The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-03-15
CHAPTER vi.
The Lost Bracelet.

The Lost Bracelet.
The evening was a Kaleidoscope
whiri, and was little giddy with the
rush of events after the first awful
time on the stairs. l managed to look
after Mr. Abbott-at least it devel-
oped that he looked after me; he was
that sort-on a little balcony where
we could get away from the mob and
talk poetical cabbages, until Laura
came to look after him herself. and
an '09 took me away to dance.
Out of the whirl two things were
distinct. like beacon lights shining
through a mist. One was His Grace.
the Due de Trouville I suppose l
should have been frightened talking,
French at that, with real live duke
who travelled with retinue, and
even in the jam always had cleared
space about him like charmed circle,
but from the moment he bowed low
over my hand in acknowledgment OF
my name all fear vanished in vague
idea that somewhere before l had
seen him. He was not extraordinary
In appearance He was exactly ones
idea of French duke; small. dapper,
distinctly foreign in dress and man
ner, with a precise mustache and
pompadour.
l searched my memory. America?
OF course not. England? No. The
continent? Perhaps. But where!
How? When? Was the name IA
miliar? In the first flush OF my awe
of him couldn't say. Why should
remember him? couldn't answer
that, and it worried me.
| The other distinct thing was a lit
tie indisposition on the part OF Miss
Agazziz, which amounted to nothing
at the time, but which developed into
a mystery. She complained OF feeling
faint while dancing with His Grace
and they came upon the balcony
where Mr.. Abbott and were talking
She recovered Immediately when Mr.
Abbott brought glass of water. but
His Grace meanwhile was very mucf
excited in a tumble Of awfully pool
English and graceful French. Later
when the evening was all overland
a goodly portion of the morning. to-
and l had gone. absolutely exhaust
ed and entirely happy. to my sitting
room, the door of which was open. a
we had left 1t between Lauras suit
and mine, l stumbled on rather
tense scene.
Natalie was draped languidly upo'
chair in the center Of Laura's prett,
white and gold room. while Laur'
stood rigidly by window. and Mrs
Hazard sat rather upright in a chat
hardly proportioned to her short legs
with a pucker between her eyes tina
was most unusual.
II couldn't have lost It," Natal
| was saying. I'm too partit
, ular about the clasp. It's a paten
| affair and has to be undone."
But my dear child" expostulate
Mrs. Hazard, "even patent affairs ca
be defective had the servant
search the rooms thoroughly and tn
: yard beneath the balcony. under tn
} allseeing eyes Of detective. but "
will search more thoroughly tomo
> row. myself questioned here an
, there. but of course II any one ha
found it they would have come direc
. " to me. You can't imagine how
:. distresses me-"
\ didn't know whether to close tn
a door or not. l moved chair wit
. a bump to let them know was Their
!. and Laura called to me.
/ What is it," asked. Joining then
' Can l help?"
q Natalie has lost bracelet" Laul
i, answered me, "a most valuable on
. She missed 1t after she was on tt
balcony. You were there. Loulfe."
why. yes. with Mr.. Abbott"
I looked from one to the other. ar
4 nv gaze came to rest upon Laura
distressed face. "Mr. Abbott wei
+ for a glass Of water while His Graz
u and / unfastened Miss Agazzi2
gloves and chafed her wrists"
!. It seemed an awfully long minu
!. before any one said anything else.
Natalie. do you think any one tot
it," Laura demanded.
, why, of course not?" Natalie I
r. piled. But as that rather belied h
former statement no one believed hi
:. my DEAR" Mrs. Hazard sal
), there were detectives all over t
place."
). If you couldn't have lost it. n
talie," Laura persisted. there CT
be only one other answer. And II
: thief, why take just one bracelet"
r Natalie arose.
" I'm awfully sorry, dear, If So
SO. It really doesn't matter.
n course I can't get another like 1t.
cause there isn't another lik> it