The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-10-19
CHAPTER xl-Continued.

Abruptly the ,Gor to Craven's room
flew open with All echoing bang, and
she heard him call her in voice IN
stinct with mortal terror.
Startled, she turned and ran into the
adjoining room, pulling up with cry
at sight of her father. His face,
stricken mask, notified, CHASTITY: sweat
stood out upon his forehead, his Ups
trembled, his eyes sick with fear. Inc
hinges of his knees loosened, he
swayed.
In one quivering hand he held play
ing card-a knave of diamonds.
He enunciated with difficulty, "Wha
what" With half frantic gesture
he tore at his collar. "Where did that
come from?" he cried hoarsely. "Ho"
how did it get in that d boxT'
He made a strangled sound, reeled,
and fell back heavily into chair, the
card futtering from his grasp to rest
face upward at his feet.
daddy, what can l do? What's the
matter? If only you'd speak to me
Kneeling at her fathers side in pas
sion of anxiety, she fondled a mana
inert and frightfuIly cold.
His position unchanged, Craven wore
every indication of complete physical
collapse. A hand-his left-clutched
at his coat, above the heart.
But as Lydia moved to rise and teie-
phone for the hotel physician the man
stirred. His lips quivered. She bent
near to catch their whisper:
"Brandyw
''Ill order it at once
But his fingers, knitted with hers, re-
strained her with singular strength and
insistence. "No-tlask on my bureau"
eyes dearest. Let me go and get it,
won't your"
"No-let me-all right now"
He managed to lift head and Shout
ders from the chair; then again col
lapsed, his fingers relaxing.
The bureau top in his bedchamber
was Uttered with a confusion OF ar
ticles turned out haphazard from Ora
ven's dressing case. For moment
Lydia searched the disarray, at loss
to single out anything resembling a
flask. Then low cry Of stupefaction
escaped her: in a clear space to one
side the puzzle box lay open.
In it's shallow oblong drawer, upon
a layer of cotton wool, blazed the pearl
and diamond collar stolen from Mrs.
Merrilees-or the imitation?
But Immediately the mystery and the
wonder of this was lost in her solicit
tude, and, another glance discovering
small leather-bound flask, she seized 1t
and ran back to the other room.
Craven's eyes were open and, she
fancied, informed with a look of al
most frightened inquiry as she unstOp-
pered the flask, dashed a generous
amount of brandy into a glass, and
turned toward a silver water pitcher.
But his husky whisper stayed her
hand.
"No-straight-"
She put the glass to his lips, invert-
ing it slowly while he gulped and splut-
tered.
"More!" he demanded with his first
free breath. "a little water"
After this second draft, which he
drank unaided, he seemed more him
self. For the first time he ceased to
clutch his side; a little color crept back
into his face. He remained silent, how
ever, his gaze bent upon the knave of
diamonds at his feet, his countenance
darkly perplexed.
At length Lydia ventured anew,
''What is 1t, daddy7 Can't you tell
me?"
''Heart," he muttered, "an old affec-
ton. Nothing to worry about; but that
card keeled me over-ratherw
"But what-what does it mean?"
"You wouldn't understand. It's some
thing secret, a code signal to me to-
wasn't expecting 1t in the box"
That thought he left unfinished,
mumbling something indlstinguishahle.
But his eyes flashed toward his daugh-
ter's face. then were quickly averted.
"In the box with the necklace, you
mean2" Lydia prompted evenly.
He wouldn't reply directly. Gave |
me devil Of shock I" After a moment |
Of silence he cried out In accents of ex- /
ASPIRATION. But how in the name of |
God did it ever get thereT"
A knock checked Lydia's reply. With /
a start Craven pulled himself together /
and rose.
Mustn't let the waiter see me like
this. You let him ln-will your"
He managed a slow but unwavering /
return to his room. When he was out
Of sight Lydia turned to the door, adj
hitting the waiter with his heavy tray.