The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-07-13
Mrs. BIuebeard
BY lola l.. ForrcIfcr
Copyright, 1901. by T. G. Mcclure


Suzanne trailcd her fingers idly over
the piano keys in Il little impromptu
prelude of troublous chords before SHE
answered the query.
Il suppose 1t is" she said GROSSLY.
I'm sure | can't tell whether It's real
antique or not. 1t looks old and dusty
and is MI covered with heavy carvings.
If you meant that sort of thing. Why.
BeSS' she turned To the qucstioner
with sudden energy Il wouldn't have
thought thing about 1t If he had
shown ii Ia me er even mentioned it.
lie told me about everything else in
the house, and I'd never have known
thing about this If | hadn't told Nora
to clean cut that catch all, as she calls
II, nj the turn of the garnet stairs.
There Is Il large windowless space over
the dining room wing, and 1t was In
there"
And locked" concluded Boss posi-
lively
Every drawer. asked Nora how
long II had been there, and she said
il had come with Bob's trunks from
home While we were ON our honey
moon I'm not bit curious She
paused.
"Of course moi" assented Hess warm-
ly, ''or suspicious"
only Interested"
less nodded her head wisely over
the interested sigh
at IL Kind al ulIsInrtnltu ltnl.'a unt
telling You "A word about II and hiding
It In there ont of sight. and then the
fact Of it being locked shows that some
one didn't want II opened"
AS she gave her conclusive point of
logic less rose She was pretty and
petite, With IL decisive tilt to her chin
and the confidence of eighteen in her
blue eyes.
"Of course You'll do as You please.
sue. Non always did. hut IL l had
only been married n month and hud
found II locked desk in my house that
| knew nothing of l know what I'd
do"
Young Mrs Sheldon left the piano
with nm inpatient movement She was
tull and slender beside her sister, and
the indefinablc charm of bride was
visible In her dainty negligec toilet Of
white crepon
Il believe absolutely in Rob- she de
elarcd
Hess raised her eyebrows nnd,smilcd
miSchicvously.
"Of course you do. 1t may he, only
some old love letters or souvenirs tthat
he doesn't cnrc To part with. nokyou
remember Adelaide Gsiiiordy"
" That WAS two years ago"
Bcss laughed.
"Goodby, sis. Believe in Bob all you
want Ia. He's dear, and if it were
| Id hunt II blacksmith all the same"
Mrs. Sheldon stood ut the window
and watched the small, Elrlish figure
aS II vanished down thctstrcct among
the tuttering snowhakcs. II WIS dusk
The room WIS unliEhtcdin ms yet, and n
sudden sense of loneliness stole over
her In the scmigloom, the first she had
experienced since the joyous wcddina
of month ago. If the affinity of
moods and colors We're true she WAS
in harmony with the soft Vlokt gray of
the twilight tone that was stealing
over tie world
New Years eve and Bob away IN"
tears blinded her eyes OF course 1t
was business. Merely flying trip To
New York for the firm. made all tho
more imperative 10y his NEGLECT of buSi
Hess during the honeymoon. but she
felt II vague Rebellion in her heart
against even the separation of few
days.
Aud there was the locked desk
Bcss words and arguments ran
swiftly through her mind. Come TO
think. Bob had told her not to tire
herself out rInmaginG while he was
AWAY. Rumnafing! That meant hunt
ing In the garrct and running the risk
Of discovering the desk
And less had spoken of Adelaide
Clifford. There bad been tnlk of
summer engagement. she remembered
Adelaide WIS older than Rob Some
wny, she had always blamed her for
the romance and had looked upon Bob
y
he had cherished her letters and keep.
saltcs then he must have loved her
Adelaide WIS engaged to old Mr.. Thur
ston nov, Copper Tlurston. the boys
called him Perhaps after all Bob had
been jealous of the copper made mil
lions and had married her In fit Of
plque
She turned from the window with
sudden determination 1t lacked half
an hour of dinner time A lonely din
ncr for n bride, she thought. ns she
went upstairs, her FIRST New Years eve.
Perhaps by the time the midnight bells
rang out she might be making Il few
strange resolutions for the coming year
1t was dark on the garnet stnirs She
stopped at the door of Bob'4 dressing
room and took candlcstlck from the
mante II was n wedding gift, n Jap
anese bronze griffin with outspread
wings and spiral, slnuous tall
AZ she held 1t to the gas jet to High,
the candle something fell ON the rug ut
her feet and she picked it up. It was u
small, old fashioned ordinary brass
key. She looked Mt 1t hcsitntingly. III
had never been on Bob's ring, sh.
knew. The space between the wings
Of the bronze griffin was clever idea
for conccalmcnt
She set her lips closely and wcne up
the garrct stairs with the candlestirk
In one hand and the key In the sHtbrr.
Halfway there was turn ut "A snlnH
landing, and 1t was ut the angle mnde
by this that She had found the little
low door leading to the catch all
She opened il now and entered. half
closing the door after her.
The desk was pushed to one side
with some trunks and boxes. 1t was IA
quaint, antique affair Of mahogany, Sc
vcrcly colonial in style. The main
body was crescent shaped, supported
on hand carved legs. There were four
drawers, two on each side, and
small, low cabinet Of plgeonholes on
top
Suzanne stood motionless before 1t
o., In