Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-03-26

F, as do. The best thing for all of us is
to establish the fact Immediately that
the crime was the work Of q thief"
| but suppose it wasn'tY
''Then." said Brenda, ut must be
made to appear So"
II see what you mean." replied he,
land will consult my lawyer about it.
l have already discovered that ne un-
derstands the police thoroughly. Per-
haps something may be done by the
use Of plenty of money. Meanwhile
would like to be satisfied about Mr.. Al
den. 1t is not fair to you that he
should conceal his defense, II he has
one. The sooner the case is thoroughly
cleared Of that mystery the better for
u.s."
Reduced to a theft" said Brenda,
1.-The papers will cease to print much
about it."
"You are quite right" replied Mr..
Maclane But my first move will be
in Alden's direction. must know
where he stands. or there will be no
safety for you in any line of action. II
he is guilty. we must not appear as his
acCOnQllceS uIteF TIE IdCC.
"That Is mOnstrous," insisted Bren-
da. do not consider it,"
They spoke for some minutes of mi
nor matters. turning over the papers
together. while Brenda selected such
portions as she thought that DR.. Ken
dali might permit Elsie to see. The
sight Of these stories with their abun-
dant illustrations set Mr.. Maclane's
nerves on edge again, and he was IN a
most wretched frame of mind when he
left the hospital.
! 1t CHANGED that as he emerged from
the structure he encountered Alden,
| who had just come from Kendalrs
| room and was full Of good will to all
| mankind as the result Of the converse
| ton with the doctor. He felt that Mac
lane had just grievance against him,
and he began at once most earnest at
tempt to repair the injury. Maclane
was relieved to find Alden in plant
mood-the rarest of all his moods, by
the way-and the two walked toward
the avenue together in an atmosphere
| of cordially such as surrounds some
times the unfriendly victims of COM
mon misfortune.
| Upon arriving at his office Alden met
| Detective Elmendorf, with the result
| vice received in the course of this in
terview and by his memories of many
stories of crimes, criminals and sleuth-
hounds of the law, Alden succeeded in
Guiding both the shadow of trouble"
and the shadow of business" and his
| doingS for an hour or two were wholly
unknown to the police. At 3 o'clock he
appeared at st. Winifred's hospital.
where he was Informed by DR.. Kendall
that Elsie would receive him presently.
At that moment Elsie was cnnliding
to Brenda her opinion that Mr.. Alden
would suffer a grievous dislppoint-
ment.
"He won't expect to see me like
this" she said. 81 look like deaths
head on handspike. as my cousin
Billy says. Billy was in the naval re-
serves during the war and prevented
the Spaniards from capturing New
York. but that's another story.
Brenda. if l should put Oh just little
bit of rouge don't want to frighten
him."
"YOu don't want to- think of rouge
for ten years." replied Brenda. "And
besides. my dear, you haven't any.
Moreover. he won't know how you
look: he will be too glad to see you
alive"
"Of course you think l am very
trivial and absurd" said Elsie. but do
you realize that he may not see me
again? No one can know precisely
how l am hurt. This wound may be
nearer to vital spot than DR.. Kendall
suspects or will tell. A break Of a wall
as thin as paper. little blood spilled
here beneath my hand. and l am gone
in moment. Perhaps tonight: per
haps even while he sits here beside
me. And this last sight of me will be
the memory he will carry as long as he
lives. l want it to blot out the face OF
every other girl that he will ever see.'
"Then don't blot out your own with
the contents of a rouge pot" said
brenda. "Hark. They are coming
along the corridor"
She stepped to the door and usheret
In Alden and Kendall.
Alden had the pale. set face OF
Nathan Hale going to execution. AZ
often happens with man too strenu
ously prepared. his eyes failed to 70
Gus. and he stared for moment a
Elsie without really seeing her. Hat
, she been the wasted and pitiable OBJ
/. ject that his ineXperience led him t.
| EXPECT he would nrOha bly, haze horne