The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-18
AN OUTSIDER

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CONTINUED from our last issue.)
Both bore messages laboriously
printed In pencil. of much the
same tenor:
Suggest you look into Miss
pfanwaring's antecedents - also
her actions between I and 3
O'Clock last night"
ASK Miss Manwaring what she
was doing out OF bed after I
O'Clock last night--search of her
room might prove helpful"
Silently Sally returned the
cards.
''You see," the detective apollo
gfxed heavily, after that there
wasn't anything for 1t but to. ask
you to explain"
''There is nothing to explain;
the charge Is preposterous."
Yes, miss--that is, | hope so,
for your sake. Meantime, | guess
you won't mind my looking
sround bit. will your"
Looking round?"
"Your room. miss"
Sally gasped. You have the in
science to suggest searching my
ROOM"
We'll, miss"
II forbid you positively to do
anything of the sort without Mrs.
Gosnold's permission"
"There!" Miss Pride interpo-
lated In accents of acid satisfac-
ton. IF she has nothing to fear,
why should she object?"
you see. miss" Mason per-
sisted, 81 have Mrs. Gosnold's au-
thority to make such investiga-
tions as | see fit"
She perceived that he was stub
bornily bent on this outrageous
thing. AS the detective tenta-
lively approached her dressing
table the girl swunk wicker
armchair about so that it faced a
corner of the room and threw her
self angrily into 1t, her back to
the four.
Immediately she heard drawers
opened and closed, sounds OF rum
maging. She trembled violently
with impotent evaporation. II
was intolerable. yet II must be
endured. There was one satisfac-
tion. They would find nothing
and presently Mrs. Gosnold would
reappear and their insolence
would be properly punished. She
could not believe that Mrs. Cos
mold would let it pass unrebuked
A low whistle interrupted at
once her reflections and the mute
activity of the search.
Immediately she heard the de-
tective exclaim: What's this?"
Miss Pride uttered a shrill cry
of satisfaction.
Mrs. Standish said sharply:
Aunt Abby's solitaire!"
Unable longer to contain her
alarm and curiosity, Sally sprang
from her chair and confronted
four accusing countenances.
What do you know about
this?" the detective demanded.
Clipped between the detectives
thumb and forefinger a huge dia-
mond coruscated in the light OF
the electrics.
Where did you find the
thing?" Sally demanded.
Rolled up inside this pair OF
stockings" Mason indicated the
limp, black silk affairs which he
had taken from a dresser drawer
We'll, how about it,"
Il don't know anything about
II. | never saw it before"
The detective grinned incredu.
lousy and presently skirts rus.
tied behind Sally's sullen back
and feet shuffled. Then the door
closed softly and she heard the
key rattle in the lock.
She sat moveless, stunned
aghast.
Strangely, she did not weep;
her spirit was bruised beyond the
consolation of tears.
AZ to the identity of the enemy
who had done this thing, Sally en-.
tertained not shadow of doubt
Lyttleton had stolen the jewels
what else had he carried SC
stealthily down to the beach
What else had the signals meant
- but that they had been left there
in a prearranged plot? For wha,
else had the boat put in from the
yacht to the beach.
And IL not he, who had beer
the thief whose identity Mrs. Cos.
mold was so anxious to conceal
that she had invented her silly
confession?
The man WIS favorite of Mrs
Gosnold's; she had proved 1t toe
often by open indulgence of his
nonsense. He amused her. And
Il seemed that in this milieu the
virtue of being amusing outweigh.
Cd all vices. Now, doubtless, the
truth OF the matter would never
come out.
In panic terror, Sally envisag
~ the barred window of the spin
tter's prophecy. To this, then
had discomfort with her lowly lo
IN life brought her, to the TIRES
hold of a felon's cell.
In a sudden seizure of passion
she fairly tore the frock from hei
body, wrecking 1t beyond repair.
Then, calming somewhat by re
action from this transport, sh,
reflected that presently the,
would be coming to drag her of
TO jail, and she must be dressed
and ready.
Turning to her wardrobe, sh,
selected its soberest garment
blue serge tailored suit--and don
ned them.
This done she began to realiz,
that It was growing very late
The guests Of the fete had all de
parted. Looking from her win
Anw aha aaw tho tarrana ava .,o 4,