Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1913-09-11
THE
TANGLED
WEB
CHAPTER v.


door The we'll groomed beautiful
woman of few moments before was
almost beyond recognition. Her face
had aged ten years, her hair hung
in disorder, a huge rent in the gold
en- gauze of her gown showed the
CLEAN of it's white satin lining
mute evidence Of the hurried regard
1essness of her flight. And, as last
detail of the incomprehensible, her
convulsive hands grasped black
feather hat of enormous proportions.
For an instant her tragic, ridiculous
figure was silhouetted against the
dark portieres. Then she staggered
forward. tripping over her long frock,
waving the crumpled Gainsboro,
stammering for speech.
She's gone mad!" gasped Mrs.
Evelyn, catching at her husband g
arm.
Mrs. Lawdon found her voice.
I've been robbed - robbed -
robbed" Her voice rose in thin
soprano gradations. MY dia-
monds-my emeralds - my ruby!
They're gone. / tell you! Gone!
Gone! gone!" She collapsed upon
a chair, f1inging her body half across
the center table, where she beat the
polished wood with her clenched
hands.
Alice Rawlins was the first to
grasp the situation. 1.-THE hat box!"
she gasped, her eyes upon the dam
aged millinery in Mrs. Lawdon's
grasp. It's been opened"
The victim raised her head with a
jerk. You, you, Alice Rawlins!
You know where they were-youi"
She sprang erect. You and Mrs.
Gaynor-you were the only people
who did know!"
Alice's astonished face famed
scarlet. do you dare!"
Mrs. Gaynor turned white to the
lips, her great eyes blazed more
brilliant than the lost jewels. Mrs.
Lawdon is not quite herself" Her
voice, full of fine, high breeding,
fell like ice upon Mrs. Lawdons few
cred utterance.
Realizing that she had lost self
control, Mrs. Lawdon struggled for
composure, but the magnitude of her
loss again overwhelmed her. You
must search-at-once- once.
want the police-send for the po-
hee!"
Mr.. Evelyn rang the electric bell.
II will give orders that all the SER
wants be brought to the dining room.
We will examine them there. Vree-
man." he continued, addressing the
butler, II want everyone of my en-
ployees from the Garden, house and
stables-also the servants of my
guests-to assemble at once in the
dining room. Permit no one to leave
the house or grounds on any pre-
text"
The butler bowed, casting a glance
of awed inquiry at the excited group
before him. AS he paused outside
the door his trained ear plainly
caught Mrs. Lawdon's protests.
II won't have it, I won't! want
the police, want detectives! Char
lie!" she screamed, where's Char
lie? He'll make you send for the
police!"
The slamming of distant door
and the approach of hurried feet an
nounced the men from the billiard
room. Charlie Lawdon rushed to
his wife's side.
whats the matter-what's the
meaning of this?' he exclaimed.
"Oh, Charlie!" she walled,
they're gone-all gone!"
Whats gomez" he asked, bewiId-
cred. Then his eye fell upon the
remnants of the picture hat.
Robbed he said shortly. well,
I told you to have paste copies made,
didn't II"
Mrs. Lawdon opened her mouth
to answer, but her husband placed q
restraining hand upon her shoulder.
There, little woman, buck up
you're a bit off, of course. Tell us
what you know-quiet, now
Mrs. Lawdon brushed the tears
from her eyes. 81 owed Mrs. Eve
Ign eighty at bridge, you know.
Il went to find my purse-I'd lid
tit was my gold mesh one, with
the diamond monogram. Id put II
in the same box with the ruby pend-
ant. The key was all right but wien
I opened the trunk found my purse
lying on the bottom. At first
thought I didn't remember rightly
Then I thought I'd look-and every
hat was empty-everyon
Every hiatt" exclaimed Mr.. Eve
Ign in mystification.
My wife had strong box madS
like a hat trunk" Mr.. Lawdon ex
planned. Cases. you know, set in
side crowns; thought nobody'd eve1
think of looking there