Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-25

deleur with his own hand once more closed the shutters and replaced the blinds from within.
 While Francis was still marveling at these precautions the door opened and a young girl came forth to look about her in the garden It was not two minutes before she re-entered the house but even in that short time he saw enough to convince him that she pos sessed the most unusual attractions His curiosity was not only highly ex- cited by this incident, but his spirits were improved to a still more notable degree The alarming manners and more than equivocaI life of his father ceased from that moment to prey upon his mind From that moment he em- braced his new family with ardor and whether the young lady should prove his sister or his wife, he felt convinced she was an angel in disguise. So much was this the case that he was seized with sudden horror when he reflected how little he really knew and how pos sible it was that he had followed the wrong person when he followed Mr. Vandeleur.
 The porter, whom he consulted, could afford him little information, but, such as it was, it had mysterious and questionable sound. The person next door was an English gentleman of ex- traordinary wealth and approximately eccentric in his tastes and habits. He possessed great collections, which he kept in the house beside him, and it was to protect these that he had fitted the place with steel shutters, elaborate fastenings and cheyaux de frise along the garden wall. He lived much alone, in spite of some strange visitors with whom it seemed he had business to transact, and there was no one else in the house except mademoiselle and an old woman servant.
 t'Is mademoiselle his daughter?" in- quired Francis
 Certainly, replied the porter. "Ma- demoiselle is the daughter of the house, to work. For all his riches, it is she who goes to market, and every day in the week you may see her going by with a basket on her arm"
 "And the collections7" asked the oth- CT.
 .Sir." said the naan. ethey are inn mense1y valuable. More I cannot tell you. Since M de yandeleur's arrival no one in the quarter has so much as passed the door"
 Suppose not returned Francis. "You must surely have some notion what these famous galleries contain. Tc < ,.So ei1l ufo oN what?"
 My faith, sir" said the fellow, witt a shrug, lit might be carrots, and still could not tell you. How should know? The house is kept like garri son, as you perceive"
 And then as Francis was returning disappointed to his room the porter called him back.
 ''I have just remembered, sir," said he. M de Vandeleur has been in all parts of the world, and once heard the old woman declare that he had brought many diamonds back with him. If that be the truth, there must be fine show behind those shutters"
 By an early hour on Sunday Francis was In his place at the theater. The seat which had been taken for him was only two or three numbers from the left hand side and directly opposite one of the lower boxes AS the seat had been specially chosen there was doubt less something to be learned from it's position, and he judged by an instinct that the box upon the right was, in some way or other, to be connected with the drama in which he ignorantly played a part. Indeed it was so situ- ated that it's occupants could safely observe him from beginning to end of the piece, if they were 50 minded, while, prohting by the depth, they could screen themselves sufficiently well from any counter examination on his side. He promised himself not to leave it for moment out of sight, and while he scanned the rest of the thea ter or made show of attending to the business of the stage he always kept a corner of an eye upon the empty box. } The second act had been some time in progress and was even drawing to- ward close when the door opened and two persons entered and ensconced themselves in the darkest of the shade. F TanClS COulQ uaEQiy COulIOl HIS eIuO- tion. 1t was MT. Vandeleur and his daughter. The blood came and went in his arteries and veins with stunning activity; his ears sung; his head turned. He dared not look lest he should awake suspicion. His playbill, which he kept reading from end to end and over again, turned from white to red before his eyes, and when he east a glance upon the stage it seemed incidentally far away, and he found the voices and gestures of the actors to the last de gree impertinent and absurd.
 From time to time he risked a mo- mentary look in the direction which principally interested him, and once at least he felt certain that his eyes en- countered those of the young girl. A shock passed over his body, and he saw all the colors of the rainbow What would he not have given to over hear what passed between the vande- leurs? What would he not have given for the courage to take up his opera glass and steadily inspect their attitude and expression? There. for aught he YnaHy his UhnIo iTa wac heinO dp-