Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1914-02-20

What is it?" she said icily.
IL wanted" said TOMMY wanted
to tell you something"
Il think" responded Betsy Barbara
that you needn't make any more ex
| planations-thank you!"
She was turning away when Tommy
recovered himself.
"Oh, IL isn't that" he said. 81 can't
explain that. of course. I'm not trying
to explain that, Miss Lane. It's just
something something new in the line
of cvidence-about the Hanska case
| think 1t may help"
Betsy-Barbara turned agaln-and
this time quickly. Her look was
Observation-Disclosures be praised
/ friendly.
Something new" she said, breath.
/ lessly "Oh, you angel fresh from
heaven! Shall send for Constance"
This was the point where Tommy
North became a strategist.
1T has to do" he said humbly,
with the way was last night. You
saw me- shouldn't like to tell her"
Let's take a walk" proposed Betsy
Barbara, with her wonderful practi.
cality.
IF you wish" said Tommy North
hunoiy, aud yet thrilled with a sense
of renewed companionship. Indeed.
by the time they reached the street
he had recovered his spirits so much
as to propose, because the street VICE
so noisy, that they take a cross-town
car and walk up Fifth avenue. The car
was crowded. they must stand; so
they did not approach the subject OF
the moment until they were treading
the street of the spenders.
We'll, what is it? I'm dying to
know" said Betsy-Barbara, the instant
they reached the avenue.
Did | do anything strange" in
CURED Tommy, when l first saw you
last night"
You nearly tumbled at my feet, for
one thing" replied Betsy Barbara.
"What-what were you wearing on
your feet?"
BetsyBarbara thought second on
this peculiar question.
My velvet slippers with the rhine
stone buckles" she said.
Tommy nodded solemnly.
That was i'll was reaching for
them last night-just as | was reach.
ing for something the night | fell at
Captain Hanska's door. And it brought
everything back"
oh, what do you mean" begged
Betsy-Barbara. Go on! Please go
on"
Il had got TO the head OF the stairs
on the night of the murder" said Tom.
my. The gas was lighted in the hall.
was picked. You know how your
mind gets on one little thing when
you're picked"
Il don't" put in Betsy Barbara. in
spite of her interest in the story-"but
please go on"
And | saw something bright in the
hallway, close to Captain Hanska's
door. ] braced against a post and
looked at 1t. II was a cluster of dia-
monds-the more / think OF II, the
more it seems like that shoe buckle OF
yours. reached out to get it. Then
| tumbled and hit-the stun. The tum-
BILE and the sticky feeling put dia-
monds out OF my mind. But I'm sure,
Just the same, that saw a bunch of
diamonds or something beside that
door. You've asked me to tell you
anything l might find about the Han.
ska case. And I'm telling, that's ALL"
Betsy Barbara considered.
1T may not mean anything" she
said, and 1t may mean a good deal"
She considered again. Even IL the
diamonds were there, maybe Il had
to do with our case. II any
body had been robbed that night. IL
there had been any signs OF burglar.
this evidence would be very important.
But the police say that the house
wasn't entered. Then again, what be-
came of the diamonds? 1t seems no
one else noticed them"
Well" remarked Tommy North
cynically. there were a great many
policemen in the house"
Betsy-Barbara walked on, still think. |
ing. Maybe. I'm afraid, though, that |
1t might be only an alteration" she
said finally.
Perhaps" echoed Tommy North. |
And now. having finished his Introduc-
lion, he approached the subject near
est his heart.
"of course, that's ALL" he said "ex.
cept that owe you an apology for
Tor my condition last night"
1T is to yourself" said Betsy Bar
bara, that you owe the apology Mr..
North, why did you do it-again?"
Now It was in Tommy Norths I'm
pulses to tell exactly why he did it
% come out with the truth. aecompa-
lied by his opinion OF philandering
Spaniards. But that would have
amounted to a declaration; and to de-
'lare his feelings for Betsy Barbara
vas leagues beyond his present cour-
lge.
"Oh." he said. carelessly, desperate
y. Il got jolt That's all. And took
I out In booze"