The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-10-05
I Mrs. BIuebeard
By x<oIo l.. ForreCfer
Copyright, 1904, by T. G. Mcclure
"Is it antique"

4
the piano keys in a little impromptu
| prelude of troublous chords before she
answered the query.
Il suppose it is," she said GROSSLY
"I'm sure l can't tell whether it's real
antique or not 1t looks old and dusty
and is all covered with heavy carvings
| If you meant that sort of thing. Why
| Bess" - she turned to the questioner
with sudden energy-'I wouldn't have
thought thing about it If he had
shown 1t to me or even mentioned it.
He told me about everything else in
the house, and I'd never have known
thing about this if hadn't told Nora
| to clean out that catch ALL as she calls
1t, at the turn of the garret stairs.
There is large windowless space over
the dining room wing, and it was in
there"
"And locked" concluded Bess posi-
lively.
"Every drawer. / asked Nora how
long it had been there, and she said
it had come with Bob's trunks from
home while we were on our honey
moon. I'm not bit curious She
paused.
"Of course not" assented Bess warm
ly, "or suspicious
"Only interested"
Bess nodded her head wisely over
the interested sigh.
'It is kind of mysterious Bob's not
telling you a 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 Bess rose. She was pretty and
petite, with a 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 If l had
only been married month and had
found locked desk In my house that
I knew nothing of 1 know what I'd
do"
Young Mrs. Sheldon left the piano
with an impatient movement. She was
tall and slender beside her sister, and
the indefinable charm of bride was
visible in her dainty negligee toilet of
white crepon.
81 believe absolutely in Bob" she de-
clared.
Bess raised her eyebrows and smiled
mischievOusly.
''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 Gifford?'
'That was two years ago."
Bess laughed.
"Goodby, sis. Believe in Bob all you
want to- He's a dear, and il 1t were
I'd hunt locksmith all the same"
Mrs. Sheldon stood at the window
and watched the small, girlish figure
as 1t vanished down the street among
the fiuttering snowf1akes. 1t was dusk.
The room was unlighted as yet, and a
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 tone that was stealing
over the world
New Years eve and Bob away The
tears blinded her eyes. OF course it
was business. Merely a flying trip to
New York for the firm, made all the
more imperative by his neglect of busi-
ness during the honeymoon, but she
felt vague rebellion in her heart
against even the separation of 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 was
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
summer engagement, she remembered.
Adelaide was older than Bob. Some
way. she had always blamed her fol-
the romance and had looked upon Bob
as an impressionable yonngster But If
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 flt 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 garret stairs. She
stopped at the door of Bob's dressing
room and took q candlestick from the
mantel. 1t was wedding gift. Jap
low door leading to the .Qatch all"
She opened II now and entered, half