Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-25

what said. My only consolation IS that no
one but the family knew it. She closed
1.-The Almanach de Gotha' and put it back
on the shelf. "Did you ever hear of the Due
d'Aubigny?" she asked.
"Yes," l answered. "Why?'
"Do you know that he was charged with
jewel thefts in France and sent to jail?'
81 do. Why?"
She didn't answer for quite awhile; finally
she came close to me. Its a silly thing I'm
going to tell you,' she drawled. al have no
foundation for my suspicious; but Saturday
when | was in town I'm sure saw the Due
d'Aubigny!'
| gasped, and my mouth fell open.
"Of course | might have been mistaken;
but the Due d 'Aubigny is not easily forgot
ten. He has peculiar scar
"Yes, l know | interrupted "a saber
cut"
Hes handsome man, she unused. "Sat-
urday he seemed bit shabby and his hair
was cropped close, as if he hadn't been out
of prison long, and still he was handsome.
| had leisure to observe him. and am abso-
lutely sure of him. We were caught in a
matinee crush, and the Due d 'Aubigny was
standing at the curb not six feet away from
me. He saw me. He looked at me just as
one glances at any stranger; but he knew
me! | started to speak to him; but | never
act on impulse, and there was a bare chance
that had made a mistake. But if he wasn't
the Due 'Aubigny it was his ghost!"
"But how could the Due d'Aubigny have
taken the ruby?"
"Sh-h-h-h!" she whispered. II haven't
dared think that far. He couldn't possibly
have been connected in any way She
did not finish. "You won't mention this to
a soul, will you, Miss Goldman? It's rather
absurd.
"But if Winthrop should need"
"You said his arrest was not Serious she
interrupted.
"No, it isn't Do you think Mr. Abbott is
a thief" asked her plainly.
Il did think SO. I'm sure now he isn't
"Why?" wanted to know. "Have you
reason?"
"Yes, I've come to my senses, she smiled.
, aged to come back up the driveway in a
noisy car without either Hap or myself see
ing him was an unexplained mystery. We
both were within earshot on the tennis
courts, and l was not playing. If only Hap
had instructed Burrows not to take the card
to Natalie! But he never thought of that.
Natalie at first sent back word that she
was not there; but on the back of card
that bore the name @A1r. Samuel Dick,
Evening Columbian the reporter wrote
something that was sufficiently magical to
bring Natalie down stairs, and the converse
ton that followed was sufficiently magical
to send Natalie to her room to don hat
She entered the car with the red headed re-
porter, and was driven away. Two hours
later she returned, went to her room, and
sent Minette to say to Mrs. Hazard that she
had slight headache and didn't wish to be
disturbed. 3
"The Evening Columbian fell like
bomb into our midst at Lone Oak just be-
fore dinner. | remember one awful line in
that glaring heading:
Miss Sargent Positively Identifies Emerald
Bracelet.
Poor old Winthrop!
Chapter XIX.
THERE'S something SO self reliant about,
10! She drove up under the porte CO.
chere late Wednesday afternoon, damned
on the emergency, pushed up her goggles,
and alighted, totally oblivious of the sur
prised and admiring chances directed at her
from those who happened to be having tea
and things on the terrace, 10 drives like
man, she's SO sure of herself. and suppose a
lone woman in hulking brute of car was
just little out of the ordinary. Benny