The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-05-03

| paused and stared at me. Louie. do
you remember any one coming in be
fore you screamed?''
No" replied. Il 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 were there
Il was sc astonished when You
screamed" he went on. that
stopped dead in my tracks and wno-
ever was trying to escape me. DID. l
went back to bed and did some think
ing. | tried to connect up all the
queer things that had happened
Natalie losing her jewels. Winthrop
being arrested, the woman at Natalles
door, but | couldn't get anywhere MY
mind simply tied itself into knot
everything jumbled. | could make no
connection. But there's one thing Ger
tain. If we have thief here It's a
woman!"
My mouth dropped open bit In the
way l thought l had learned to con-
troll. but didn't say anything.
III there had been just one door
locked, Id have had her. but every
door was unlocked. making 1t as easy
as pie for anybody who wanted to
steal"
But we have nothing to steal" |
expostulated; at least no Jewels.
have none, Laura has none. and your
mothers are in the bank. Natalie's
door was locked. wasn't it,"
She has had her lesson"
Besides, we've never been certain
before that thief was here"
I'VE are not certain now" he point
ed out. But something Is wrong.
queer. l want you to keep mum about
it. I'm going to investigate.
"Ah. Monster LecoQ!" | tainted.
Don't laugh. I'm quite serious
about 1t. have all sorts of theories
IF your are quite serious about 1t
you ought to have all sorts OF detec-
tive" suggested
"One is coming, but it isn't going to
keep me from doing a little work on
my own hook. A detective might find
gang planted here among the serv-
ants; l might find the chief at the din
ner table. Fascinating, isn't it,"
"Horrible!" l declared.
Perhaps Natalie's ruby was stolen
after all" he mused He began pacing
again. II thought she was crazy, for
why would thief take one jewel and
ho al
now but that she is right. We no
doubt have a charming creature In our
midst with a delightful sense of hui
NOR"
And you are going to unearth herr
He sat down again and looked at
me intently.
Are you losing the main point?"
ne demanded. You must be cleared
Of suspicion. you know"
OH" | exclaimed. Il am no
longer suspected Miss Agazziz came
to my room last night and said she
0'as sure l hadn't taken her ruby;
that she realized l couldn't possibly
have done such a thing, couldn't pos
sibly."
We'll I'll be -" He stared at
me. What happened to make her
change her mind?"
Il don't know" answered. "She
didn't give me the impression that
anything had happened She was
quite calm and cool as she always is,
and she was rather friendly"
He brushed the forelock out of his
eyes, and regarded me for a while
with that comically surprised express
sion of his. Then he laughed.
You'll excuse me-" he said, but
the thing Is funny. Wait a minute.
Let me think! She heard about Win
throp."
I'm sure she didn't" | assured
him. 81 don't see how she could have
heard. No one knew it but myself
until that message came for your
mother. Your mother talked to Mr.
Crowninshield from her own room.
It's her own private number, as you
know, and has no possible connection
with the other phone. The converse
ton revealed nothing. even if any one
had been listening at the door. Laura |
did not guess, and you know how keen |
she is. Miss Agazziz came In soon
after. but she couldn't possibly have
known"
II believe she did know"
You're rather strange in your be-
lief. aren't you? Whatever else Ma
talie is she isn't hypocrite," de-
Tended You ought not to be too
hard on her. remembering that once
YOU"
II have another strange belief" he
smiled. 81 believe I'm going to marry
you"
Once | made fool of myself" he