The Washington times., 1912-05-29
CHAPTER III.

A Mrs. Chisleigh raised her head
~ from the examination of the
IA bracelet she met her mothers
eyes. Without a word she
passed II to her. Mrs. Paign scrutinized
1t closely. For many moments there
was silence in the room: then she said:
This is an English crest. Laura"
Yes, so 1 thought"
After. another interval of silence Mrs.
Chlsleigh said gravely:
This certainly puts different aspect
Yes" Mrs. .Paign nodded soberly. '1
The bracelet surely belongs to the
child. don't you think, mother?" broke
Z lin Annabel eagerly,
why. 1 should certainly say not, my
fqear. Little girls in the position Of
Mrs. Jennings niece scarcely go about
wearing gold bracelets like this. espe-
But I tell You don't believe Paul
Il is a lie from beginning to end. Think
how that littl girl looked the day we
didn't look like a common child. Her
race, her hair. her little hands and feet.
stns dainty ny clothes she wore 80
leigh. II have been thinking about
that. 1t is true, mother, the child does
not look like what they represent her
d
little creature, frail and fine and deli
cate, with every appearance of a child
who has had tender care" =
Mrs. Chisleigh smiled.
We'll, be that as 1t may" she went
on, the whole thing is most perplex-
Ing. don't know what to think Of it.
This bracelet"-turning it critically be-
tween her fingers-''is valuable piece
Of jewelry. suppose we should return
: 1T to the .Jenningses-' 49,. ....I
1T is a valuable piece of evidence,
toe. MOTHER" flashed Annabel, "and I
Jenningses, to be perhaps destroyed
Then II there is any crooked work go
"You were born to be detective, An
mabel" broke in Mrs. Chisleish, with a
laugh. But 1 believe you are right,
just the same. Perhaps it will be our
wtsest course to say nothing about the
finding Of the bracelet for the pres
ent, but to put it safely by and wait
for developments"
7 AS Mrs. Paign heartily concurred in
this opinion, the little bracelet was car
ISied upstairs and locked safely away in
Mrs. Chisleigh's jewel casket.
; Some days elapsed quietly after this,
and the family at Hillcrest saw nothing
OF their disturbing neighbors. Nearly a
week had gone by when, while Annabel
was tramping through the wood one
morning, she heard a cracking in the
brush at the other side Of heavy
tMcket. Curious to see what caused
In heavy growth of young timber
near the border Of the stream that ran
through the wood she saw a small, for
lorn figure gathering fagots.
Her heart gave great bound.
Glancing about to see that no one
was near. she broke through the under
growth and hurried to the child's side.
As her, steps sounded on the fallen
ileaves the little one stared violently,
land raised a scared, tear-stained face.
with little ehoked cry Annabei kneit
'sF aben's Gs'!ss Be- frightened. darling" sh.
Ineigbbor at Hillcrest, you know-and
wouldn't hurt you or scare you for
wouldn't am your very best friend.
and want you to feel I am. What are
you doing out here in the woods. all
alone, you wee mite, you?"
and as she did SO the little woclen
shawl she wore about her head fell
back. and Annabel uttered a sharp ex-
why, child she cried. what have
they done to you? Where are your
beautiful curls? Who dressed you like
AS she asked a vision of the child as
she had seen her first in the wood
rushed through her mind. That child
had been clothed from head to foot In
daintiest white. She. remembered we'll
siiken hose, the tiny slippered feet that
rested so lightly on the grass.
The forlorn little figure before her.
with ragged cropped head and hollow
eyes reddened by tears. was clothed In
a long dark calico apron, with coarse
black stockings and a pair of woman 6
shoes worn and run down on her feet
Beside her lay a bundle of fagots, and
even as she cried she worked, breaking
and piling them with her tiny, bruised
hands.
! At Annabel's question she raised her
hands to her head and sobbed aloud.
she did it, she moaned; she did IT.
she cut them all off and burned them
burned them UP in the stove-with all
my. pretty clothes"
"She? whoo Mrs. Jennings?"
The child nodded her head.
''She burned up your curls and youi
clothes you say? What did she do that
The little cropped head was shaken
sorrowfully.
At don't know; OH don't know!' she
walled. 1T don't know anythtng-where
I amor how came to be here, or-ol
anything. She beats me and whips me
and makes me work all the time. and
have to gather all the hndling-and
bring in the woodland my hands are sc
sore, and my back aches, and / wish
oh, wish was dead!'
With that the poor mite broke down
and, sinking down on the ground beside
her bundle of fagots, she buried hel
face in her arms, and went into a pas