Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-10-12

How in the dickens did this thing get
there, anyway? What was she doing
| in my trunk closet?"
| Was it possible that she had fol-
lowed Anisty out of the fat by that
route? A very much mystified young
man sat himself down again in front
OF his desk, and turned the bag over
and over in his hands, keenly scrutin-
izing every inch of it, and whistling
softly.
That year the fashion in purses was
for capacious receptacles of grained
leather, nearly square in shape, and
furnished with chain handle. This
which Maitland held was conspicu-
ously of the mode-neither too large,
nor too small, constructed of fine soft
leather of gun-metal shade, with
framework and chain of gun-metal
itself. 1t was new and seemed we'll
filled, weighing a trifle heavy in the
hand. One face was adorned with
monogram of cut gun-metal, the in
itials IS" and &c" and 81" interaced
But beyond this the bag was irritat-
| ingly non-committal
Undoubtedly, if one were to go to
the length of unsnapping the little,
frail clasp, one would acquire informa-
ton; by such facile means would much
light be shed upon the darkness But
Maitland put decided negative to the
suggestion.
No. He would give her the benefit
| q \
school himself to patience. Perhaps
she would come back for it-and ex-
plain. Perhaps he could find her by
advertising it-and get an explana-
ton. Pending which, he could wait
little while. 1t was not his wish to
pry into her secrets, even if-even if
| 1t was something to be smoked over
Strange how it affected him to have
in his hands something that she had
owned and touchedl
Opening drawer of the desk, Matt
land produced an aged pipe. A brazen
jar, companion piece to the ash re-
ceiver, held his tobacco. He filled the
pipe from the jar, with thoughtful de-
liberation. And scraped a match be-
meath his chair and ignited the tobac-
co and pulled In contemplative con-
tentment, deriving solace from each
mouthful of grateful, evanescent in
cense. Meanwhile he held the charred
match between thumb and forefinger
Becoming conscious of this fact,
he smiled in depreciation of his absent
minded mood, looked for the ash-re-
ceiver, discovered it in place, inverted
beneath the book; and frowned, re-
membering. Then, with an impatient
gesture-impatient of his own in
trinity of mind-for he simply could
not forget the girl-he dropped the
match, swept the book aside, lifted
the bowl
After moment of incredulous awe,
the young man rose, with eyes
a-light and jubilant song in the
heart of him. Now he knew, now I'M
derstood, now believed, and now was
justified of his faith!
After which depression came, with
| the consciousness that she was gone,
forever removed beyond his reach
and influence, and that by her own
willful act. 1t was her ineligible
wish that they should never meet
again, for, having accomplished her
errand, she had flown from the pos
sibility of his thanks.
1t was so clear, nowl He perceived
it all, plainly. Somehow Though it
was hard to surmise how she had
found out that Anisty had stolen the
| jewels; somehow (and one wondered
at what risk she had contrived to
take them from him and bring them
back to their owner. And Anisty had
followed.
Poor little woman! What had she
not suffered, what perils had she not
braved, to prove that there was honor
even in thieves! 1t could have been
at no inconsiderable danger-a dan
ger not incommensurate with that of
robbing a tigress of her whelps-that
she had managed to filch his loot from
that pertinacious and vindictive soul,
Anistyi
But she had accomplished it; and
all for him.
If only he could find her, now!
There was clew to his hand in that
bag, Of course, but by this act she
forever removed from him the right
to investigate that.