The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-02-17

be good enough to let me nave yours
for a few moments?' Clare moved
nervously.
Its queer about that key; l cant
find it." she said hastily Il always
carry it in my purse, but Wheh
searched for 1t few moments ago on |
my way over here 1t was not there.
For the life Of me cannot imagine
where I could have misplaced II, LOT
have been very careful to always
keep it in that one place. l simply
know / have not lost it. but 1T is JUST
as strange as 1t can be- She squirm-
ed like worried schoolgirl
Suppose we go back little. When
do you remember o. having 1t last;
he pursued. Her forehead Wrinkled
with thought.
"Three or four days ago when
came over here have not had oc-
casion to think of it since until rom
called me up a few moments ago.
am as worried about 1t as l can pe'
but I am certain that have not lost
it."
/ saw LeDuc's gaze run over the
graceful form of the girl and then
settle upon her face with an express
sion that was beyond doubt one OF
uneuuivocal approval. That Clare,
whose heart was as open to the world
as is the heart of flower to the
light of the sun, could harpor any
! secret as dark as this was preposter-
GUS to one who knew her. had never
| met a girl with sounder morals or
| better instincts, and her character was
| Of spun gold. And even though she
| loved Bruce and had always defended
his frailties, | did not believe that
she would have shielded him had she
believed him guilty Of as unnatural q
crime as this, matter OF history
though it is that one can never tell
what heights or depths woman Will
achieve to save the man who carries
! her heart. Quietly / asked her when
she had seen Bruce last, and knowing
her mannerisms as ] did became IN
stantly aware that my question had
put her on the rack. for a faint
shadow fitted cloudlike across her
face. Yet she answered me with her
accustomed frankness.
DAY before yesterday dc
not understand 1t either. He was &c
see me yesterday evening, but he
n neither came nor sent word as to why
he broke the engagement y - . ne
& like him to do such d thing rat
while I suppose there Is some goot
reason back OF it, / do not know
what 1t is. Anyway, ] am worried
She dropped her eyes and tapped gent
. " on the floor with her toe. Wisl
you would try and get him on tn
! wire, Tom, and find out if he Is al
T right. That is all care to know
present" / assented and started TO
t the telephone, but had made but
q step or, two before I heard first hi
= familiar ring at the door and me-
ment later his equally familiar yoic
from the hall below. Then up tn
: stairs he came and at the first foo
I fall I halted, listening. Usually D
9 mounted something after the fashio
of a scurrying cat In series of ligt
S leaps, but now his feet pounded tn
L boards with heavy uncertainty.
opened the door before him, but at tn
g first sight of his face / stepped bacl
y He advanced to the doorway, ia
, tered there with one hand brace
: against the jamb and the crimso
y flushing his face as he saw Clal
= amongst u.s. His eyes were. as re
y shot as a bloodhound's, and the har
= that hung by his side was aspen. TT
= unmistakable marks Of an evil nigl
were stamped about his mouth al
- his usually clear face looked puttyis
- and mottled. / heard Clare gasp
= she arose and slowly approached ri
=. with unbelteving eyes. He steppt
= aside as though to avoid her, h
- glance falling to the floor
- II have heard about tit is In t
papers. Tell me the particulars,
- said with a hoarse intonation. Fro
e. the bottom of my heart pit1ed nj
O.. as I gently pulled the girl back to h
!, seat and answered him in matter
fact tones.
w There is nothing to tell at prese
N except that the safe was burglariz
NJ last night and the $4,000 stolen.
I'd spent the night downtown and fou
n, Uncle Abner bound and unconsc1o
n when I returned home this mornl1
rs He was not much hurt and is all rig
ne now. This is Mr.. LeDuc, who h
Il. been engaged by Uncle Abner
re try and ferret out the matter. l TIL
re that is the whole thing In nut snel
Nv He stood as If in half daze, his ga
IT. rambling over us.
lie ANY clues?" he mumbled at leng
wv made no spoken reply, merely DC
er ing in the direction of the detectl
a. And at the signal LeDuc immediate
If assumed vocal command.
to 1.-THE only thing we have learned
on yet which seems to be OF any pari
w. lar interest Is that Miss Winton's
IT. has mysteriously disappeared. All
others have been accounted for
ut, we are anxious to locate hers. She
mt unable to offer any explanation,
- - +harosore twin IN vnll as one Y