Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-08-03
81 believe not, sir" she said at last.

II believe not, SIR" she said at last.
O course it wouldn't be concealed"
l said, reassuringly. Miss Lawrence
probably left it where she thought 1t
would be NOSE quickly seen, don't you
think so?"
Yes. sir; 1 suppose So"
And her dressing-table was a very
conspicuous place"
Yes, sir; very conspicuous"
In that case l said slowly. ut
seems most peculiar that the letter
wasn't discovered at once"
She flushed holly under my gaze and
opened her lips to reply. but thought
better of it and started hastily up tho
stair. l followed her in silence; but l
had much to think about. What CON-
nection had she with Miss L~awrence's
disappearance? What connection could
She have? Miss Lawrence would
scarcely make a confidante of her maid,
more especially of such a maid as this!
AT the stairhead 1 held her back for q
final question.
When did you see your mistress
LAST"
When she left her room to so down.
stairs To hook at the decorations" she
answered, so docilely that l was in
clined to believe her former defiance
wholly my imagination.
You remained behind in the room?'
Yes, Sir"
And she did not return?"
mo, sir"
Then how do you explain the pres
enc OF the letter on the d~ress9r?"
She flushed again. more hotly than
before; she realized that l had caught
her in a lie.
II can't explaint 1t. sir" she stam-
mered. II didn't consider it any of my
business" she added fiercely.
Il think you'll find II difficult to ex-
plain" l said. with irony; even nor
difficult THAI how it came to lie there
You'll pardon me II l find the story
lard to believe
IT'S nothing to me whether or not
you believe it!" She retorted and made
q motion to go on again.
No" j said. wait q moment. Which
is her room?"
This one here and she pointed to
a half-open door just outside IA.
ignoring her gesture of protest, I
pushed the oor Jack and stepped In
side.
The room was a large and pleasant
one, we'll lighted and looking out upon
the grove at the east side of the house.
There was some little disorder appar-
emit. and over a chair at the farther
side of the room l saw a veil lying
no doubt the bridal veil. For the mo-
ment l did not seek to see more, but
turned CacK INTO inc nan.
Nothing there" 1 said, as though my
inspection of the room was ended. Il
suppose you helped Miss Lawrence to
drcss?"
Yes, sir"
And she had on her wedding-gown
when she went downstairs"
Yes. SIR. all but the WE'LL"
What was he color OF the gown?"
White. sir" h answered. with evil
| dent contempt. white satin made very
plain"
with a train?"
Yes. sir. with a train"
THANK you," I said. Plainly, a
woman CARRIED in that fashion must be
a marked object, wherever she went.
Then, seeing that the maid waited for
further questions. l added, THAT is all,
l believe
She opened a doc just across the
hall and motioned me to precede her.
found myself in a pleasant sitting
room, end look ed about for Mrs. Law
renee. but she was not there. The maid
went to an inner door which stood half
open. and knocked.
I'm a moment" called a low voice,
and l heard a rustic of draperies. In
stinctively I knew that Mrs. Lawrence
had been upon her knees.
But / was not prepared for the deep
distress which l saw in her coun-
tsnance the instant she appeared upon
the threshold. So worn and drawn was
1t, so changed even in the brief time
since 1 had seen her last, h I scarce
~ knew her. What a happened?
Was her s~elf-control giving way under
the strain. or had there been some new
shock, some more poignant blow which
she had been unable to withstand?
h came straight to me where I
stood staring, perhaps a little brutality,
and lifted tear-dimmed eyes to mine.
mr.. Lester she said. in a choked
voice. Il must ask that this search for
Marcia cease"