The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-08

already about the key picked up in the
cab, and thrust it mechanically In his
pocket with his own latch-key as he
opened the door Of the sitting-room. The
gas was down very low, and he turned it
up, MS eyes. at once seeking the table
where the photograph had been reposing
In Its frame of lilies.
The lilies were still there; the whole
room was sweet with their fragrance.
But the photograph was gone from its
place; so also was the red-gold curl which
had lain beside the plate
Breakspears face darkened, his brows
drew together. "Confound the fellow!' he
exclaimed, aloud, doubling not at all that
Brandon payne, who possessed an eye for
beauty In women, had solaced the time Of
souvenirs, not even having the grace when
he finished to put them back where he
had found them.
Jim began to search everywhere. On
the mantel, on the two or three small
tables the big sitting-room contained, on
the writing-desk, on the sideboard, on the
chairs and even on the floor, but the
photograph and the lock Of hair were no
where. There was something strange
about the rOom too. Vaguely Its tenant
noticed that the arrangement Of the fur
| ntture was changed. Chairs were out Of
| place. the sofa was pushed back against
the wall, the desk faced to the right in
stead of to the left.
I'm hanged if that fellow shan't regret
this nights fun" calculated Breakspear,
angrily. II suppose he thought 1t would
| be a good joke to steal my things. I've
done with him, and, what's more, he'll find
1t out before he's an hour older If have
luck" 4
| Without waiting for further inspection
which in his mood Of savage Impotence
| he felt would be useless, he marched
downstairs again and out Of the house.
Brandon-Payne would not be at home,
he knew, for Brandon-Payne was not the
sort of person to be found in his own house
! in the evening unless his wife were en-
| PERTAINING guests, which was improbable
tonight, as her husband appeared to have
| been wasting his time in another man 8
lodgings The most likely place to look
| for him now would be one of his clubs.
| where the chances were that he had be-
| taken himself on leaving Seymour street.
Breakspear knew what clubs Brandon
Payne frequented, and at the second one
which, he tried, the Garrick, he unearthed
! him. The. gay young man about town
rose up smiling to receive his unexpected
| guest, but the guest had no smile to give
In return.
II came here" Jim said, with the lava
1 Of his anger almost breaking thru the
cool crust Of self-control, ITO ask you to
give me back my property which you
/ have apparently annexed by way Of being
funny
"My dear fellow, don't know what you
are driving at" replied Brandon Payne.
The blank bewilderment on the pleas
ant, not too clever face was SO genuine
or SO remarkably we'll put on that Break
spear pulled himself up a little.
II suppose you are willing to admit thai
you saw photographer my dining table
this evening"" he said, more moderately
II hadn't the pleasure of seeing either, ;
r.. 49, Or
night, and haven't been out Of the club
} SINCE
Il Breakspeat begana to ,sieel foolish
That's dashed queer thing" he com
) mented. "They told me at my place tina
you'd been there waiting all the evening
for me-only just gomez .%
mice compliment you pay me, my deal
} chap exclaimed the other. you thinl
I've called on you, and missing some val
| uables you instantly attribute their los
to me. Ha, ha! It's your turn to ex
plain EssE AE
t And Jim did explain-as little as posi-
BILE, but referring with mock airiness to {
/ photograph so pretty that it might hav
reused covetousness even in SO im1nacu
late a breast as Brandon Payne's. In thu
midst Of the explanation another mai
came forward, who had dined with Bran
don-Payne at the club and been talking
with him since. There could no longe
| e6lSL LIlo SlSnIeSL SuSplClOll lIldI llc ldl
! ter had been in Seymour street. VIII
, then had spent the evening there, Il
Breakspear's absence, gaining admittanc
by using the name Of an actual &C
, quaintance? -.
! A strange idea began to dawn in hi
, mind. Having duly apologized to Bran
don-Payne he hurried home again, and O.
l taking his latch key from his pocket som
, metallic object fell jingling on the ston
: doorstep. When the light from the ha
! streamed out with the opening of tn
door he saw that he had dropped the Ike
: with the label which had been left in tn
9 hanson. :3
t For the first time he really looked a
the thing, turning over the label to Sc
! # the key was marked with Miss Oak
{ ley's name; for, small as it was, even wit
a the paper attachment. 1t might have lai
on the floor of the cab unobserved Will
i various passengers were driven in tn
vehicle.
\ There was no name; on the LABEL bu
: there was something else which sent tn
a blood bounding thru Jim Breakspear'
veins. There was blue Maltese cross