The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1893-05-27

of the sharpest eyes or ears in the draw
! ing-room.
Mrs. Maynard, he exclaimed, turn
ing to that lady with an air of noel
appeal, my happiness depends upor
my seeing that cactusl Win you favor
me to this extent?"
With some laughing rejoinder she
led the way to the conservatory which
opened from the drawiHg-room, and q
moment later they stood alone in the
warm, moist, perfume-laden place,
with great banks of tropical plants,
wide-spreading palms aud stately can
mas casting a delicate green twilight
around them and a soft, dreamy silence
pervading the fragrant gloom.
North duly examined the cactus and
expressed the proper degree~o of admira-
ton; then turning quickly to Mrs May
nard, while his manner changed from
the superficial suavity that he had
adopted for the drawing-room to por-
| tentous gravity. he said, in a low tone:
Mrs. Maynard, have something of
great Importance to tell you. You VIII
be surprised perhaps disagreeably.
| oAi<iA nlSdtA llOWy VI WILL uuU1l SOIQt
other time?"
She was tearing the petals from a
great crimson-hearted rose, and she did
not look up; but the slight tremor of
the languid white fingers betrayed TO
him the nervous agitation against which
her pride and will were contending
with only partial success.
''You may speak now, Mr.. North. -
Then, YEARLY: why should you wait?
1t is no worse at one time than another"
True, Mrs. Maynard; and certainty,
hove 'er unwelcome it may be, is al
ways more easily borne than suspense.
In one word, then-Annie Dupont has
been discovered
The soft color in her cheeks died out
quickly in the surprise that she felt at
this announcement, and for an instant |
her eyes lifted themselves to his with a |
half incredulous inquiry \
''You did not expect this, Mr.. Northa, !
she questioned quietly, curious re-
serve in her manner which made him
vaguely conscious of having lost ground /
with her since their last interview. The |
intimation was too subtle and slight /
for him to be able to seize upon it and T
definitely assign a cause; but, had not
his affairs been shaping themselves so
satisfactorily within the last few days.
it would have occasioned him infinite
uneasiness.
Expect it?p he repeated, with
short expressive laugh mo more than
Annie Dupont herself l can scarcely
use stronger comparison. It's the
strangest case, Mrs. Maynard, one of
those that prove the statement that
truth is stranger than fiction. / have
not yet been able to lay my hands on
he documents which will prove her
IDENTITY, and establish her legal claims
Is Mrs. Dunlkirk's niece and heir; but /
hat these documents exist have proof
IS clear as the noon-day, and l conf
lently expect within the next twelve
hours to have those papers securely inf
ny possession"
Absently breaking off a bit of pale
,lue hcliotrope that was reaching out
emptingly toward him over the mass !
i fragrant blossoms, he put it careless
y in his buttonhole as he spoke these
asst words.
'Does this proof come through the
ian who called here a few days ago?'' .
lquired Mrs. Maynard with the same
eserve and in a speculative tone. Her Z
myers We're still busy with their work y
destruction; her eyes idly watched
he great crimson petals huttering to 7
leir death P
"O'Reilly?" North smiled little. =
18th his eyes fixed in sharp but baffied !, !,
:rutiny upon her coldly unresponsive :,
.ce Yes, through him. I could take =
m into court to-day, with two or three =,
her persons who are equally within =
ach, and by his sworn testimony. "
ithout the aid of any documentary II
idence whatever, establish Annie Du- 9,
'nt's identity SO thoroughly that no =,
mbination nor conspiracy against her 4;
uld possibly overthrow it; but for her =,
Ike prefer to wait for the corrobora- ~ ~
ve testimony that those documents ~
ntain. There will surely be but II,
W hours longer delay -
He was unconscious Of the warmth in =,
5 words and manner until he was III II,
to the fact by the cold, sur ~
ised inquiry in Mrs Maynard's sud ~
My lifted eyes. -,
You are singularly enthusiastic, Mr.. he he
nth" she said, slowly. holding her ~
re steadily, while North, with mo- be
ntary discontinue, felt himself mn
shing little under its cold accuse ey
n. you leave me no possible infer e}r
e but that your most ardent wish is ~,
this identity. May l ask if sat
II sudden interest in this hitherto {
1nown heiress is purely profess IN
nap" IA IA
lie did not, at that moment, fathom liz IL.
suspicion in her mind, but he al al
'uely caught its superficial signifi- DDl
ce. A curious little smile crossed ~
face, then perfect inscrutability .ia s
ed its whole expression. Mrs. May ~ !"
d, observing him with sharp intent