The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-12-15

empty boxes, IN overturned chair.
This chair and the conjectures its po.
sition awakened led me to look up ut
the mantel. with which It seemed to
be In some way connected. and thus I
became aware OF n wan old drawing
hanging on the wall above 1t. Why
this picture, which was totally unin-
teresting sketch of simpering girl
face. should have held my eve after
the first glance l cannot say even now
1t had no beauty, even OF the sentlmen-
tai kind, and very little II any mean.
ing. Its lines, weak at the best. were
nearly obliterated and in some places
quite faded out, yet not only paused
to look Mt II, but In looking at It forgot
myself and well nigh my errand. Yet
there was no apparent reason for the
spell II eXerted over me-
1t may seem both unnecessary and
out Of character for a man OF my call.
ing to acknowledge these chance sen.
sations, but only by doing so can nc.
count for the minutes which elapsed
before I summoned sufficient self pos
session to draw side the closed cur
tains OF the bed and take the quick
look inside which my present doubtful
position demanded. But, once had
broken the spell and taken the look
Just mentioned, found my manhood
return and with 1t my old ardor for
clews The bed held no gaping, chat
tering criminal, yet was II not quite
empty. Something lay there, and this
something, while commonplace In IT.
self, was enough out Of keeping with
the place and hour to rouse my inter.
est and awaken my cOnjectures. II
was a lady's wrap, so rich In quality
and OF such festive appearance that
IL was astonishing to find II lying In q
neglected state in this crumbling old
house. Though know little of the
cost Of women's garments, | do know
the value OF lace, and this garm2na
was covered with 1t.
Interesting as was this find, II was
followed by one still more 80. Nestled
in the folds OF the cloak ley the with
cred remains of what could only have
been the bridal bouquet. Unsightly
now and scentless, 1t was once a beau
tiful specimen OF the florists art. As
noted how the main bunch of roses
and lilies was connected by long satin
ribbons to the lesser clusters which
hung from It l recalled with conceiva-
Bile horror the use to which n similar
low, In the shudder called up by this
coincidence l forgot to speculate how
a bouquet carried by the bride could
have found its way back to this up
stairs room when, as all accounts
agree, she had fed from the parlor be-
low without speaking or staying foot
the moment she was told of the catas-
trophe which had taken place In the
library That her wrap should be ly-
ing here was not strange. but that the
wedding bouquet
That IL really was the wedding bou.
quet and that this was the room In
which the bride had dressed for the
ceremony was apparent to the most
casual observer, But It became an es.
tablished fact when In my further
course about the room | CHANGED on a
handkerchief with the name Veronica
embroidered In one corner.
This handkerchief had an interest
apart from the name on It. 1t was of
dainty texture and quite in keeping SO
far rs value went with the other be.
longings Of its fastidious owner. But
1t was not clean. Indeed 1T was
strangely -solled, and this soil was Of a