The Ely miner., 1914-02-13

The breakfast went on. Betsy-Bar
bara talked freely; she appeared ami
mated even. She included Mr.. NORTH
In the conversation. throwing him {
question now and then. He noticed
however, that these questions came
only at regular intervals, as though
she were remembering to be very care
full. That might be a good sign or II
might be bad one, he could not de
eide which.
Betsy-Barbara and Constance hao
risen now. Tommy North, with an eff
fort of the will, rose and followed.
miss Lane" he said In the hall;
and then, since she did not seem to
hear him, he spoke louder. Miss
Lane"
Betsy-Barbara turned. Alone with
him now-since Constance had gone
on-her eyes showed the emotions
which she had suppressed in public
what is it?" she said icily.
81 wanted" said TOMMY wanted
to tell you something"
81 think" responded Betsy-Barbara,
"that you needn't make any more ex.
planations-thanky you!"
She was turning away when Tommy
recovered himself.
ooh, it 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
I think 1t may help"
Betsy-Barbara turned again-and
this time quickly. Her look was
rtled-but-heaven 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.
"It has to do," he said humbly,
with the way I was last night. You
saw mel shouldn't like to tell her."
Lets take a walk" proposed Betsy
Barbara, with her wonderful practi-
cality.
eff 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 cross-town
car and walk up Fifth avenue. The car
was crowded; they must sand; so
they did not approach the subject Of
the moment until Ney were treading
the street of the spenders.
"Well, what is It? I'm dying to
know!" said Betsy-Barbara, the instant
they reached the avenue.
did l do anything strange" in
quired Tommy, when l first saw you
last nightT
you nearly tumbled at my feet, for
one thing" replied Betsy-Barbara.
"What-what were you wearing on
your feet?"
Betsy-Barbara thought a second OH
this peculiar question.
my veSet slippers with the rhine
stone bu' kles," she said.
TommJ nodded solemnly.
"That was it-I was reaching for
them last night-just as l 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 so
on"
81 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-"
81 DON'T" put in Betsy Barbara. In
spite of her interest in the story-"but
please go on"
And l saw something bright in the
hallway, close to Captain Hanska's g
door. braced against q post and
looked at 1t. 1t was a cluster of dia.
monds-the more l think of it, the
more it seems like that shoe buckle OF
yours. reached out to get it. Then
tumbled and hit-the stuff. 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 / might find about the Han.
ska case. And I'm telling, that's all"
Betsy-Barbara considered.
ut may not mean anything" she
said, land It may mean good deal
She considered again. Even II the
diamonds were there, maybe 1t 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? 1t seems no
one else noticed them"
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