The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-02-20

81 wanted" said Tommy-'T wanted
to tell you something"
Il think" responded Betsy-Barbara,
that you needn't make any more ex-
planations-thank you'll"
She was turning away when Tommy
recovered himself.
"Oh, 1t isn't that" he said. Il 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 evidence-about the Hanska case
think 1t may help"
Betsy-Barbara turned again-and
this time quickly. Her look was
tartled-but-heave be praised
| friendly.
Something new7" she said, breath
lessly. "Oh, you angel fresh from
heaven! Shall send for Constance?
This was the point where Tommy
North became a strategiet-
1T has to do" he said humbly,
with the way | was last night You
saw mel shouldn't like TO tell her"
Let's take walk" proposed Betsy.
| Ddi udid, VIII hCi WohucAiui pioSsf
cality.
''If you wish" said Tommy North
humbly, and 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 was
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 spendere.
We'll. what is It! I'm dying to
know!" said Betsy-Barbara, the instant
they reached the avenue.
did do anything strange" in
quired Tommy. when / first saw you
last night?"
You nearly tumbled at my feet, for
one thing" replied Betsy yBarbara.
"What-what were you wearing on
your feet?"
Betsy-Barbara thought a second on
this peculiar question.
MY velyet slippers with the rhine
stone buckles" she said.
Tommy nodded solemnly.
That was it, was reaching for
them last night-just as l was reach
ing for something the night l fell al
Captain Hanska's door. And 1t brought
everything back"
"Oh, what do you mean7" begged
Betsy Barbara. Go on! Please 20
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 pickled-"
Il don't" put in Betsy Bar rbara, in
spite of her interest In the story-"but
please go on"
And saw something bright In the
hallway, close to Captain Hanska 8
door. ! braced against a post and
looked at It, II was a cluster OF dia-
monds-the more / think OF It, the
more it seems like that shoe buckle OF
yours. / reached out TO get it. Then
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 ! might find about the Han.
ska case. And I'm telling, that's all. 4"
Betsy Barbara considered.
1T may not mean anything" she
said, land 1t may mean a good deal. "
She considered again. Even IL the
diamonds were there, maybe II had
nothing TO do with our case. II any
body had been robbed that night. II
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? II seems no
one else noticed them"
Well" remarked Tommy North
cynically, there were a great many
policemen In the house"
Betsy-Barbara walked on, etill think
Ing. Maybe. I'm afraid, though. that
II might be only an alteration" she
said finally.
Perhaps" echoed Tommy North.
And now, having finished his introduc.
ton. he approached the subject near.
est his heart.
"Of course, that's ALL" he said. "ex.
cept that | owe you an apology for
for 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 II was in Tommy North's i'm.
pulses to tell exactly why he did it
to come out with the truth. accompa-
MED by his opinion OF philandering
Spaniards. But that would have
amounted to a declaration: and to de-
clare his feelings for Betsy. Barbara
wns leagues beyond his present cour.
age.
"Oh," he said, carelessly. desperate
ly. Il got jolt. That's all And took
IL out in booze"
you told me the other night Il was