Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-18

| put her out, when she had no bust
ness there ut all, she would have had
her freedom and her bracelet. and
that II we were playing Joke on her
! Gas II We felt like joking!) we would
please give her the bracelet and let
her 90 and die In . corner; she felt
very queer.
At half-past four o'clock we gave up.
Its gone" I said. 81 don't believe
you wore 1t here. No one could have
taken It. There wasn't soul In this
part Of the house, except the police
man and he's locked In"
At five o'clock we put her to sleep
h the den. She was in . fearful tenn
per, and I was glad enough to be able
to shut the door on her. Tom Harbi-
SON that was his name-helped me
to creep upstairs. and wanted to get
me q glass Of ale to make me sleep.
But I said 1t would be Of no use, ~
had to get up and get the breakfast.
! The last thing he said was THAI the
policeman seemed above the average
IN intelligence. and perhaps We could
train him to do plain cooking and dish
washing.
did not 60 to sleep at once. I
lay on the chint1-covered divan In
Bella's dressing room and stared at
the picture Of her with the violets un-
derneath. couldn't see what there
was about Bella to inspire such indy
ing devotion, but I had to admit that
she had looked handsome that night.
and that tho Harrison man had Gel.
| ta}nlv ho~n 1ynnrooaoA
At seven o'clock Jimmy Wilson
pounded at my door. and could have
choked him joyfully. I-dragged my.
self to the door and opened 1t, and
then I heard excited voices. Every.
body seemed to be up but Aunt Selma,
and they were all talking at once.
Anne Browne was in tho center q
the group. waving her hands, while
Dallas was trying to hook the back Of
her gown with one hand and hold
blanket around himself with the other.
No one was dressed except Anne, and
she had been up for an hour, looking
in shoes and under the corners Of
rugs and around the bed clothing for
her jeweled collar. When she saw
me she began all over again.
II had 1t on when went into my
room," she declared, "and put It on
the dressing table when undressed.
meant to put it under my pillow, but
I forgot And didn't sleep we'll: I
was awake half the night. Wasn't 4
Dial? Then. when the clock down
stairs in the hall was Ginning I'VE.
something reused me, and I sat up in
bed. It was still dark. but pinched
Dal and said there was somebody in
you. DALI"
II thought you had nightmare" he
said sheepishly.
II lay still for ages. it seemed to
me, and then-the door into the hall
closed. heard the catch click. I
turned on the light over the bed then.
and the room was empty. thought
Of my collar. and although It seemed
ridiculous. with the house sealed -
II 10, and al Of US friends for years
we'll. I got up and looked. and 1t vas
gone!"
No one spoke for an instant. It was
. queer situation. for the collar was
gone; Anne's red eyes showed 1t was
true. And there We stood, every one
Of us o miserable picture Of guilt, and
i, tr.s<: 60 lock innocent and Aehc.s!e
and unsuspicious. Finally Jim held up
his hand and signified that he wanted
to say something.
"It's ike this" he said: Until this
thing Is cleared up, for heavens sake,
lets tn to be sane! II every fellow
thinks the other fellow did It, this
house will be q nice little hell to live
In. And II anybody''-here he glared
around-'N anybody has got funny
and Is hiding those jewels, want to
Later. It won't be 50 easy for him. It,
Q mighty poor joke"