Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-23

nCrNtu for II. She was standing III tho room. near the door which I pushed quickly iuwar,l and confronted mo with the question:
 "Wrli. sir, what do you want?"
 Juvc! w.ssn she beauty? had seen her before, and, as havo said, was braCed for the meeting, but when l look cd at that superb figure. with the match less black eyes, abundant hair, olive complexion, perfect features, small white teeth and fascinating form, was almost overwhelmed.
 could we'll understand how almost any man would have been overcome by such vision and would drop his weap- ons as if in the presence of death itself. Surely she must have made many con- quests by tho very momentum of her marvellous beauty, which was sufficient to make a man forget duty, honor-ev- erytkirg hut his mad inthrallment for her
 l stood a minute, staring vacantly with open mouth and wondering eyes, and then could no more keep back the | words than l could stop my respiration: 1 "IiravrnS, never saw so wonderful | a womau,
 "I,lio', you have not answered my question:" she said in a freezing voice, | which oUEit to have stricken me to the floor. though kept my feet. Neither of us stirred. but in the bcwildering mo- l ment 1 was conscious that Mrs. Bridges | had closed the door behind me. I was | alone i'll the presence of the beautiful fury, and duty whispered in my ear: Have a care or you arc lost"
 By supreme effort 1 pulled myself together. IL was useless to quail before | this Icing. fir >he had no mercy If I shrank UT f.It, rrd. she would crush me | Behind that regal form Crouchcd the mystery If Mama Sahib's ruby, and naught but boldness, daring, audacity, morciles>ness, would avail me- In | minute l was myself. Madam. " said, with bow, Il am an officer of the law. You heard me tell Mrs Bridges my errand'- But it was lie!" she broke ill with a sweep of her right arm and a step for ward. Leave this instant, or it will be the worse for you"' | This threat and tho biting words ncrvCd me still moro strongly. became calm, cool. self possessed on the in stant.
 II will leavo when I am through | with the business which brought me here and not one second before. You and your husband and all the miscroants from India cannot compel me. l am arm cd and will defend myself oven against you!
 Strange words to utter 10 a woman, l 1vNCSn S+r,,,, c,,,l1 Y,nt that of child. X strong man like mo ought to have been abashcd at the sound of his own voice when they wero spo- ken, lut I was in for it and meant to maintain bold front to the end.
 That my reply was unexpected was shown Ivy her manner She never re- movcd thos" piercing eyes from me, and onco l believed, when I saw the delicate fingers ncrvously working, that she meant to leap at my throat. She breath ed short and fast, but did not change her superb poi>c.
 Pray be seated, added. with as stunned court,>:-, as I placed my hand on the lack If tho nearest chair and set it down beside her. With your permis- sion will do tho same. wish few words with you.
 My own chair was placed SO close to the door that had I inclined it to the rear it would have rested against it. sat down with my hat i'll my lap and looked eXpectantly at her.
 She did not stir a muscle, but remain ed like a statue. and it seemed that the flame of those eyes would burn mo
 through.
 II am a detective and have been
 watching you and your husband fol some time
 : II knew it!' she missed as erect and
 upright as ever.
 . "Then I might have saved my words I have learned some things, but there : are a number of others about which , would like to question you. It's rather
 odd that you should register at tn,
 Windsor, while your husband went tC tho Astor House. hope there was nc ] connubial trouble" "
 Sha treated this impotence with thu
 scorn 1t deserved.
 1t sort of looked that way, for at thu . | Jersey City station you avoided eacl |. other, not sitting even in the same car
 though you were friendly enough wheI
 you left the train at Railway and rod to this place ill q cab. ]: However. all that is your own busi ness and of no particular interest to me Some days ago your husband sold al
 immense jewel, which he called Nam . Sahib's ruby, to a gentleman in Nov |, York. MT. Howard received the pric
 he asked, but on the very night of th purchase the buyer was robbed of tn Y stone, and I am seeking to find out tn
 truth about it.
 }. watched that fascinating face close
 ly while uttering these words. expect .; ed her to show surprise when told c 5 the theft of the ruby, for, if innocent how could she know anything of tn J. oircumstance? But nothing of that nc
 ture lit up her face. She demanded wit o' the coolness of judge:
 "Why do you como to me?' ' Because am sure you can give ID , the information. '' Your words arc what I might hay n expected from you. On what night di
 this robbery, if there was any, tal s. placer
 Last Tuesday, the 13th-excuse m' p. you are going to say that you and yoI
 husband were not in New York thl