Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-12-12
Mrs. Bluebeard
= S it antiQue?"

q 5 it antique"
il Suzanne trailed her fingers idly
over the piano keys in little i'm
pronptu prelude of troublous chords
before she answered the query.
II suppose it is" she said, GROSSLY,
I'm sure | cant tell whether it's real
antique or not 1t looks old and dusty
and is all covered with heavy carvings,
If you mean that sort of thing. Why,
Bess.' she turned to the Questioner
with sudden energy, Il wouldn't have
thought thing about it if he had
shown ii to me or even mentioned it.
He told be about everything else in
the house and I'd never have known a
thing about this If hadn't told Nora
to clean out that catch ALL as she calls
1t. at the turn of the garnet stairs.
There is a large windowless space over
the dining room wing. and II was in
there
And locked" concluded Bess, posi-
lively.
Every drawer. 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 not bit curious" She
paused.
OF course not" assented Bess
warmly. "or suspicious
only Interested
at is kind of mysterious, BOb's not
telling you II 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 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 had
only been married month and had
found 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 tall and slender beside her sister
and the indefinable charm OF bride
WAS visible in her dainty neglgee toll
cite of white crepon.
II believe absolutely in Bob" she
declared.
Ress 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 Gfford:"
THAT was two years ago.
Bess laughed.
"Good-by, sis. Believe in Bob all
you want to- He is a dear. and if 1t
were |. I'd hunt a locksnith. all the
same
Mrs. Sheldon stood at the window
and watched the small girlish figure
az 1t vanished down the street among
the f1uttering snOwtiakes. IL was
dusk. The room was unlighted as yet,
and II sudden sense Of loneliness stole
she had experienced since the joyous
wedding of month ago. IL the ATTN.
ity Of moods and cOlOrs were true, she
was in harmony with the soft velvet
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 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 a 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 by runmaging while he was
away. Runmaging. That meant hunt
ing in the garnet and running the risk
Of discoverin. the desk.