Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-09-20

summoned from his bachelor chambers
in one OF the great apartment houses,
end he came promptly for he would
have laid down any other business that
mis- MIND could conceive of,in or4er tAa'
he might serve this woman.
The gentle sympathy of the courtiy
old gentleman Gained Mrs. Beneaict
wonderfully. She trusted implicitly N
him. She believed that If any human
power could help her, it was he th2I
welded it.
Mr. A,bertont hought it best TO seem to
favor the theory OF robbery advanced
nv Mr. Hamlin, but in reality MS rea-
son rebe,led against it. He could not
believe that thief had stolen the god
framed picture from between two Yaiu-
able silver candlestieks and had LETT
them undisturbed. He did not remain
longer than was necessary TO gain
knowledge Of the paipable facts OF the
case. and 10 assure Mrs. Benedict or the
hest hep that he could render.
Upon leaving the house he went at
once 10 see Mrs. Wilton. The hour was
somewhat late but the business in hand
did not admit of any delay. Mrs. VIII
ton received him in a parior that had
been allotted to her use in her sisters
magnificent home. She he'd exchanged
iher fashionable mourning clothes for
somewhat less and sombre and even
more elegant robe that draped without
concsa,ing the lines of her rounder and
graceful form.
Mr.. Aller.Cn was a man of real emil
nence in his profession, and outside OF
Il too. for his wealth and MS PUBIC
epirlt were TIE factors Of great in1u-
erce. Mrs. Wilton though destitute OF
the finer perceptions that would have
enabled her TO appreciate his character,
was sensible of his dignity and statell-
ness of bearing, and she demeaned her
elf accordingly. He proceeded at once
10 acquaint her with the loss that Mrs.
Benedict had suffered.
Mrs. Wilton expressed the utmost
sympathy and unbounded surprise.
She could no. understand how such
thing could have happened.
There was every appearance OF nat
ura,ness in her manner, yet the veteran
lawyer was increasingly persuaded that
she was hiding something from him.
At first he believed it to be guilty
knowledge of the affair in hand; then
the consciousness was suddenly bourne
IN upon him that she was also conceal
ing a material object, the presence Of
which caused her more and more en-
barrassment.
He began to notice almost in spite Of
himself. that the curve Of her gown as
II swept downward over her bosom was
not as perfect as It's designer had IN
tended. Beneath the surface Of the rich
fabric he saw with greater distinc.ness
the outline of an object with straight
edges and a rectangular shape. II was
OF the size Of a cabinet photograph, and
as photographs were so much in MS
mind at that moment, he could not
hem inst:nctively connecting 1t with
tie one that had been lost.
7. was not impossible that Mrs VII
ten might be carrying IN the bosom OF
her gown a portait Of her late husband
whom Mr.. A.lertOn had respected as an
estimab,e man and had pit.ed as the
dune Of a mercenary marriage. Yet -
elegant a woman as Mrs. Wilton would
not have been content with anything so
cheap and common as photograph.
She would have had a miniature on
ivory by some famous European artist.
Moreover It became speedily evident
that the woman was aware that his
eyes had penetrated the siiken shield
and had described the object hidden be-
meath. Her utterance became hurried
an5 confused. Her face flushed. She
clasped her hands upon her beast; then
suddenly realizing rnat her action had
BETRAYED her. in a sort Of panic terror
she tore the picture out OF her bosom
and thrust It into the lawyers hands.
He scarcely needed to look at it to as
sure himself that It was the portrait CT
John Benedict.
ITO be Concluded)