Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1911-07-14

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? 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 a chain handle. This
which Maitland held was conspicu-
ously of the mode-neither too large,
nor too small, constructed of fine soft
leather of a gun-metal shade, with a
framework and chain of gun-metal
ltselt. 1t was new and seemed we'll
hlled, weighing a trifle heavy in the
hand. One face was adorned with a
monogram of cut gun-metal, the in
ltials 81 and &c" apd 81" interlaced.
But beyond this the bag was irritat-
ingly non-committal.
Undoubtedly, if one were to go to
the length of unsnapping the little,
frall 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
OF the doubt. He would wait, he would
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
a 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 touched!
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 puffed 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 a moment of incredulous awe,
the young man rose, with eyes
a-light and a jubilant song in the
heart of him. Now he knew, now un-
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 intelligible
wish that they should never meet
again, for, having accomplished her
errand, she had flown from the DOS
sibility of his thanks.
1t was SO clear, now! 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 tigress of her whelps-that
she had managed to filch his loot from
that pertinacious and vindictive soul,
Anisty!
But she had accomplished it; and
all for him!
If only he could find her, now!
There was a clew to his hand in that
bag, of course, but by this act she
forever removed from him the right
to investigate that.