The Marshall republican., 1913-02-07
IT'S ridicuiously simple.

isn't It."
ut u.s." he agreed. He narrowed his
eyes and stared into space for a while.
then rose and began pacing in front
of me. What he was trying to figure
In. or out, was that emerald bracelet
which ] didn't know about, and of
which he had not the slightest inten-
ton of telling me. II was incriminat-
ing evidence against Winthrop.
What does MIR. 'Crowninshield
think?" I asked.
"Oh, you know how he is--a regular
clam. Thinks a good deal and says
nothing. He's inclined to treat the
whole thing as a joke. except"
Except what?"
He sat down suddenly.
I'm forgetting to tell you my ex-
citing little story" he said, and the
question passed unanswered. I'VE got
home about two, all dead tired. I took
Winthrop home and wanted TO stay
with him. but he wouldn't have II.
IL didn't take me long to 90 to sleep.
Well, something woke me-wbat, I
don't know-but II was odd. for I
wake up suddenly. I sat up in
bed and listened. At first I could only
heal the surf, and then I caught an
other sound. an annoying little rasp
! couldn't explain 20 myself. | thought
a lot Of stuff about rats and such Junk,
but ! got up and went into Johns bed.
room. I listened again: the sound
was closer. I didn't want to wake
John. for knew he would be amused.
but with all these ro1berles. / decided
I'd find out what Il was.
Finally located the sound in the
hall. sneaked to the door and lis.
tened. Ten seconds OF listening con.
WINGED me that some one was at Ma
tales door and the sound was that
Of an instrument against the lock.
Now, what ! intended to do was TO
jerk open Johns door suddenly and
see who II was and why he was there.
But the blamed door stuck as I jerked,
and when ! did get Il open a woman
"a woman, you understandl-was
scooting down the hallway. not up to-
ward the steps, but down toward
Laura's room. or mine. IL was pretty
dark. but there was enough light for
me TO see that IL wasn't Laura. Laura
is skinny; this woman was plump.
II can't tell you why followed ex.
cept the thing was queer. The lady
reached the end OF the hall, opened
Laura's door and disappeared. I fol-
lowed. ] was Just In time 90 see the
Inor into Iauras. h.dr,an, ,t,.. N,u.
| was sure Il wasn't Laura. so I fol-
lowed again. Laura was asleep. and
there was a swish OF skirts through
the door into my mothers bedroom. I
lost track there Of everything except
that some one was trying TO escape
me. My mother was snoring softly as
We whlzsed Observation-Disclosures Il was
ahead OF me and myself-then-well.
the next thing after more door-open.
ing and closing. my going into a chair
nee and knocking the peeling on my
shins. was your screaming" lilo
paused and stared At me. "Loulie. do
you remember any ono coming IN be.
fore you gcreamed?"
mo" ! replied. II really don't re.
member screaming. | knew something
was wrong. that | was sitting up in
bed. that ! had snapped on the lights,
and that-that you we're there"
II was so astonlshed when you
screamed" he went on. that
atopped dead In my tracks and who,
ever Was tying 10 escape me, did.
went hack 20 bed and did some think.
ing. | tried 10 connect up all the
queer things that had happened
Natalie losing her jewels, Winthrop
being arrested, the woman at Natalle's
door. but | couldn't get anywhere. My
mind simply tied Itself into a knot.
everything Jumblod. | could make no
connection. But there's one thing Ger.
tain. II We have n thief here It's Il
woman!"
Ny mouth dropped open a BIT In the
way thought | mad learned to con-
troll. but didn't say anything.
"If there had been Just one door
locked, I'd have had her, but every
door VAS unlocked. making II as easy
as pie for anybody who wanted 10
steal"
"But We have nothing 10 steal"
expostulated; "at least no jewels
have none, Laura has none. and your
mothers are In the hank, Natallo's
door was locked. wasn't it?"
"She has had her lesson"
Besides, we've never been certain
before that a thief was here"
t1o Ha EputIuugl