The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-04-23
CHAPTER ".
In the Jade.Room.


lydia met Brood and Frederic at
the ton of the stairs. She had re-
ceived the message through Jones
and was on her way to dress for tea.
The master of the house greeted her
most cordially. He was very iona Oh
this lovely, gentle daughter OF Johh
Desmond Into their association hau
stolen an intimate note that softeneo
the. cold reserve OF the man 10
marked degree. His chief Joy was 10
chat with her over the work he was
doing and to listen to her frank, non.
est opinions. She regarded hersell
as his secretary-or his amanuensis'
in the strict sense Of speaking-but ne
considered her to be friend as well,
and treated her with a freedom 'ha'
was not extended to others.
faint CLEAN Of astonlshmen'
lurked in the girls eyes as she stooe
before the two men. Never, IN ne
experience, had there been such an eS
lA,sAhitaqs Of friendliness between la'ne
| anu o1''''44 -'"-----><--.--s a&hsoh of 10
| rushed up from her heart and IUoge
in her throat. For the first time sh
found it difficult to respond with con
\ posture to Brood's lively comment
Tears were lying close to the surfac
of her eyes-tears of relief and graf
tude. The buoyant expression in Free
: cries told new story Her hear
rejoiced.
; NONSENSE" said Brood when sh
announced that she was going t
change her gown. you never locke
so pretty, my dear, as you do at thi
moment. Come just as you are, t
please me"
"A tea party and an autopsy ar
very much alike, Mr.. Brood" sal
she. "One can learn a lot at either
Still, II you'd like to have Mrs. Broo
see me as l really am, III appear san
plumage."
/" I'D like it," said he promptly.
am sure you will like each othe
Lydia"
a 81 am glad you did not say we woul
y admire each other" said she quaint!
. "You look very happy, Mr. Brood,
T. she went on, her eyes bright. ,
=. 81 believe l am happy" said he.
Then we shall all be happy" wa
,. her rejoinder
q She returned to the jade.room O
a the upper floor, where she had bee
q at work on the catalogue. Brood ha
% very large and valuable collectio
;, Of Jade. The jade-room, so called wa
Il little more than a large closet off tn
a remarkable room which James Broo
=. was pleased to call his hiding place
or on occasion, his retreat" No on
;. yentured into either of these room
=, except by special permission.
= Ranjab, his Indian servant, sleI
~ in an adjoining room, and it was viii
:, pered about the house that not eve
- James Brood had viewed its interio
10 This silent, unapproachable man frol
=, the mysterious heart of India, locke
70 his door when he entered the roo
and locked it when he came out. n
ONT not even the master, thought
- entering. Mr.. Dawes, in his cups
!" ont of them, was responsible for til
- impression that the man kept dead
~ serpents there. AS matter OF fac
% Raniab was peaceable fellow an
J. desperately afraid of snakes.
~ Lydia loved the feel of the cold, OF
"a lumps of jade. There were a re
4 pieces of porcelain of extreme rari'
>. and beauty as we'll, and several pric
- less bits of cloisonne, but 1t was II
~ Jade she loved. There were two
=, three hundred objects OF various siz'
- and color and all were what might
called museum pieces.
:. She had been at work for half
~ hour or longer when a noise In Il
=. outer room attracted her attentio
10 She had the odd feeling that some Of
90 was looking at her through the OPT
\, nor, end swift turned
L, -. When OCCUPIED BY .1rOO0 l.