The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-08-09
CHAPTER xI.

From the manner Of the room clerk
Lydia inferred that the name Of Thad-
deus Craven was well esteemed by the
management Of the Great Eastern. Nor
was this impression at all modified by
the room to which she was shown-a
suite SO complete and luxurious in ap-
pOintments that its appeal was strong
to the sybaritic strain with which
heredity had endowed the girl.
Toward six o'clock she dropped, worn
out, into an armchair beside an open
window In the living room. YEARLY
the girls eyelids dropped. ~Insensibly
she drowsed, drifting into a sort of
halfwaking nightmare, wherein she
With her father waged iucessant wal
against powers Of darkness. shapeless,
featureless, 'inscrutably malign-
The last rays Of the sinking sun food
ed her face, even ms 1t i~mpregnated her
dream, with the hue of blood. Twilight,
succeeding. caught together the gap
Ing arras Of the sky. Minutes wove a
web of hours
Abruptly Lydia found herself on her
feet, a low cry %shuddering in her
throat. aware that the room was ablaze
with light, that she was no longer
alone. Then, calming, she realized
nothing more terrible than Craven's
return.
He stood near the center of the room,
staring, evidently at n loss to account
for her agitation, his face slightly
flushed yet lowering.
"Well" he demanded sharply. "What
the deuce is the matter with your"
"You-you startled me-" she fall
tered with n tremulous smile. II must
have fallen asleep, waiting for YOU
and Their l had n horrible dream"
Craven's look swept her from head
to foot, captlOus and ugly. "YOu
haven't dressed" he said-meaning
that she hadn't changed for dinner.
"Been asleep long?"
"Why-some hours, / presume. What
time is It? 1t was just sunset. the last
knew"
"After nine o'clock now. Then you've
had no dinner"
Lydia shook her head. II was wait
ing for you"
"You shouldn't have" he g~rumbled.
Thought l told you not to count on
me. I've been busy of course, flying
round oil afternoon, getting Betty set
tied. Otherwise should have been home
long ago."
II have been worried about Betty
Mrs. Merrllees-"
"Oh, that business !" He smiled
grimly. ut was over n than I ex.
pected. Unpleasant for her-tO submit
to being searched by a female inspec'
tor. But Of course they found nothing,
and had to let her go. And now she's
threatening all manner of trouble"
"Jhen the necklace was really
stolen? I'm so sOrry!"
"Yes." Craven eyed her curiously
for an instant. "Yes. 1t was stolen,
right enough, and a clean-cut Job. II
you ask me. The thief must have been
laying for somebody to buy the thing
He had the counterfeit ali ready. OF
course"
But that's what I don't understand
simplest thing In the world
Chance Is he found the copy ready made
to his hand. Nine out Of ten Of these
smart Frenchwomen. like the original
owner Of the collar. have their bes,
pieces duplicated In paste for public
wear. Somehow or other he must have
got hold Of that. The only question Is
when did he make the substitution
Betty swears It was the genuine ar
ticle she received, and It hasn't beer
} out Of her possession since, excep
while In the purser's safe. and when
brought 1t to her. up there In thu
, veranda cafe. day before yesterday
! Looks as II 1t was up to the purser-
unless you care to point the w~ell-knowI
: finger Of suspicion at me-Or Peter I"
"How absurdI"
: "Think s0f Well, I'm glad you do
my DEAR" His humor had ~softened
:. Drawing near. he pinched her cheel
a~ffectionately. mot thai there's an!