The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-06-11
"I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU"


chatted vaguely in disinterested
tones of incipient troubles in the
domestic force, till her husband.
awaking from his trance, gave her
comfort by the assurance that since
the entire household force was un-
der surveillance. any attempt to re-
sign would be regarded as a clew.
Everyone was glad when the mo-
ment of dispersal arrived.
I've some letters to write" said
Alice. when do they take the bag
to town."
Three" said Evelyn.
Alice hesitated. Say" she said,
drawing over close. May l tele-
phone Stacy to come over to dinner?
Convenient? I saw Tiddledywinks
to-day in his stall, and he's acting
queerly-favoring his off shoulder.
want Stacy's advice, and want to
know what Alvord is doing. Joe's
working him with the Leland
string"
''Ot course. yes; nice fellow. Stacy.
Too lad he isn't a bit better fixed
hey. Alice? Have him over by all
means"
Right" she smiled gayly. and
scampered up the stairs.
Wendham retired to the gun room.
lit his pipe, and was plunged in
thought. For the present, he rumi-
mated, no safer hiding place for Mrs.
Lawdon's jewels could be found than
the leafy screen. Let them stay
there until he could devise some
manner by which they might be re-
turned to their owner. leaving their
past whereabouts a mystery. If he
could accomplish that, his other
plans, complicated and difficult as
they were. could be followed, at least
with freedom. He laughed to him
self grimly. If he could manage to
have the gems discovered in Mrs,
Lawdon's own apartment-in some
corner overlooked in the search
the suspicion that the little parvenu
so glibly laid upon everyone would
fall upon herself. The fortunate
losses of more than one woman gam
bier, which had eventually enabled
her to enter the lists again with
ready money, were too we'll known.
Enough of the unreasoning old Adam
was left in Wendham to make him
enjoy the prospect. But how? He
vividly realized that If the return Of
the jewels were traced to him, he
would be placed in no enviable light.
In fancy he saw himself accused.
Then he concluded, let the loss re-
main a mystery. A hundred ways
by which the ivy might reveal it's
secret disclosed themselves in his
imagination. The plant might die,
or lose it's leaves. The bag might
fall in some high wind, or the nail
| work loose. What theng They hung
beneath Mrs. Gaynor's window. II
she were saved, an innocent woman
must bear the burden. Even in his
devotion to the culprit. his sense Of
| Justice balked at that. He would
rather himself be caught red-handed.
the spoils in his own possession.
Slowly a plan unfolded for him. On
the plea of getting some article
needed by the invalid, he would And
access to her rooms at night. His
movements in the darkened room
could not be observed, he could then
secure the jewels, take them to his
room and watch his chance to drop
them from the upper corridor WIN
dow to Mrs. Lawdon's window box
directly below. The jewels once in
their rightful owners possession,
there would be general dispersal of
the enforced house party. If the
Jewels were discovered on her own
premises, so to speak, Mrs. Lawdon
would not be desirous of calling any
further attention to the late un-
pleasantness."
A sudden slapping of shutters, the
iron jerk and clang of awnings
reused him. A servant hurried into
the room and rapidly adjusted win
dows and fastenings. Wendham
rose and looked out. A rain OF
leaves and branches drove by and
swept In a brown cloud down the
garden paths. Low clouds scudded
across the sky, and the whole mass
Of the nearby woods rocked In the
gale. Fierce Eusts shriAknd IN the
chimneys and Ne.eI away toward
the nlains below