Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1899-08-12
A BIT OF BLUE ENAnEL.
IcoNrINUED FROM PAGE II

CONTINUED kkOH
stWhat is it, Marjorie? he asked
looking at her curiously.
"Mr. Hyde, my father was murder.
ed at midnight by thief who came rc
rob him!"
He looked amazed-bewildered.
-Your father? = when: = how lone
ago" he queried, in voice which, try
as he might, he could not keep quite
free from excitement.
"Nine years ago. We lived in West
moreland then-at rather lonely
house. My father was writing book,
and he always sat up late alone. One
night was Valentines eve-he was
xnurdered-stabbed to the heart by
some villain for the sake of a hundred
pounds in bank notes which had been
ssaid to him that day.
~ Again the young man cast on her q
strange look.
81 fancy l remember something of
shat murder" he said slowly. But
the name-surely it was not st. Clair %
ooh. no.!
And then Marjorie explained briefly
how she had come to change her name.
She told him, too, that her full name
was Ethel Marjorie, and that it was as
Ethel Bruce she had been spoken Of
in the newspapers at the time of the
,TluCer.
"reu me all about it,. will you?" he
EaiQ, and she complied, beginning with
ne II hers mysterious dream, and
corc5aGlug with the extraordinary CO.
=nc:Gence of Madelines possession OF
1le algEet.
Sc amazed was he at this that nc
couId not repress start, and, II ne had
>2ot kept his eyes bent on the ground
Marjorie must have marVelled at the
strange look in them.
She went ON to tell him how she mad
preserved the little piece of blue enam-
ell and, by that means, was able 10
prove, beyond the shadow Of a doubt,
that Madelines locket was the one
which had been stolen from her father
OIL nat fatal night,
THAT bit of blue enamel is of the ut
S<ASAS~AAAANN
raising his head for the first time dur
ms he narrative. Take every care OF
st. Where do you keep it. MarJorle?
"Ob, it is quite safe. | haven't kept
it al these years to lose it now. l
keep it in little ivory box my dear
father gave me, and this is locked up
inside another box, and that, again, is
locked inside my desk, and the desk is
locked inside one of my drawers. Can
anything be safer than that?' said
Marjorie.
My word, I should think not" and
Charles Hyde smiled SO broadly as TO
reveal all his fine white teeth.
He seemed excessively amused at all
this caution.
"Of course, / don't attach much inn
portance to the discovery of the lock-
ct" went on Marjorie, grayely, as she
rose and prepared to walk homeWards.
''As Madeline says, it no doubt passed
through many hands before it came to
hers
oh no doubt" said Hyde, with
alacrity.
still. it is coincidence-a very
strange coincidence and somehow
cant help feeling that through that
locket the murderer will be brought to
justice in the end"
The young man cast keen, side
long glance at her, as though doubt
ing whether she might not be keeping
back some suspicion in her mind.
E'And this gang of thieves you were
speaking Of" she resumed. isn't it
quite possible it is one of them who
killed my father?"
quite possible. l should say" he
answered, rather dryly.
''But not very probable, you Think"
said Marjorie, looking quickly into his
face.
81 didn't say So" And he smiled a
trifle amusedly.
Marjorie felt hurt.
''Oh. Mr.. Hyde, it isn't jesting mat
fer--to mel" she exclaimed, reproach
fully.
Forgive me-" he said, becoming per-
fectly serious in a moment, and draw
ing her arm through his as he spoke.
Forgive me. l wouldn't have panied
you for the world" After pause he
added, very softly: "You believe that
Marjorie?"
She did not answer, though joyous
thrill ran through her veins. and made
her heart beat fast.
A few moments later they had reach,
ed the house.