The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1916-03-02

4
him now-since Constance had gone
on-her eyes showed the emotions
which she had suppressed in public.
| What 10 it?" she said lcily.
Il wanted" said TOMMY wanted
to tell you something"
Il think" responded Betsy Barbara.
that you needn't make any more ex.
planations-thank you!"
She was turaing away When Tommy
! recovessd himself.
''Oh. II isn't that" he said. Il can't
explain that. of course. I'm not trying
to explain that. Miss Lane. It's Just
somsthing-s0mething new In the line
Of evidence-about the Hanska case
I think 1t may help
Betsy-Barbara turned asain-and
this time quickly. Her look was
startled-but-heave be praised
friendly.
"Somsthing new" she said. breath
lessly. "Oh. you angel fresh from
heaven! Shall l send for Constance!
This was the point where Tommy
North became . strategist.
IL 0S1 70 w. NJ b8lO uumVly,
with the way was last night. You
saw mel shouldn't like to tell her."
Lets take . walk" proposed Betsy.
Barbara. with her wonderful practi-
cality. % 40
"If you WISH" said Tommy North
humbly. and yet thrilled with = sense
Of renewed companionship. Indeed.
by the time they reached. the street.
he had recovered his spirits 90 much
~ to propose, because this, street was
SO noisy, that they take . cross-town
car and walk up Fifth avenue. The car
was crowded; they must stand: so
they did not approach the subject Of
tho moment until they were treading
the street of the spenders.
We'll, what 10 1t? I'm dying to
know!" said BetsyBarbara, the instant
they reached the avenue.
did l do anything strange" In
quired Tommy. when l first saw you
last night?"
You nearly tumbled at my feet. for
one thing" replied Betsy Barbara.
"What-what were you wearing ON
your feet?"
Betsy Barbara thought second on
this peculiar question.
MY velvet slippers with the rhine
stone buckles" she said.
Tommy nodded solemnly.
That was it-I was reaching for
them last nisht-just as was reach
ing for something the night l fell at
Captain Hanska's door. And 1t brought
everything back"
oh, what do you mean!" begged
Betsy Barbara. Go on! Please 20
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.
l was picked. You know how your
mind gets on one little thing when
you're p;skled-"
Il DON'T" put In Betsy Barbara, in
sEite OF her interest in the story-"but
please 60 on
And saw something bright in the
hallway. close to Captain Hanska's 8
door. l Eraced against a post and
looked at it. 1t was a cluster Of dia.
monds--the more think OF 1t, the
more 1t seems like that shoe buckle of
yours. reached out to get it. Then
l 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 l might ind about the Han.
ska case. And I'm telling. that's all"
! Betsy-Barbara considered.
1T may not mean anything" she
said. land 1t may mean 4 good deal
She considered again. Even II the
diamonds were there. maybe it had
nothing to do with our case. II any.
body had been robbed that night. II
there had been any signs of a 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 nc
one else noticed them"
Wen'' remarked Tommy North
cynically. there were a great many
policemen in the house"
Betsy Barbara walked on. still think
ing. Maybe. I'm afraid, though. tha,
1t might be only an alteration" she
said finally.
Perhaps" echoed Tommy North
And now. having finished his introduc
tion. he approached the subject near
est his heart.
"of course, that's ALL" he said. "ex
cept that l 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 it was in Tommy Norths i'm
pulses to tell exactly why he did it
to come out with the truth. accompa
MED by his opinion Of philanderint
Spaniards. But that would hav,
amounted to declaration: and to de
clare his feelings for Betsy-Barbar;
was leagues beyond his present cour
age