Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-09-05
CHAPTER NJ. (continued.)

He has fallen asleep was the an
swer, in a quick, though not hurried
tone. "He seems Worn out. I had but
time to get him undressed and in the
bed, when he dropped off. as sound as
a top. Your patience will be severely
tried, fear, before he is able to leave
that room. But it's too late to make
any different arrangements now, even
If you would wish to. 1t would be as
much as his life Is worth to move him
now. If you will let me. I will send a
capable nurse. know of one upon
whom can depend, and he is at pres
emit disengaged.'
Thank you, sir; I would be very
glad Of your assistance in this matter.
'You say the gentleman is an entire
at her keenly.
Il never saw him before to-day. sir"
was the reply, in accents of unmistak-
able truth.
Mrs. Martin met that keen glance
with gaze as innocent as that of an
infant; and her lips ached with the
wish to ask her interrogation the same
question.
you are doing a true kindness to
one who will, I think, prove worthy of
It," the young doctor continued. in
tone of feeling. II will return later in
the evening. Meantime. I will send the
nurse; his name is Naylor, and he will
bring a note from me. wish you, re-
:spectfully good morning. madame"
With a scarcely-suppressed smile,
Mrs. Martin followed him to the door.
and stood there watching him out of
sight.
"He won't be so hard to manage as I
Feared" she half-murmured, and the
smile came out fully on her face, halt
Scornful, halfamused. "He is young.
honest and unsuspicious. Now for the
-other!"
She turned and ran swiftly up the
stairs, along the hall, toward the room
occupied by Shirley Austin, and, paus-
ing only a moment to listen at the door,
she softly turned the knob and stole
into the room.
Her movements were always as light
as those of a cat, and now she hardly
hreathed, in her care not to disturb the
sleeper But, afterEa glance, she saw
that such scauti onssWas not necessary.
for Shirley, although he 1nurmured in
$sscoferently and flung his arms wildly
about, was sunk in the sleep of ex-
haustion, and would not be easily
reused.
For few moments she stood by the
bed and watched him. The doctor had,
after undressing him, robed him in
nightdress belonging to Bertha, which
he had found on the bed, and his
hands, and wrists and throat showed
that the physician had been correct in
the sur1nise that Austin was probably
suffering from a relapse after some
long and serious illress.
He was painfully thin, though youth
and naturally fine constitution had
prevented the ravages of sickness from
showing so plainly while he was seen
only in his own clothes.
rs this the murderer of Philip Gray
SOM" Mrs. Martin thought, musingly.
-'If so, there must be some trace of the
crime about him.
Turning swiftly from her contempla-
fion of Shirley, her gaze fell upon the
clothes he had worn, and which lay in
a heap on the floor where they had
been flung by the young physician.
One by one. she lifted each article,
shook it lightly and laid it over the
back OF chair. AS She took up the
'walstcost something dropped from the
pocket.
She stoopedeaodaraised it, and as her
eyes fell on it they flashed with delight
and triumph. The article she gaZcd
on was a small. oval picture, painted
on ivory, and the radiant face that
looked UP at her was that Of Clarice
Nowbray.
This is proof enough! hold him and
her at my mercy! This ia, unquestion-
ably, the miniature that Philip wore
in the locket set with diamonds, and
which the valet Carl described. 1t is
1t must he So And it has been torn
from the lock... evidently, and with no
gentle force; but here it is, and unin-
jured; there must be more. If he
robbed Philip, to give the idea Of rob-
berry to mis- crime, there must be other
proofs about him; he cannot have dis
posed of the rest yet. and probably the
1ocket is not far off, ether
Without ceremony, Mrs. Martin be-
gan to ransack each and every pocket
of Shirley's clothes; but, to her in
tense chagrin, she found nothing to
reward her. There was no trace either
of the costly locket, the diamong shirt
stud or the valuable matchmaking,
indeed, save the picture to suggest the
possibility that Shirley had ever seen
any Of the articles described by Carl as
missing from his masters person.
"No matter!" exclaimed Mrs. Martin
11inging each article from her as she
finished her search: this is. of itself
enough, unless ma could have had a
portrait of the girl hilnself-and that"
she thought, after a moments reflec-
ton, lis likely enough. But he would
scarcely have carried it about with
him without 1ny sort of frame or case
to protect it; and, besides, this is just
the size fora locket and feel assured
that it is the one that Philip had paint
ed. I know the artist. too. and he will
recognize his own work. So. so! All.
beautiful Clarice. you will live long
enough to curse the hour when you
stepped between me and Philip Gray
cons fortune!"
She smiled back at the radiant face.
as she raised 1t to the light. and be-
slowed a long, careful look at it, and
ahen she folded it carefully In her hand
kerchief and placed 1t in her posket.
Lie there, my pretty dear. for a
while. I will find safer place for you
S,x a nd hv What n dov thts has heaN 7