The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-09-24
Mrs. BIuebeard
by xEofo L. Forresfer
Copyright. 1904. by T. c. Mcclure

prelude OF troubloUs chords before Sic
answered the query.
Il suppose 1t is" she said GROSSLY
antique or not. 1t looks old and dusty
and is all covered with heavy carvings,
II you meant that sort Of thing. Why
Bess"- she turned to the questioncT
with sudden energy-"I wouldn't have
thought a thing about 1t if he bad
shown it to Inc or even mentioned It.
He told NE about everything else in
the house. and I'd never have known
a thing about this IL | hadn't told Nora
to clean out that catch ALL as she calls
it, at the turn of the garrett stairs.
There Is a large windowless space over
the dining room wing. and 1t was In
there"
And locked" concluded Bess posi-
lively.
Every drawer. l asked Nora how
long 1t had been there. and she said
It had come with Bob's trunks from
home while we were on our honey
moon. I'm o a bit curious She
paused.
"Of course not" assented Bess warm.
ly, 'or suspicious"
only Interested"
Bess nodded ner head wisely Over
the interested sigh.
at is kind of mysterious Bob's not
telling you n word about it and hiding
1t In there out of sight. and then the
fact of it being locked shows that some
one didn't want it opened"
AS SHE gave her conclusive point Of
logic LESS rose. She was pretty and
petite. with q decisive tilt to her chin
and the confidence of eighteen in her
blue eyes.
"Of course you'll do as you please.
Sue. You always did. But II had
only been married a month and had
found q locked desk in my house that
l knew nothing of | know what I'll
do"
Young Mrs. Sheldon left the piano
with an impat'e nt movement. She was
tall aud slender beside her sister, and
the indeinable charm of a bride was
visible in her dainty negligee toilet of
white crepon.
Il believe absolutely In Bob" she de
clared.
Bess raised her eyebrows and smiled
mischieyously.
'Of course you do. 1t may be only
some old love letters or souvenirs that
he doesn't care to part with. Do you
remember Adelaide GifordY
"That was twp years ago"
Bess laughed.
"Goodby. sis. Believe in Bob all you
want to. Hes a dear. and If 1t were
l Id hunt a locksmith all the same"
Mrs. Sheldon stood at the window
and watched the small, girlish figure
as it vanished down the street among
the futtering snowflakes. 1t was dusk.
sudden sense Of loneliness stole over
her in the semigloom. the first she had
experienced since the joyous wedding
of a month ago. If the affinity of
moods and colors were true. she was
In harmony with the soft violet gray of
the twilight one that was stealing
owe the world.
NEW lear . CNt diA " away Az
tears blinded her eyes. or course it
was business. Merely a flying trip to
New York Sor the firm. made all the
more imperative by his neglect of bust
ness during the honeymoon. but she
felt a vague rebellion in her heart
against ever the separation Of a few
days.
And there was the locked desk.
Bess' words and arguments ran
swiftly through her mind. Come to
think. Bob had told her not to tire
herself out rummaging while he vas
away. Rummaging! That meant hunt
ing In the garnet and running the risk
Of discovering the desk.
And Bess had spoken of Adelaide
Clifford. There had been talk OF a
summer engagement. she remembered.
Adelaide was older than Bob. Some
way. she had always blamed her for
the and had looked upon Bob
us an impressionable youngster. But II
he had cherished her letters and keep
sakes then he must have loved her.
Adelaide was engaged to old Mr.. Thur
ston now. Copper Thurston. the boys
called him. Perhaps after all Bob had
been jealous Of the copper made mil
lions and had married her in a fit Of
pique.
She turned from the window with
sudden determination. 1t lacked half
an hour Of dinner time. A lonely din
ner for a bride. she thought. as she
went upstairs. her first New Years eve.
Perhaps by the time the midnight bells
rang out she might be making a few
strange resolutions for the coming year.
1t was dark on the garrett stairs. She
stopped at the door of Bob's dressing
room and took a candlestick from the
mantel. 1t was a wedding gift. a Jap
anese bronze griffin with outspread
wings and spiral. sinuous tail.
As she held it to the gas jet to light
the candle something fell on the rug at
her feet. and she picked ii up. 1t was a
small. old fashioned ordinary brass
bow Oh, t1Yi-AI ~ IL bncffa4ipmfr IL