The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-07-27

had hoped that my shot would tell.
And you heard no unusual noise--no
scream, nor anything OF that sort?"
mo, sir; though l was so busy and
worried l dare say l wouldn't have
heard q caEnoE-shot."
When did you learn that something
was wrong?"
Il heard Mrs. Lawrence asking II
anyone had seen her daughter. Then
she sent some OF the servants to look
for her."
What time was that?"
About 10 minutes after had spoken
to her."
"Yes--what then?"
well, 1 didn't pay much attention at
first. but when the bridesmaids came
they raised such hullabaloo that
| couldn't help but take notice"
What did Mrs. Lawrence do?"
why, she tried to quiet them-I
must say she was the coolest one In
| the house--except one"
who was that?'
Miss Lawrence's maid She just
SAT there on the stairs and glowered
| and grinne6 and chewed her nails and
never said word. She gave me the
| creeps could swear she knew all
about 1t and was glad of it,
I repressed a chuckle OF satisfaction.
Here was better luck than / had ex-
pected
How was Miss Lawrence dressed
when you saw her?" l asked
"All In rastly white. judged 1t was
her wedding Dress
And you say she seemed quite as
| usual?"
Yes. sir; only, OF course. excited, as
| any woman would be--though calm,
| too, and with q sort Of deep glow in
| her eyes when she looked at you.
can't describe 1t, sir: but l remember
thinking that the man who was to get
her was a mighty lucky fellow. Did
| you know her. sir?"
mo-" / said; i've never seen her"
"Ah." he added. closing his eyes for
| an instant, 'if you'd seen her then,
you'd never forget 1t. l never will. !
never saw another woman to touch
her!" and he turned away to his work,
with the vision he had conjured up
evidently still before him.
As started along the hall / saw
| through the open front door mail
carrier coming up the walk. / FASTENED
| to meet him--this was another fortu-
nate chance.
How many deliveries do YOU make q
| day out here?" I asked, as he came up
| the steps with n bundle of letters lin
| his hand--I could guess the belated
| congratulations which were among
| them!
"Only two-morning and afternoon -
| he answered.
What time in the morning?"
About . o'clock. usually"
1T was about that time this morn
ingP"
ayes. sir; maybe 20 minutes after
nine"
who took the mail?"
II put 1T in the box here in the vesti-
bule, as | ALWAYS DO" he said, and
suited the action tn the word.
I watched him as he walked away
SO 1t had not been letter which had
caused Miss Lnwrence's sudden panic
| That reduced the possibilities to two.
Either she had received visitor or a
| telegram. l must endeavor to-
| A voice at my elbow aroused me.
Mrs. Lawrence wishes to see you
| sir" IL sold.
I turned. to find standing beside me
the woman who had brought the note
to Mrs. Lawrence in the library--the
| woman whose attitude OF malignant
triumph had 80 startled me. I blessed
the chance which made 1t possible for
me to question her alone.
VERY WE'LL" 1 said. Are you Mrs
Lawrence'S maid?"
mo. sir; I'm Miss Marcia's maid "
"Ah!" I said. and permitted my
| self to look at her more closely. She
| was a woman apparently somewhat
| over 80. She had very black hair and
| eyes. and her face. while not actually
| repollent, had In 1t a certain fierce
| ness and hardness far from attractive
! A fiery and emotional nature was evi
| dent in every line OF ia sinister ma
| ture. too, II seemed to me--and re-
membered her as had seen her stand
ing in the library door. exultng I'm an.
others misery ! pictured her as the
decorator had described her. sitting or
Il - atAt rptr fnsr lf tA,. IT,
| i'm q kind OF internal triumph. Why
should Miss Lawrence have chosen
such a woman to attend her? As
looked at her. / saw the folly Of at
tempting to win her conference.-the
whip was the only weapon that could
touch her--and It must be welded
mercilessly.
| Mrs. Lawrence wishes to see YOU
she said again, and fancied there was
defiance in the eyes she turned upon
me for the merest instant.
| "In a moment. Was II you who found
the note your mistress left for Mr.
| Curtiss?"
Yes, sir" and che glanced at me
again. this time with quick sus-
picion.
'Tt was on her dressing table, be.
lieve?"
YES. sir"
How did you happen to find it,"
| II just happened to see ii, sir"
TT was lying in plain sight?"
| Yes, sir"
Not concealed in any way-nothing
lying over it?"
She hesitated an instant. and sho,
me another quick glance before she
answered.
| II believe not. SIR" she said at last.
| "Of course II wouldn't be concealed,
I said, reassuringly. Miss Lawrence
/ or. III tAf4 AIA
would be NOSE quickly seen. don't you
| think so?"
| Yes, sir: / suppose So
And her dressing table was very
conspicuous place."
| Yes, sir; very conspicuous"
| I'm that case" l said slowly, III
seems most peculiar that the lette,
| wasn't discovered at once"
| She flushed holly under my gaze and
opened her lips to reply, but though,
better OF II and started hastily up the
stair. followed her in silence: but
had much to think about. What con-
nection had she with Miss Lawrence's
disappearance? What connection could
she have? Miss Lawrence would
| scarcely make confidante OF her maid
more especially Of such a maid as this!
At the stairhead I held her back for a
final question.
when did you see your mistress
last?"
when she lef, her room to go GOWN
stairs to look at the decorations" She
| answered, SO docilely that 1 was in