The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-08-30
READ IT IN HER EYES.

READ II IN Her EYES.
"The time has come" said Nicotine
to the group Of friends who were
around her, ito prove the usefulness
Of my so-called fad" AS Nicotine
spoke she spread her long, white hands
open before her.
"My dear Miss Sargent" drawled
sut a voice from the further corner of
the fireplace, pray elucidate your lit
tie theory. We're dying Of ennui and
this beastly weather. q
Miss Sargent smiled rather scorn-
fully and shrugged her pretty Shout
ders, but went on addressing her re-
marks to the company in general.
Il have one request to make" she
went on, "and that very simple one
that may glance at the hand Of every
person in this room"
Every one smiled indulgently, and
Kate Grant, the hostess Of the country
house party, said in a mock tragic
tone: "You don't. suspect us Of any
thing criminal, do you, Nicotine? And
what shall you do with me If am
found guiltyY'
snow, that's too bad" said the
drawing voice in the corner; Miss
Sargent's dead in earnest; and IL she
believes in palmistry I say It's cruel
to make fun of her belief. for one
am willing to be examined" and DR..
Denton held out pair Of firm, manly
hands. 81
"You may rest assured" said Nico-
line, very gravely, that I shall con-
Wet no one on my evidence. This in.
vestigation is simply for my own graf
iication and to satisfy a very troubled
mind..'' M
Mrs. Grant and her guests were very
well accustomed to Nicoline's moods,
as they termed her sudden and unac-
countable caprices, and regarded this
as one of them, not to be taken seri-
ously.
II am trying to discover" remarked
Nicotine, as she held up DR.. DentOn's
hand to the light, "the thief's Cross
ugh! How grewsomey' exclaimed
= pretty little blonde, who was admir-
Ing her dimpled fingers.
"Quite exciting" murmured an in
sipid Individual by the pretty blondes
side, who was admiring the same pref
ty fingers. There were dozen or
more people in the room. It was a
rainy night, and conversation and
games had tagged, while pretty Mrs.
Grant, driven to her wits end as to
some form Of entertainment for her
guests, had begged Nicoline's assist
ance. Nicotine was q clever girl, quite
too clever for ordinary people, who
could never quite tell whether she
were In fun or earnest, as the insipid
man and the pretty blonde could tes-
tify.
Nicotine examined each hand with
grave attention, throwing out pointed
remarks suitable to the character Of
each. When she had finished she
paused moment before the fireplace.
"Well, investigator of the future,
which Is the Judas among us?" asked
Mrs. Grant.
DR.. Denton, who was sitting nearest
the fire, glanced at Nicotine just then
and saw she was very white and was
trembling. "Oh, say" he exclaimed
hurriedly, 'let's have a game Of cards
In the other room. I'll arrange the
tables. Miss Sargent's tired, and be-
sides she couldn't give us away in that
shape, you know" and the company,
ready to take up with any new sug-
gestion, proceeded to the next room,
amid much laughter at the impromptu
jokes which DR.. Denton was contriv-
| ing to fashion. Nicotine was left alone
AZ she thought, but turning away from
the fire she looked straight into the
eyes Of Paul Sinclair.
"Nicoline," he said, very grayely, his
handsome face flushed with feeling,
I"you can not imagine for q moment p
He stopped and looked searchingly
into her brown eyes.
"Yes," was the slow reply, II do Inn
agine indeed, think know-I never
saw your hand before tonight, and that
horrible cross In the palm, at Just the
exact spot. They say it 10 infallible. .
"You suspect me. then, of robbing
Yon Of your necklace, Nicoline?" the
man said in strained voice. "Why,
Nicotine. you are wronging yourself as
well as me by such q thought. Why,
we've been trusted friends for years,
and lately I've thought that you'll
know that have cared for you in
quite different" i
"Oh, stop, Paul." cried Nicotine. turn.
ing away from him. you and Kate
were the only ones In the house who
knew I had the necklace. It was
mothers and very valuable. / know
It's terrible to accuse you Of crime.
but your hand. Paul, your hand and
the cross" Nicotine shuddered and
hid her face in her hands.
You foolish chile" said Paul in his
deep, tender voice. "You haven't even