The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-03-21

| little frightened sob
"Why-why are you here?" she de
manded brokenly.
Am | so distastefu to you?'' he
| asked, stopping short You have not
| led me to believe So
| Il didyou do not understand w hat
! has happened today-must always
| stand between u.s."
| He stared ineredulously. boldly, at
her You cannot possibly mean that
my rumored failure ON the street has
affected your feeling toward me?" he
! asked scornfully
mo, oh, no! How could you believe
little thing like that would make any
difference to me? | mean thist' Elsie
brought forth the pearl sleeve link
and held it toward him in her rosy
palm
you found this? 1t is mine | thank
you.' he said gravely, slipping the link
into his cuff and still holding her with
his questioning gaze
ut was in my room-on the chair
where my dressing bag had been. You
see"-she turned away her head so
that she might not see his face-''you
see. my emeralds were stolen tonight
from that very bagw
'.Ah!' There were anger and con
demnation in his rapid glance before
1t turned to tender amusement And
you have spoken to no one regarding
the matter?'
She turned eagerly. Not a soul. |
shall never breathe a word Only
hope ] shall never see you againl How
could your
you mean. how could ! rob the girl
I loved best in the world?' he asked
gently
Ventnor took her hands in his and
compelled her to return his straight
look. DO you love me, Elsie?' he
asked
''Yes." she said
He released her hands and offered
his arm.
MY poor little detective, come with
me to 0rmond He has something to
show YOU"
In the housekeeper's room a little
group of people were conferred about
the table. There were Dick Ormond
and his wife, Louise; Katuru, the but
Ter, and strange, heavy set man with
keen eyes. They turned with one ac-
cord as Elsie entered with Ventnor
Miss Halliday" began Dick Or
mond soberly, this has been rather
an exciting evening for some of us
would have been for you only Mabel
insisted you should be kept in igno-
rance until after dinner Your emer-
aids have been stoen-and recover
edf'
White and shaking, Elsie stretched
forth her hand and received the green
ripple of flame from Ormond From
one end of the chain stone was miss
ing.
Il knew it." she said in a low tone
Il discovered their loss before dinner
l was going to tell you about it, only
r. She hesitated.
"She discovered clew." added Vent,
nor calmly-"this." He laid the sleeve
link on the table.
And other clews," said Elsie hur
riedIy, telling her story now without
reservation
Then the short man spoke with an.
thority. VERY easily explained. Miss
Halliday. Your maid had unpacked
your trunk. and the butler. here in the
absence of another servant was remov
ing the trunk to the storeroom A man
stepped through the open window. slit
open your dressing bag, extracted the
jewel case, from which he took the EN-
eralds, replaced the case in the bag
and was escaping through the win
dow when your maid, returning. discov-
cred him. alarmed the butler and Mr..
Ventnor, who was passing through the
hall, and the three of them struggled
to hold him. He was q husky chap
and desperate. and they had fight for
it, each one leaving some evidence OF
the contest. Now. Mr. Ormond with
your permission I'll take my fine gen
tleman alougt
He strobe to door and threw it
open. revealing In a shallow closet the
sulen downcast face of the Halliday
chauffeur
Henry Miss Halliday's lovely face
was reflection of passing emotions
as she realized that the chauffeur had
followed in the wake of her journey
to rob her: that the valiant little
Louise who was HenryS sweetheart.
had captured him for the sake of 10y
atty to her mistress and was even now
crying her pretty eyes out over his
degradation. Elsie swept all barriers
aside and knelt down beside her weep
ing maid.
Poor little Louise" she whispered
softly. You are far Drawer than |.
could never have done what you have
today. Your reward will come later
My father will investigate, and II 1t Is
Henry's first offense 1t may be possible
for you to marry and start afresh
somewhere with the dot | shall pro
vide.'
Thus comforted, Louise dried her
tears and was taken to dinner by
Katuru, while the police officer Or
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