The Meeker herald., 1907-03-30

Q at OF pique.
She turned from the window with
sudden determination. 1t lacked hall
an hour Of dinner time. A lonely din.
ner for q bride, she thought, ~ she
went upstairs, her hrst New Years
eve. Perhaps by the time the midnight
bells rang out she might be making .
few strange resolutions for the comin8
| year.
1t was dark ON the garrett stairs
She stopped at the door Of Bob's dress
ing.room and took . candlestick from
the mantel. 1t was q wedding gift-a
/ japanese bronze grimm. with outspread
wings and spiral, sinuous tail.
As she held it to the gas Jet to light
/ the candle something fell ON the rug
at her feet and she picked 1t up. II
was small. old-fashioned ordinar,
brass key. She looked At 1t hesitating
| ly. 1t had never been on B6b's ring
she knew. The space between the
wings of the bronze grimm was clever
idea of concealment.
! She set her lips closely ana went ny
! the garrett stairs with candlestick III
Ouc uduu alu tu0 hSy ~ thS osAApt.
Half way there was turn at small
landing, and 1t was at the Aagte made
by this that she had found the little
/. low door leading to the catch all. !"
She opened 1t now and entered, half
| closing the door after her.
The desk was pushed to one side
with some trunks and boxes. 1t was
| a quaint. antique affair Of mahogany.
severely colonial in style. The main
body was crescent-shaped. supported
on hand-carved legs. There were four
drawers. two ON each side, and a small,
low cabinet Of pigeon-holes on top.
Suzanne stood motionless before II
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. bit she did not open 1t.
Thoughts whirled like tho futtering
snowhakes through her mind. aid she
stood again irresolute.
She had told Bess that she believed
absolutely In Bob. Higher than her
love for him had been her unfaltering
| belief and confidence in him. 1t was
the very keystone Of her marriage
| faith, and yet, at the frst blow Of sus-
picion. It gave way.
Bess was child. with the impulsive
judgment Of q 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 1t in the hurry and
excitement Of the wedding. She must
believe in him. The mere fact that
they were married did not give her .
coroner's right to hold = post.mortem
over his dead past.
There was the sound OF footstep
On the stairs, and she relocked the
drawer quickly.
"I1l be down In moment. Nora, !"
she called. You may serve dinner"
The voice that answered was famil-
tar and masculine. She nearly let the
candle fall In her surprised recognition
Of It.
Its only /. Sue. What on earth are
you doing in there?"
She stood mute and motionless as
he bent his head and entered the low
door. 1t was Bob. and he was smiling
and happy. his clear eyes seeking for
the glad welcome he expected.
II only ran down for tonight" he
added. II 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.
II haven't used It," she said, broken
~. But, oh. Bob. came 80 near 1t.
Ysu don't have to tell me what's in
| the old thing. I'll believe in you Just
To 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. tits
locked"
us IT." He stared at the desk In be-
wilderment. well, the key was on
my mantel. dear. You found 1t all
right. didn't you? Couldn't You UNI
lock TT"
II could, but-but I 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 ia q
wedding present to you from Grand
mother Hadleigh. It's been in the fam.
lily since the year one. guess. and
there isn't q single thing in those draw
err. It came the last minute the day
| We were married and was 50 heavy
and unwieldy told father to send 1t
along with my things and have 1t put
away somewhere until we came home.