The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-07-30

tilN sctl-EtHlAuAut uI bpNs tieT ucTN-
GUS agitation in the lane was due to
something more disturbing than his
mere possible intrusion upon her conf.
dence with the mulatto,
On the contrary, it seemed to be per.
sonal to himself. He recalled the sim
gular significance Of her question;
Then itiswar?" "Herecallcdh her strange
allusion to his wife; was it merely the
outcome OF his own foolish confession
on their first interview, or WINS 1t
concealed ironical taunt? Having sat
isfied himself that she was not likely to
imperil his public duty in any way, he
was angry with himself for speculat-
ing further. But, although he still felt
toward her the same antagonism she
had at first provoked, he was conscious
that she was beginning to exercise a
strange fascination on him.
Dismissing her at last with an effort,
he finished his work and then rose and
unlocking closet took out small dis
patch box to which he intended TO in
trust a few more important orders and
memoranda, As he opened il with
key on his watch chain he wus struck
with faint perfume that seemed to
come from it-a perfume that he re-
nembered. Was II the smell OF the
lower that Miss Faulkner carried--or
he scent Of the handkerchief with
which she had wiped his checker
minglng Of both! Or was he under
some diabolical spell Of that wretched
girl--Rnd her witch-like flower? He
leaned on the box and suddenly started.
Upon the outer covering of O dispatch
was singular hlood-red streak He
examined 1t closely-it was the pow.
derry stain Of the lily pollen---exactly
as he had seen II on her handkerchief.
There could be no mistake. He
iassed his hand over the stain-he
'ould still feel the slippery, impalpable
owtler of the pollen. 1t was not there
tvlcn lie had closed the box that morn.
ng, it was impossible that it should BE-
there unless the box had been opened
dnring his absence. He reexamined the
contents of the box, the papers were all
there. More than that--they were pa.
pers of no importance except to him
personally; contained no plans nor KEY
to any military secret; he had been far
too wise to intrust any to the accidents
# this alien house. The prying in
rnder, whoever it was, had guined
othingi But there was unmistaka-
'ly the attempt! And the existence OF
would-be spy within the purlieus of
re house was equally clear.
He called an officer from the mex;
nom. "Has anyone been here since my
,sence?"
"No, general"
HAS anyone passed through the
all?"
He had fully anticipated the answer,
$ the subaltern replied; ''only the
-somcn servants"
He reentcred his room. Closing the
l0or, he again carefully examined the
box, his table, the papers upon it, the
chair before il, and even the Chinese
maLting ON the floor, for any further
Indication Of the pollen 1t hardly
'ecmed possible thataDyone could have
uttered the room with the flower in
heir hand without scattering some OF
the tell-tale dust elsewhere; II was too
large flower TO be worn vi the breast
or in the hair. Again, no one would
have dared to linger there long enough
to have made an examination OF the
box-with an officer in the next room,
and servants passing. The box had been
removed and the examination made
elsewhere.
An idea seized him. Miss Faulkner
was still absent--the muluilo had mp
,arently gone home. lie quickly mount
ed the staircase, but, instead Of entering
his room, turned suddenly aside into
the wing which had been reserved.
The first door yielded, as lie turned the
knob gently, and he entered u room
which he at once recognized as the
young lady's boudoir." But tho dusty
and draped furniture had been arranged
and uncovered, and the apartment had
asery sign Of present use. Yet, al
though there was very evidence of its
being used by person Of taste and re-
finement, be was surprised TO see that
the garments, hanging in the open
press. we're such as were used by negro
servants, and that gaudy handker-
chief, such as housemsids use for tur-
bans, was lying on the pretty silken
coverlet. He did not linger over these
details. but cast rapid glance round
the room. Then his eyes became fixed
on fenciful writing desk which stood
by the window. For in handsome
vase placed on its level top and droop-
ing on portfolio below hung cluster
Of the strange flowers that Miss Faulk-
Ler had carried.
CHAPTER ~.
1t seemed plain to Brant that the
dispatch box had been conveyed here