Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-08-11

when everybody was there-and they
haven't the faintest clew."
But how?" For a moment the pre-
posterous fact left Clara too quick to
be calm.
Again Flora's eloquent hands. THAT
is it! 1t was in a case like all the
other jewels. Harry saw it"-she
glanced at the paper-"as late as four
O'Clock. When he came back with
Judge Butler, half an hour after, III
was gone" ,
Flora leaned forward on her ell i,
bows, chin in hands. No two could
have differed more than these two
women in their ~blondness and their |
p%rettiness and their wonder. For
Clara was sharp and pale, with silvery
lights in eyes and hair, and confront
ed the facts with an alert and calcu-
lating observation; but Flora was
tawny, toned from brown to ivory
through all the gamut Of gold-hair
color of a panther's hide, eyes dark
hazel, glinting through ~dust-colored
lashes, chin round like a fruit. The
pressure of her fingers accented the
slight uptilt of her brows to elfsh-
ness, and her look was interpretive.
She might, instead of wondering on
the outside, have been the very center
of the mystery itself, toying with I'm
thinkable possibilities Of revelation.
She looked far over the head of Clara
Britton's annoyance that there should
be no clew.
why, don't you see," she pointed
out, "that is Just the fun of it? It
might be anybody. 1t might be you,
or me, or Ella Butler. Though l would
prefer to think it was some n we
didn't know so well-some one
strange and fascinating, who will pres
emily go slipping out the Golden Gate
in a little junk boat, so that no one
need be embarrassed"
Clara looked back with %extraordi-
nary intentness.
"Oh, it's not possible the thing is
stolen. There's some mistake! And
If it were"-her eyes seemed to open
a little wider to take in this posi-.
bility-"they will have detectives all
around the water front by tonight
Any one would find it difficult to gel
away" she pointed out.
'Of course; / know" Flora muir
INJURED. A faint twitch of humor pull
ed her mouth, but the passionate 70
mantle color was dying out of hel
. face. How was it that ones romances
! could be so cruelty pulled down tt
earth? But still she couldn't quite
come down to Clara. "At least" she
sighed, che has saved me an awful
expense, whoever took it, for | should
! have had to have it."
Mrs. Britton surveyed this state
I ment consideringly. WAS 1t the mos
valuable thing in the collection?
: Flora hesitated in the face of tn
alert question: .T-don't know. Blu
it was the most remarkable. 1t was
Chatworth heirloom, the papers say
! and was given to Bessie at the tim
of her marriage" The thought of tn
death that had Sc quickly followe,
: that marriage gave Flora a littl
shiver, but no shade Of the TRACED
touched Clara. There was nothin
! but speculation in Clara's eyes-tha'
. and a little disappointment. "The
! they will put off the auction-if it
really So" she unused.
But there must be something in /
: Clara. Why, they closed the door
and searched them-that crowd! It
ri%diculous!"
- Clara Britton glanced at the empt
q place. Then that must be what ha
% kept him."
n who? Oh, Harry" 1t took Flor
n a moment to remember she had bee
Iv expecting Harry. She hoped Clal
Re had not noticed it. Clara always ha
a. too much the assumption that 81
lie was taking him only as the best-loo
q ing, bes%t-natured, safest bargain pr
n scented. HE will be here" she r
assured, "but / wish he would hurr
81 His dinner will be spoiled; and, POI
r. dear, he likes his dinner SO much!"
q. The faint silver sound Of the ele
,g trio bell, a precipitate double pea
seemed to uphold this statement. tt
ad women faced each other in a m
IN ment's suspense, a moment of expe
vn tation, such as the advance colun
1T. may feel at sight of a scout hotfo
in. from the field of battle. There we
va muf1ed movements In the hall, tn,
ar. light, v steps crossing the drawn
of room. Those light steps always su
re- gested a slight frame, and, as alway
Flora was re-surprised at his bulk
rs. now it appeared between the part
,er curtains, the dull black and sha
white of his evening clothes topped
a. his square, fr~esh-colored face.
IN. well, Flora" he said, IT know I
nd late" and took the hand she, held
him from where she sat. Her ia
~" danced with pleasure. Yes, he W
magnificent, she thought, as he GRO
a ed with his light stride to Mrs. Bl
in tons chair. He could even stand
he harsh lines and lights of event
M clothes. He dominated their ugly CT
EN- vention with his height, his face
yht rudy and fresh under the pale bro,
tty Of his hair, his alert, assured, d
ex- movement. His high good nature b
the effect Of sweetening for him ey
,ry Clara Britton's fiavorless manner. 7
md I'VE were speaking Of you," W
It which she saw him to his seat, b
all the warmth Of a smile, but a SIN
the far in the background Of Flora's
ply mediate possession. Indeed, FL,
BUR had seldom had SO much to say
Harry as at this moment Of her