The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-04-26
CHAPTER w.


mysterious occurrence. / must go
back tc some time before the commits
sion Of the burglary and the entry OF
LeDuc upon the scene, In order that
you may have all the facts presented
to you as they were to that detec:
tive when he took hold OF the case.
Having made this new start l think l
can proceed chronologically to the end
Of the case, detailing events in the
order in which they happened. l am
now beginning a few months before
the robbery:
1t was at this period Of my life that
l was cast under a spell. Hopeiessly'
helplessly and blindly fell In love
with a woman whose beauty was so
aggressive that no mortal man could
ignore 1t, while to attempt to describe
it would be almost to insult It. l
was about twenty-five then and she
possibly four years older. My &C.
Quaintance with her began through
the lrrepreSslDle Bruce.
/ had dropped into the blue room OF
the Imperial for a bottle Of ale and
u cigar after the theater, when ! ran
into my cousins arms. He beamed
upon me.
Delighted, old fellow. Just in time.
Gomez want to introduce you" He
grasped my hand with the grip of a
wrestler. Now, you have to exercise
little discretion before agreeing to
meet Bruce's friends, and / glanced
around furtively. You can never tell
whether the next minute you will be
shaking hands with the Chinese am
bassador or the latest popular pugil-
ist so as the latter gentleman would
express It, spared moment for
wind
ITO whom?" I inquired. He nodded
toward nearby table at which sat
two women and a man.
ITO Dick Edwards-but guess you
know him already-and the two Ia
dies. But especially to Mrs. Dace.
If you want good company, you need
not 60 any further, for you won't find
any better anywhere" asked him
whom the especial Mrs. Dace might
be, and he laughed with what 4
thought was a faint undercurrent OF
significance beneath it.
"Oh. l haven't time to tell. Widow
Of somebody who died somehow,
which Is enough to know all at once.
Main thing is she is as beautiful az
houri and gracious as an empress,
but wise, my boy, wise, wise. Also
apparently Is person Of some means,
amount Of means represented by K.
meaning unknown quantity; source
Of means problem In higher mathe:
mates very difficult Of solution. But
remember this: If you begin to feel
sentimental when you look at her, re-
member that life is only a Joke and
laugh at yourself: but when It comes
to wine,, remember that life is q
mighty serious proposition and stay
sober. Come on now" In another
moment he was introducing me.
"Mrs. Dace and Miss Lyddon-Mr.
Halliday. Cousin of mine through no
fault Of his, but nevertheless highly
recommended by me. believe you
have met him, Dick, and will confirm
me. Sorry have to go, but he will
fill my place and round out your
party. Good night ALL" and he was
gone.
took my chair with a quick mental
inventory of my new acquaintances.
Miss Lyddon was tall, waspy and good
looking In an indolent blond way;
| Edwards was prosperous looking
man Of about thirty.tlve; Mrs. Dace
positively startling. From q purely
physical standpoint her beauty was
gorgeous. But so wonderfully CON-
pick was 1t that 1t could no more be
analysed by one glance than can a
painted masterpiece. While its gen.
eral effect was to cause gasp of de-
light at first sight, when you looked
again you saw that its perfection was
the result Of the exquisite blending of
many tints into an incompatible
whole. Never had I seen mouth 80
bewitching, lips so rich or smile so
dazzling. Her hair was changeful as
an opal, her brows wonderfully arched,
her eyes royal blue and bordered by
long lashes that screened them as
ferns shade deep forest pools. She
was wonderful. Fascinated by her
beauty for a moment l sat silently as
she calmly surveyed me, one perfect
hand idly toying with small gold
purse that lay upon the table. Then
far down in the sea depths of her blue
eyes ! saw faint amusement gathering
and I drew myself together with q
start. Edwards was explaining:
you see, we had arranged for a
theater party and there were to be
four Of US. Then at the last hour
Mrs. Dace's escort became slightly in.
disposed and she came down alone
and met Miss Lyddon and myself. We
are now about to have something to
eat, and possibly wee bit to drink.
l happened to see your cousin Bruce
and hailed him to Join us, but it
seems he has an excuse. Then he
providentially happened to spy you
and impressed you into his place to
complete the party. So everybody is
happy once ms e."
While I ar no such gabbler as
Bruce, I think ! can hold my own in