Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-17

What are you going to wear. shermanf'
Gladys Brooke put down her coffee cup
and fixed her sparkling eyes inquiringly
upon the face opposite.
Her husband laughed.
WELL he said, IF l am foolish enough
to allow myself to be inveigled into at
tending a masquerade ball l am bright
enough to keep the secret Of my costume
to myself. l don't believe l shall tell you.
my dear"
/ Now, that's what l call mean,'' cried
his pretty wife in CONSERVATION. o
course you'll tell me, Sherman. | told you
all about mine
The big lawyer smiled indulgently.
II don't know" he said slowly. Il am
afraid you will let It out. It's such a SPLEEN
did idea that l fear you will not be able
to hold 1t. oh, it's fine, Gladys" he added
temptingly as Mrs. Brooke's pink cheeks
began to flush with impatience.
"I1l never breathe a word to a SOUL
she asservated. please tell me-"
IT'S a white dress suit, them said
Brooke. white mask to cover my face,
black shirt front with a big pearl stud and
white shoes. What do you think Of it?"
Splendid" exclaimed the lady with en-
thusiasm. Won't people know your figure.
thought"
II guess not. All men look alike In
will know me-
Whose idea was Il? You never thought
Of such a bright thing, Sherman"
The dapper new butler, standing silently
in the corner, smiled family as Brooke
pointed at him.
"Holley told me-" said Sherman with a
laugh. He said he saw 1t used once In
San Francisco with great success. I can
get 1t made Of cheap cloth, and have a
false bosom cut out OF black batiste, that
will do nicely
His wife beamed proudly upon him.
"You will be grand" she cried; simply
grand"
She was proud of her husbands manly
proportions, and the notion impressed her.
Just a week from tonight, and we will
be getting ready she observed. 1T Will
take me a good while to dress. We must
have dinner early, Holley, and you will
have to help Mr.. Brooke, and keep house
for US. I'm sorry we can't go together,
Sherman, but I'm going with Mrs. Prudden,
and she is on the reception committee and
has to be there early. You need not come
until 9 o'clock. The intermission is at IL,
when we unmask."
"Mr. Brooke's suit is already being made,
ma'am. I'll attend to everything" said
the butler.
His keen, smooth-shaven face was i'm
passive, and his low voice pleasing and
respectful, as he Inclined his head toward
his mistress. He had been in the Brooke'a
employ only a few weeks and was proving
a treasure. Quick, quiet and intelligent,
he was already making life more eomforta-
BILE for them in many ways and they re-
garded him with grateful eyes. Armed
with high references from people of prom
inence in a far western city, he had slipped
into the shoes OF his erring predecessor
upon the very day of that worthy's dis
charge. Thomas prediction for the de-
oanter had led to his downfall.
The Brookes were very we'll to do. and
their silver was the admiration of the
many friends who dined at their hospitable
board during the year. Gladys had a
passion for the elegancies Of gold and sill
yer, and her most valuable personal jewels
were to her a source of both pride and
responsibility. Her husband often laughed
at her habit Of hiding these ornaments.
"I never know where they are" he would
say, and Mrs. Brooke would smile back, II
do not mean that anyone shall know"
So the little casket containing the beau
tiful Brooke diamonds was always finding
new and secure hiding places, and Gladys
alone knew it's abode.
Throughout the week preceding the great
society event Holley was very thoughtful
and Mr.. Brooke very busy.
"Tve a queer client on hand, Gladly" he
said one evening. HE has been to consult
me half a dozen times lately. Not a gen,
I tleman, exactly. but very intelligent and q
perfect shark for getting advice. Some
) mining claim that he has, and he tires me
all out asking questions. i am about
| through with him now, thank goodness. He
, pays well. though"
/ People on the busy street occasionally
, noticed a tall, we'll built, soberly clad mar
walking behind the lawyer, and remarked
, upon the similarity Of the physical appear.
l ance OF the two men, but Mr.. Brooke wal
/, entirely Of the sharp eyes that
noted his peculiarities Of stride and swing
II he had. and had known that his in.
quisitive client with his long nose ant
, lanky form occupied an obscure room with
the big stranger who had been seen on tht
1 street so near him he might have thought
1 1t strange-or he might not.
l The week passed and the night Of the
masque ball came. Mrs. Brooke had rolled
1 away. gorgeously attired as a sheperdess
with a beribboned silver crook Of great di,
mansions protruding from the window O.
I Mrs. Pruden's carriage.
Sherman was standing before the lonI
!. mirror in his dressing room in his whit,
9 dress suit.
{ 1T hts beautifully, Holley." he salt
= proudly, IT'S a great scheme. No on,
= will know me except Mrs. Brooke. As m!
coupe won't be here for half an hour yet.
believe I'll take a little nap. I've fel
. drowsy ever since dInner-ate too fast,
guess, or 1t was that new ale. You wax
= me in twenty minutes, Holley,"
1 He stretched himself on the dlvan
l yawned once or twice, and presently hi
:. sterterous breathing proclaimed him SCUM,
. asleep.
$ Then the butler listened carefully. Belo'
9 he heard the distant voices OF servants 4
the kitchen. and az the far end Of the hal
the song Of a nurse grooming TO a littl
child. Then he stepped across the hall
p way TO a seldom used room and unloeke
y the door OF a closet.
n Come, Ike" he whispered. An read
+ for you now"
e A few moments manipulation of a bottl
and sponge, a quick undressing of IN
senseless figure, Ave minutes more c
q rapid work and a big man in a white dres