the exact fellow of that l
had found in No. SO.
What an extraordinary chance! The
luck that Hasnip exultingly claimed was
really mine Here were new facts; proofs
almost overwhelming indeed, of Miss
Bertrams completely in the crime.
Coul3 there be any doubt of it now? l
had heard her own confession that it was
she who had visited No. SO. This was
corroborated by what saw here with my
own eyes. In the privacy of her bed
chamber, and with every ground for pre-
suming it to be her property, was a hair
pin exactly similar to that dropped in the
room of the murdered man.
Surely this was enough to justify the
strongest Notwithstanding more.
Yet could not bring myself to con-
denim hel, but she could justify herself I
was sure. She had told me that herself,
although not in so many words.
/ paused, doubling, hesitating to ab-
solve entirely, yet hardly daring to con-
denim.
Then, as waited, I was aroused to the
fact that had no right to be whore I was;
that if discovered it would be difficult
nay, impossible-to excuse my presence;
in no case could I be found there with
out more or Iess compromising MISS Ber-
tram.
So turned to go, having the hair-pin
still in my hand. But had l any
right to that, either? 1t was hers; if I
took it should be no better than a thief
And if I left it there-this important,
compromising elew-and it
fell into other hands? Into Hasnip's, for
instance, who would move heaven and
earth to secure it?
Miss Bertram would be lost, absolutely
lost, and although l knew not whether to
blame Or exonerate, l still wished to
help her.
Il will keep the pin at any rate, for the
present" I said to myself. ut will be
safest for her." And then I slipped eau
tiously and quickly out of the room into
the corridor, which led me back to No. 80.
r-f, RE CONTINUED