Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-07-16

going some too"
Laura went back into the house
with Der head in the air and hlrted
outrageoully with Benny Bliss all eve
ming. / would have given anything
not TO have mentioned the silly boat.
The next morning the first thing
that fairly jumped at us from the
morning papers was this:
NORTH SHORE HOUSES ROBBED
Fashionable Folk IN Panic-Money
and Jewels Taken-Police Think o.
Thieves Worked From Motor
Boat
II meant nothing to us, particularly,
except that the places robbed we're
near us. Some Of the victims we
knew-the Dykemans and Mrs. Loring
some we didn't. The story caused
a mild stir at Lone Oak for a moment;
then was swallowed UP by more i'm
portant things. On the spur Of the
moment everybody, except Natalie, de-
cided to send in their jewels the next
day to a safety deposit in town, but
by afternoon the scare was over and
everybody had decided differently.
What's the use Of having them to
be locked up?" Mrs. Higginson de-
manded cheerfully. I'VE are always
at the mercy of our maids. I've had
my jewels twenty years, and they
haven't been stolen yet. l think /
can still take care of them"
AFTER all, the cotillions would lose
their zip II We couldn't shine a little"
Lydia Abercrombie declared. only
Laura and Louie Goldman look we'll
without jewels. don't believe it
amounts to anything. anyhow. I've
heard that Mrs. Henry Dykeman has
a press agent. Have your"
tried to put 1t from my mind, but
1t would come back. | was 80 very
sure Of the sound of that motor-boat;
would have been sure even II Hap
hadn't agreed with me. And some
thing else: / had heard 1t again in
the early morning, returning. / had
jumped up and looked out. could
see the rays of the headlight turned
In the other direction. even looked
at my clock to see the time-three
o'clock. For no particular reason, too,
recalled something Winthrop had
said: Il can outrun anything on this
shore"
was angry at myself for connect
Ing that in any way with the silly
robbery, or even allowing my thoughts
to slip back to that lost bracelet of
Natalle's on the night of the reception
In town, and what Laura had told me
of those other losses.
Winthrop. appeared Sunday after.
noon, looking somewhat tagged with
pieces Of crumpled copy paper stick
ing from the pockets of khaki suit.
Laura abruptly left Benny Bliss, who
was really too giddy from her prefer
ence the night before, and frankly
went to meet him She turned him over
to me while she sent for Hap and
John Crowninshield to join him in a
Scotch and soda. Poor fellow, he
looked as If he needed a bracer.
How is your heroine?" she asked,
choosing to forget that he had disap-
pointed her the night before. Just
as naughty as ever?"
Worse" he replied, smiling and
rubbing the back of his head. "She
simply won't behave as she should. l
had terrible time with her last night.
l haven't been to bed; sat up all
night with her"
winthrop! Really! You'll ruin
your health. No book is worth It,"
"Oh, yes 1t is. And this is a best
seller. You see all the ingredients
are there-villains trusting heroine,
hero with the awful curse of drink in
his system; but sometimes it won't
go right"
I laughed and Laura gave him a
smile.
I'D rather you were not so flippant
about It," she said I'D rather think
that you were writing what you felt
and believed"
"Oh, in that case" he replied,
rumpling his hair again, 81 wouldn't
write at all, I'd grow vegetables"
Later l was alone with Winthrop.
81 heard your boat last night" |
said to him. "Why didn't you land
here for a minute?"
81 was in a rotten humor," he an.
swered. Got my naughty heroine
where l didn't know what she would
do next, and l took a spin to brush
away the cobwebs."
ut must have been a good long
spin" dared. 81 heard you coming
back at three o'clock"
Went to Boston," he admitted.
"and loafed back The sea was like
glass. Gorgeous old night, wasn't it?"
nodded, and as soon as l could get
away | ran up to my sitting-room and
stood looking out toward the ocean,
but not seeing it. My heart was
humping, but It may have been from
taking the stairs in such hurry. Two
thoughts persisted in my mind-those
robberies, and the fact that had been
right about the boat; he hadn't de.
MED it. I took deep breath that was
almost a sigh. 1t was a silly bit of
circumstantial evidence, and refused
to believe 1t.
CHAPTER XII.