The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-05
CHAPTER v.
Told by Noel Brent, Who Is in Love
With the Home Secretary's
Daughter.
THE TANGLED WEB.

AoASA Ny A>oC1 oACuC, w lO rs Ill llOVc
With the Home Secretary's
Daughter.
THE TANGLED WEB.
IT handed you the case I brought"
I repeated, duly. "a black morocco
letter-case, very large. The thing
that Lord Reckworth gave me for you
sWas in a big blue envelope. I didn't
know what was In it,, but it was fiat,
like paper or parchment. I put it in
the letter-case when i got home for
safety. Then I slipped the case into
my pocket, where it. stayed until
passed it over to you at the moment
the lights went OUT
THAT red-leather case was the
thing you gave me, I tell you," insisted
Jullette, snow pale again now. II
| didn't see it because Of the sudden
darkness. But I felt it in my hand
just as the first. sound came at the door
and in a flash I had the instinct to
hide it. I was close by the sofa. My
dress touched it, I thrust the case
down as far as could between the
seat and the back behind the cushions,
hoping, praying, till, that wretch
it the reaction from deadly. terror to
| joy was so great that for a moment it
J seemed as if my heart must burst. 70
see the necklace-thet necklace which
| began all the dreadful trouble-to see
/ IL W CIlAl1h. NJ Ctllu LIE VI cctly
were both in my hands-oh, it was
too much! The JOY of it must have
have driven ME mad, or should not
:. be SO dazed, so puzzled now. I don't
understand what you have been ex-
i planning to me. notwithstanding
blue envelope which Lord Reckworth
gave you. Search your pockets.
Surely it is there. i Oh for mercy's
sake, give me the treaty.
i Mechanically felt in pocket after
i pocket, knowing all the time that I
pen and pencil and card case on the
table, while Juliette watched me with
beautiful, haggard eyes. There was
nothing else. I could not comprehend
the thing that had happened. It was
like an evil dream.
she would have broken into desperate
, questionings. "Give me a.. quiet mo-
ment to think-to put two-and-two to-
gether.''
: "a quiet moment. she exchoed,
, despairingly. "Don't you know that
each moment to me is an hour? And
!, tonight is the first night Of the new
play. In half an hour I must be at
, the theater, or all Paris will know
that there is something mysteriously
wrong with Juliette de Nevers.''
Let your understudy play" I sug-
and act in this state:''
For me there is no such word as
can't" she cried. II could act and
: go off the stage to die next instant
| yet would have to let no one guess
. that I had been dying. T have nc
, understudy. Who would stay in the
! theater to see Juilette de Nevers's un-
derstudy act in her place? No, fol
I the sake Of the man love and have
! either saved or ruined, must go thru
my work tonight, even if am to be
!, mad or dead tomorrow. Don't think
4 quietly Noel. Think aloud, to me
I Tell me all that happened to yor
r blue envelope from Lord Reckwortf
till the moment I came to you in thi:
4 room. We will talk it over together
I began at the beginning and told he1
n all-all except the part which con
r cerned Margot. Of that there was NJ
9 need to speak. Mentally reviewed
}. the, whole day, and, gave her. each de.
t tail as it came into my mind. I told
' her how I had been late in getting or
board the train; how had struggled
with the men as they attempted -te
. keep me out of the reserved compart
ment, whose privacy they had not hes
itated to violate. How the man inside
> had helped me in; how afterwards or
= the gangway he had stumbled agains
= me, almost upsetting my balance
how, still later, he had fallen and
;, had picked him up. Yet telling these
, things I assured her also that man,
! times my hand had covertly gone t.
the pocket with the letter-case, ant
I always it had been there.
Juliette grew quieter as she listened
but there was strange, Inutinous ex
y preston in her face. On the table la,
Z the torn, shabby red case which hat
contained the diamond necklace. Sh
: took the jewels, folded them up again
: and handed me the case with them ii
: it. Put that into your pocket" sh
4 Esaid, land then touch it with you
i hand. Does it feel the same as you
. own letter-case with which yol
= started?"
y Eyes, I think so,'' reluctantly said
:. when / had experimental. II shouldn'
r know the difference. You see, neve
once had a chance to look unless Z
8 had wished deliberately to attract at
d tention. could only. trust to m
q fingers. Thru the coat this feels JUS
g the same. But even allowing that, b
s the most dexterous skill, my own let
ter-case was stolen from me, VIII
q should the thief put in its stead
e a diamond necklace worth 1000
4 pounds?''
It This necklace OF all others O
It EARTH murmured Juliette. TT goe
beyond reason! Yet hereby q mir