The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-12-29

&
the candle something fell on the rug
at her feet. and she picked it up. 1t
was a small, old-fashioned ordinary
brass key. She looked at 1t hesitating-
| ". It had never been on Bob's ring.
she knew. The space between the
| wings Of the bronze griffin was clever
idea of concealment.
She set her lips closely and went up
the garnet stairs with candlesticlz in
one hand and the key in the other.
Half way there was a turn at a small
landing, and it was at the angle made
by this that she had found the little
low door leading to the ''cateh ALL
/ She opened it now and entered, half
closing the door after her.
The desk was pushed to one side
| with some trunks and boxes. It was
severely colonial in style. The main
body was crescent-shaped, supported
on hand-caryed legs. There were four
drawers. two on each side. and a small,
low cabinet of pigeon-holes on top.
! Suzanne stood motionless before it
for several minutes, trying to make up
her mind to insert the key. When she
did so, in the lock Of the nearest top
drawer, her hand trembled slightly
and she held her breath. The key
turned easily and the draw was ready
for inspection, but she did not open it.
Thoughts Whirled like the fluttering
snoWhakes through her mind, and she
stood again irresolute.
She had told Bess that she believed
absolutely in Bob. Higher than her
love for him had been her unfa1tering
belief and confidence in him. It was
the very keystone of her marriage
faith, and yet, at the first blow Of sus.
pieion, it gave way.
Bess was child, with the impu1siye
judgment of child. She had been
wrong to even tell her of the desk,
wrong to discuss Bob or his motives
with her at all, or to listen for an in
slant to any doubt of him, even in
jest. She must have faith, and wait.
He had probably locked the desk
against the curiosity of the servants
and had forgotten it in the hurry and
excitement of the wedding. She must
believe in him. The mere fact that
they were married did not give her a
coroner's right to hold a post-mortem
over his dead past.
There was the sound of O footstep
on the stairs, and she relocked the
drawer quickly.
TIL be down in moment, Nora"
she called. You may serve dinner
The voice that answered was famil.
lar and masculine She nearly let the
candle fall in her surprised recognition
of it.
Its only I, Sue. What on earth are
you doing in there?'
She stood mute and motionless as
he bent his head and entered the low
door. t was Bob, and he was smiling
and happy, his clear eyes seeking for
the glad welcome he expected.
7 only ran down for tonight" he
added. Il couldn't let you face the
first New Year alone, sweetheart,
His arms reached for her, but she
shook her head and handed him the
key.
Il haven't used It." she said, broken
1y. But, oh, Bob, I came SO near it.
You don't have to tell me what's in
the old thing. I'll believe in you just
the same, and don't want to know"
Know What?" he demanded. Don't
cry, Sue He drew her to him tender
". Whats up, anyhow"
THAT desk" she sobbed. Its
locked
rs it," He stared at the desk in be-
Wilderment. well, the key was on
my mante1, dear. You found it all
right, didn't you? Couldn't you I'M
lock it?'
Il could, but-but / don't want to
know your private affairs" She tried
to draw herself away, but he took her
hands and held them from her tear
wet face SO that he could see her eyes.
Sue, darling he said. you blessed
little Mrs Bluebeard, that desk is a
wedding present to you from Grand
mother Had1eigh. It's been in the fam.
lily since the year one, I guess, and
there isn't a single thing in those draw
CTS. 1t Cattle lnG last IuluuG9 Tie udy !
we were married, and was SO heavy
and unwieldy I told father to send it /
along with my things and have it put |
away somewhere until we came home /
And I laid the key in the griffin for
safe-keeping. What did you think was
in it,"
But Suzanne silenced further ques-
tioning in her own effectua1 way. The
keystone of her happiness was firm
and immovabIe. But as they went I
downstairs to dinner she registered
one New Years VOW in her heart In
the future she would let love laugh at
locksmiths.
Photograpfing of CoIors.
Mon. Lippmann, to whom we owe
all the progress made up to the pres
ent time in the difficult problem OF
the direct photography of colors, has
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