The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-15
Mrs. Bluebeard


81 IL antlqueg
Suzanne trnIled her fingers idly
over the piano keys In n little i'm.
promptu prelude OF troublous chords
before she answered the query.
II suppose IL Is" she said. GROSSLY,
I'm sure l can't tell whether It's real
antique or not. IL looks old and dusty
and Is all covered with heavy carvings.
&C. you mean that sort OF thing. Why.
Bess," she turned 10 the qucStloner
with sudden energy. II wouldn't have
thought n thing about II IL he had
shown Il 10 me or even mentioned Il.
He told he about everything else In
the house, and I'd never have known a
thing about this IL / hadn't told Nora
10 clean out that catch ALL as she calls
II, at the turn OF the garrett stairs.
There is n large w~indowlcss space over
the dining room wing. and It was In
there"
And locked" concluded Bess. posi-
lively.
Every drawer. I asked Nora how
long IL had been there. and she said Il
had come with Bob's trunks from
home. while we were on our honey
noon. I'm not a bit curious" She
paused.
"of course not" asscnted Bcss
warmly, ''or suspicious"
only Interested"
at is kind or mysterious, Bob's not
telling you n word about Il, and hiding
Il In there out OF sight. and then the
fact OF Il being locked shows that some
one didn't want IL opened"
AS she gave her conclusive point OF
logic Bess rose. She was pretty and
petite. with n decisive tilt 20 her chin.
and the confidence OF eighteen in her
blue eyes.
"of course. you'll 10 as you please,
Sue. You always did. But IL I had
only been married a month and had
found n locked desk IN my house that
! knew nothing OF. / know what I'd
do"
Young Mrs. sheldon left the piano
with an impatient movement. She
was till and slender beside her sister.
and the indeinable charm OF a bride
was visible in her dainty ncgllgce toll.
cite of white crcpon.
II believe absolutely In Bob" she
declared.
Bess raised her eyebrows and smiled
mIschieyously.
"of course you do. II may be only
some old love letters or souvenirs that
he doesn't care TO part with. DO you
remember Adelaide Glffordy"
THAT was two years ago
Bess laughed.
"Good-by, sis. Believe I'm Bob all
you want to. He is a dear. and II II
were /. I'd hunt a locksnith, all the
same
Mrs. Sheldon stood at the window
and watched the small girlIsh figure
as II vanished down the street among
the fiutterlng snowfiakes. IL was
dusk. The room vas unlighted as yet,
and n sudden sense OF loneliness stole
over her In the seml-gloom. the first
she had experienced since the Joyous
wedding OF a month ago. If the afin.
fly OF moods and cnlors were true, she
was In harmony with the soft velvet
gray OF the twilight tone that was
stealing over TO world.
sw Years and Bob away. Tho
- y blinded zoe. eyes. or course. IL
was business. mH",.y a flying trip TO
New York for The firm. made all the
more imperative by his neglect OF bust
ness during the honeymoon, but she
felt n vague rebellion IN her heart
against even the separation OF n 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 20 tire
herself by rummaging while he was
away. RummaginG. That meant hunt.
ing In the garnet and running the risk
Of discovering the desk.