The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-01-20
CHAPTER w.
within.

It Is now necessary mat tdhe oiio
step backward in my relation OF TINS
mysterious occurrence. I must go
back to 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 think
can proceed chronologically to the end
Of the case, detailing events IN the
order in which they happened. | am
now beginning a few months before
the robbery:
It was at this period of my life that
was cast under spell. Hopelessly,
helplessly and blindly / fell in love
with a woman whose beauty was SO
aggressive that no mortal man could
ignore it, while to attempt 70 describe
it would be almost to insult it. l
was about twenty-five then and she
possibly four years older. MY ac-
quaintance with her began through
the irrepressible Bruce.
I had dropped into the blue room OF
the Imperial for bottle Of ale and
cigar after the theater, when | ran
into my cousins arms. He beamed
upon me.
Delighted, old fellow. Just in time.
Come-I want to introduce you" He
grasped my hand with the grip OF a
wrestler. Now, you have to exercise
| hnf a cT0pinp To
meet Bruce's friends, and l 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-
list, so as the latter gentleman would
express 1t, I spared a moment for
wind
ITO whom?" inquired. He nodded
4 toward a nearby table at which sat
two women and a man.
''To 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 go any further, for you won't find
any better anywhere" I asked him
whom the especial Mrs Dace might
| be, ard he laughed with what
| 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 al
a houri and gracious as an empress
but wise. my boy, wise, wise. Alst
apparently is a person of some means
amount OF means represented by
meaning unknown quantity; source
of means problem In higher mathe
8 mates very difncuIt OF solution. Blu
remember this: If You begin to fee
sentimental when you look at her, re
member that life is only a joke ant
laugh at yourself; but when It come
to wine, remember that life is
mighty serious proposition and sta,
sober. Come on now" In anothe
moment he was introducing me.
Mrs. Dace and Miss Lyddon-Ml
Halliday. Cousin of mine through n
J fault Of his, but nevertheless highl
recommended by me. I believe yo
have met him, Dick, and will confirr
{ me. Sorry / have to go, but he wi
) fill my place and round out you
, party. Good night ALL and he wa
> gone.
r I took my chair with quick ments
/ inventory of my new acquaintance
! Miss Lyddon was tall, waspy and goo
! looking in an indolent blond way
, Edwards was prosperous lookin
! man of about thirty-hve; Mrs. DAG
t positively startling. From a purel
d physical standpoint her beauty we
0 gorgeous. But SO wonderfully con
9 pick was it that it could no more /
e analysed by one glance than can
painted masterpiece. While its ge.
: eral effect was to cause gasp of d
+ light at first sight, when you locke
q again you saw that it's perfection VIZ
a the result of the exquisite blending
O many tints into an incomparab
;. whole. Never had I seen a mouth s
:. bewitching, lips SO rich or smile
n dazzling. Her hair was changeful
- an opal, her brows wonderfully archie
), her eyes royal blue and bordered
v long lashes that screened them
h ferns shade deep forest pools. 81
:. was wonderful Fascinated by h
a beauty for a moment I sat silently
she calmly surveyed me, one perfe
hand idly toying with small go
T purse that lay upon the table. Thu
u far down In the sea depths of her bl
r. eyes l saw faint amusement gather11
!. and I drew myself together with
Il start. Edwards was explaining:
# "You see, we had arranged FOR
r theater party and there were to
# four OF US Then at the last no
II Mrs. Dace's escort became slightly
,r disposed and she came down alo
~ and met Miss Lyddon and myself. '
= are now about to have something
" eat. and possibly wee bit to drill
"a 7 happened to see your cousin Bru
a. and hailed him to join US, but
al seems ne has AN excuse. Then
70 providential1y happened to spy
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