The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-14

another brother" And 1 thrust the
paper back into my pocket.
He followed it with his eye 1t was
the memorandum I had found in the
old book OF memoirs plucked from the
library shelf within. and he recognized
it for his and saw that 1 did also But
he failed to show the white feather
You are good at ransacking" he OBJ
served. PITY that it cannot be done
to more purpose"
I smiled and made a fresh start
With my hand thrust into my pocket
remarked without even so much as
glance at him:
81 fear that you do some injustice
to the police. We are not such bad
fellows: neither do we waste as much
time as you seem to think And, draw
ing out my hand with the little filigree
ball in it, I whirled the latter inno-
Gently round and round on my finger.
AS it flashed under his eye 1 cast
penetrating look.
He tried to carry the moment off sue
eessfully; l will give him so much
credit. But it was asking too much of
his curiosity. and there was no mis-
taking the eager glitter which lighted
his glance as he saw within his reach
this article which moment before he
had probably regarded as lost forever.
"For instance" / went on. watching
him furtively, though quite sure from
his very first look that he knew no
more now of the secret of this little
ball than he knew when he jotted
down the memorandum / had just
peck eted before his eyes. "a little thing,
such a little thing as this" l repeated,
giving the bauble another twist, may
lead to discoveries such as no common
search would yield in years. / do not
say that it has; but such a thing is
possible you know-who betterY'
My nonchalance was too much for
him. He surveyed me with covert dis
like and dryly observed:
"Your opportunities have exceeded
mine, even with my own effects. That
petty trinket which you have presum-
ed to flaunt in my face-and of whose
value I am rfe worst judge in the
world, since have never had it in my
hand-descended to me with the rest
Of Mrs. Jeffrey's property. Your con-
duct, therefore. strikes me in the light
of an impertinence, especially as no
one could be supposed to have more in
terest than myself in what has been
for many years recognized as family
talisman.''
"Ah." I remarked. "you own to the
memorandum. then. 1t was made on
the spot, but without the benefit of the
taliSman."
II own to nothing he snapped.
Then, realizing that denial in this re-
gard was fatal, he added more genial
ly: What do you mean by memoran-
DUN? If you mean that recapitulation
of old time mysteries and their accom-
panying features with which / once
whiled away an idle hour, l own to
it. of course. Why shouldn't :? 1t is
only proof of my curiosity in regard
TO this old mystery which every MEM
Der of my family must feel That GU
riosity has not been appeased. II it
would not be indiscreet on your part,
may now ask if you have found out
what that little golden ball of mine
which you sport so freely before my
eyes is to be used in connection WITH
Read the papers, 1 said; .read to-
morrow's papers. Mr.. Moore. or. bet
ter still, tonight's. Perhaps they will
inform YOU
He was as angry as I had expected
him to be; but. as this ire proved con-
clusively that his strongest emotion
had been curiosity rather than fear. !
felt assured OF my ground and turned
to re-enter the house. Mr.. Moore did
not accompany me-
The major was standing in the hall.
The others had evidently retreated to
the parlor.
The man opposite knows what he
knows" said /. "but this does NOT in.