The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-20
CONTINUED from Last Sundays News }

CHATTER X.-Continued.
The ways of gentlefolks she had long
given up as past finding out. There
was a difference more intangible than
real, she thought for she knew per-
fectly that Constance was aware of
her opening the trunk, though she
would not look into it herself. Could
she be infatuated with the boarder to
the extent of wishing to possess a few
strands of his hair? Well, if she was,
it was too bad. To care for a man
like that! Even if her husband had
deserted her and she chose to marry
again some time, she hoped it would
be some one her equal AS she looked
at Constance with her stately, high
bred carriage and beautiful, clear-cut
features, she could only wonder at the
closed hand which she knew held the
threads of hair.
Constance saw the last troubled
glance at her closed hand and guessed
at the cause. She might as we'll ex-
plain at all events, even if Mrs. Fry
had not. seen her take the hair. She
accordingly held them up before Mrs
Fry, whose face frightened at once.
Il mean to send them to some per-
colored or not" said Constance
quietly.
"Oh, that was it!'
Yes. There are people who can tell
truly. You and 1 can only guess"
But if they are colored. what
then?"
Il don't know" said Constance,
thoughtfully and she went home with
a grave look on her face.
What fhan2 W0Ild that nlaLa her
think her husband was there in hiding,
so near her and under such strange
circumstances? No. Nothing could
make her believe it.
The man might be found to have
colored his hair, he might look like her
husband, there might be a more subtle
resemblance between them than the
external one, but she would then be
conscious of a difference indescribable,
intangible, which even complete re-
semblance could not blot out. What
this mysterious something was she
could not explain any more than the
other puzzling points of the mans per-
sonality. 1t was absurd to think for
one moment that this man could be
her husband. She knew that, and she
wished to be assured that there ex-
listed incontrovertible marks of differ
ence which nothing could efface. A
leopard does not change his spots, an
Ethiopian his skin, nor a man the
color of his hair unless he dyes it, she
reasoned. II Primus Edes really had
dark brown hair he could not by any
possibility be her husband, nor would
he look so very much like him. AS
sured of this the strange fascination
would disappear, and with it this
haunting dread come to mar the calm
belief which had been growing that
her husband was dead, martyr to his
duty fulfilled to an unappreciative
public.
Mrs. Hamilton's first act after re-
turning home and removing her wraps
was to write to Swan and send him
the three strands of hair, neatly gum
med to q paper.
THE hair" she wrote, was combed
from the head of a person resembling
my husband in some respects. Do not
mistake me. I do not believe the man
to be Mr.. Hamilton, but / wish to
know that he is not. Please submit
the hair to a specialist in such mat
ters, if such one can be found, and
learn whether it has ever been dyed"
Swan was deeply mystified by let
ter, implying so much but showing so
little upon the surface, and he prom
ised a look at the mysterious person,
whether his hair was dyed or not; for
Mrs. Hamilton's attitude in the matter
he took measures to discover whether
the hair she sent had been colored..
He knew of no specialist in such
matters, but he felt convinced that a
practised dealer in human hair might
give him points of elucidation. Ac-
cordingly he went to the large estab-
lishment of Springer & Hollis on
Washington street. Boston, and as 1t
CHANGED was fortunate enough to see
Io1I Nd CT ta n
There is one person in this building
on whose Judgment you may rely.
Ambrose, tell Mr.. Hawkes. to step this
way"
In moment a quiet, gentlemanly
individual made his way toward them,
and Mr.. Hollis showed him the strands
of hair. after introducing the detective
and stating his errand.
Mr.. Hawkes. took it and disappeared
with it for a few moments. When he
handed it back to Swan the detective
fancied it to be slightly wet.
"Well?" said he interrogatively.
"It has never been colored. 1t is the
natural shade"
"Are you sure?"
Perfectly sure.
"You may count on Mr.. Hawkes.
opinion as reliable" said Mr. Hollis.
"Is 1t what you expected to learn"
Hardly. 1 suspect the one who sent
1t to me thought it might be colored,
replied Swan.
The detective answered Mrs. Hamil-
toms inquiries in person, and he could
see she was relieved somewhat when
she learned what Hawkes. had said.
Indeed, she told him so. At his re-
quest she told him the few facts she
had learned regarding Primus Edes,
which, however, did not appear to inn
press him much until the matter OF
the marked shirt came up.
"I suspect such things-always
did," he said, "for never knew any
thing of the sort to count in a sus-
pected person. Guilty people, or those
with anything to conceal, don't give
one name and carry about articles of
clothing marked with contradictory
initials"
II should think your reasoning
good" said Constance, much Impress
ed. perhaps Dan Fry is right in
thinking that some one gave him the
articles"
II will find out if I cam said the
detective. And he did to his own sat-
isfaction that very day, for he learned
that Dan had asked the question al
ready, and been answered to all ap-
pearances truthfully. "A stranger
gave them to him." he said.
HE is harmless person, you can
see that" said Swan, "and an ignorant
one. Dan Fry says he cannot write
nor read but is anxious to learn. 1
saw copy that Dan wrote for him
and the fellow tried to follow. Here
IL is All canfta1st y He would have