The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-05-24
"Bruce, You Had Key to the House Yesterday"

a bottle OF wine with corkscreW
which kept attached to my key ring.
1t was several days later that called
her attention to my oversight and re-
ceived them back from her. While I
trust her implicitly, yet she has vel.
low maid who is inscrutable to me and
who always seems to be lowering
within earshot. To my mind 1t is not
impossible that this maid was in pos.
session Of the keys while they were
on those premises-in fact, her mis-.
tress SO intimated when she returned
them to me. That the maid through
outside acquaintance might have
taken advantage Of any information
which she CHANGED to overhear Is
within the realm of possibilities. You
understand l merely offer this as
suggestion"
And do you know anything of tho
character of the maids acquaintances
on the outsider" was the swift inter-
rogation. bit my lip.
"No. But l do know this know
that Richard Mackay is the business
agent of this girls mistress-Mra
Dace Of the Arcadia-and that he
sometimes calls upon her. And know
ing his reputation as l do, it has oc-
Cured to me that stranger things
have happened than that this girl
might be under hts influence and re.
veal secrets to him that she has be-
come possessed of. l understand
there is practically no limit to tho
mans Vaccinations"
LeDuc brought me to sudden
standstill. do you mean Richard
Mackay, Coughing Dick the boodler
and arch conspirator?" he cried, his
hand gripping my arm like trap.
Yes. You will remember the fact
that uncle mentioned the fact that the
man who choked him cleared his
throat in a peculiar manner"
The grip upon my arm loosened and
for moment my friend stood staring
into my face. Then with soft whis-
tie he drew me on again. 1t was sew
eral moments before he once moro
broke the silence.
bye the bye, you had better give
me your card with your telephone
number on it so that I may be able
to reach you over the wire in case Of
necessity" he suggested reflectively.
and I felt in the pocket in which I
always carried my card case in order
to comply with his request. The case.
which was an unusually handsome at.
fair, had been presented to me BY
Mrs. Dace, and l would not have lost
it for a great deal, but at the end Of
couple of minutes search, which
exhausted every nook and Granny Of
my raiment, I was compelled to give
up the quest in despair.
II must have lost It," announced.
deeply chagrined. LeDuc looked at
me with question in his eyes.
"And you had it last-when?" were
his words. ran the course Of my
actions during the past few days
through my mind until recalled the
occasion Of its last use.
Last evening. After the theater I
gave the friend who was with me ono
of my cards with the request that he
call me up some evening when he was
lonesome. But I have distinct recol.
lection Of putting 1t back in my upper
vest pocket I would not have lost It
for many times its value, and it was
rather expensive trinket at that"
Ruefully I continued my search for
the fourth or fifth time as he sympa'
tbj,ed with me, following his con-
dolences with the remark that PEN
ell memorandum In his book would
answer the same purpose. Therefore
gave him the number orally and
noted that he wrote 1t down correct
ly. Then with an apology and an ex.
cuse of urgent business he darted
aboard a passing car with farewell
flirt of his hand.
(To BE CoNTINuED.)