The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-03-18

tSoUtfUtua FfoUN 0tf esst tssbT
"won'" Sally insisted cooily
"Still you've given mo no reanoi
for thia outrageous intrusion nm,
accusation"
mo. mian; I'm coming TO that
You see. the first thing was 10 sc
that ietterbox opened and examine
those envelopes got several o
the gentlemen To act as n sort OF .
committee. no aH nobody could kici
on tho ground that everything
wasn't done open and aboveboard.
you found no confession.
gathery'' Mrs. standish interpo
lated.
NO, ma'am--no confession. Al
but two of tho cards were blank
The two had something written OF
them anonymous Information. nc
to speak"
He fumbied In q pocket. brought
forth tho cards. and with some hest
tation handed them over 10 sally,
Doth bora messages laboriouniy
printed In pencil. Of much the same
tenor;
Suggest you look into Miss Man.
warnings antscedents--aiso her nc
lions between l and J o'clock last
night"
Ask Miss Manwaring what sha
was doing out OF bed after | o'clock
last nigh,--aearch Of her room
might prove helpful"
Silently Sally returned tho cards.
you see" the detective apollo.
gsrod heavily. after that there
wasn't anything for II but TO ask
you 90 explain"
There "a nothing 90 explain; the
charge IL prepoaterous
Yes. miHs--that ia. | hope 80. for
your sake. Meantime. I guess you
won't mind my looking round bit.
will your"
Looking roundY"
"Your room. miss"
Sally gasped. You have the In
science TO suggest searching my
ROOM
well. miss
Il forbid you positively 20 DO sny-
thing OF tho sort without Mira Cos
nold'r permission"
THERE Miss Pride interpolated.
IN accents OF acid satisfaction. III
shs has nothing 10 fear. why should
she obiectT"
You sec. miss Mason persisted.
II have Mrs. Gosnolfs authority 10
mako sueh Investigations as ] see
nit"
She perceived that no was stub
horniy bent on this outrageous
thing. Az tho detective tentatively
approached her dressing table tho
Eirl swung abTicker armchair about
go that II Mccd corner OF the
room aud throw herself angriiy Into
IL. her back TO tho four.
Immediately she heard drawers
opened and closed. sounds OF rum
maging She trembi~d violently
with fmpotent eSssp~rntion- II was
intoisrabie. yet II must be endured.
There was ono satisfaction. They
would find nothing. and presently
Mrs. Gosnold would r-appear ard
their insolence would bs properly
punished. sho could not believe
that Mrs. 0osnoid would lot Il pass
unrcbukcd-
A low whistle interrupted ~ once
her reflections and the mute &C
tivity OF tho search.
Immediately aho heard the de-
tectivs cxciain: What's thisr
Miss Pride uttered . shrili cry
OF satisfaction.
Mp. s,andish said sharply:
Aunt Ahby's solitsirci-
Unable longer 10 contain her
alarm and curiosity. Sally sprang
from her chair and confronted four
accusing ooanteuanccs.
What DO you know about thisr -
tho cete>tlvs demanded.
Clipped between the detectives
thumb and forrfinxer q huge diA.
mond coruxcated in tho light OF
the electrfcs.
Where did you find the thingr''
Sally demanded.
Rolled up inside this pair OF
stockings" Mason indicated the
limp. black silk affairs which he
had taken from dresser-drawer.
We'll, how about itf'
Il don't know anything about II.
never saw II before"
Tho detective Erlnned incredu.
lousy and presently skirts rusticd
behind Saliy's sullen back and feet
shufflcd. Then the door closed
softly and she heard tho key rattle
In the lock.
she sat moveiess. stunned.
aghast-
Strangely. shs did not weep: her
spirit was bruised beyond the con.
ISOLATION OF tears.
As TO the identity Of tho enemy
who had done this thing. Sally en-.
tertalnei not shadow OF doubt.
Lyttleton had stolen tho Jewels:
what else had he carried 40 stealth.
lily down 10 the beach, What else
had those signals meant but that
they had been left there In a pre-
arranged plot7 For what else had
the boat put In from tho yacht to
the beach,
And II not he. who bad been the
thief whose identity Mrs. Gosnold
was so anxious to conceal that she
\ had invented her silly confession
The man was favorite OF Mrs.
Gosnold's: she had proved II too
often by open indulgence OF his non.
sense. He amused her. And II
seemed that In this milieu the vir.
tue OF being amusing outweighed
all vices. Now. doubtless. tho truth
OF the matter would never come
out.
In panic terror. Sally envisaged
the barred window OF the spinster's
prophecy. To this, then. had dis
content with her iowly lot in life
brought her, 10 the threshold Of a
felon's cell.
+ In sudden seizure OF passion
she fairly tore tho frock from her
body, wrecking II beyond repair.
Then. Gained somewhat by reac-