The Yale expositor., 1917-10-04

mabel Herbert UrneR xXy;4b diSordar-
ing, nerve-tensloned haste she rum
maged the top drawer. Gloves, wells,
handkerchiefs were ruthlessly upset in
the feverish search.
When did she have IL last? Tuesday
night she had worn ii to the theater.
But she remembered distinctly taking
IL off when she undressed, for il had
caught in the lace of her gown.
Wednesday and Thursday they had
not gone out. Both evenings she had
worn her white wolfe for dinner-and
had not worn the pin.
"Dora," excitedly, rushing out to
the kitchen, 81 can't find my diamond
pini When did you see it lastT"
"I never took notice." holding up
steam dripping lid while she tested the
boiling asparagus.
at had it Tuesday night. but can't
remember whether / put it in the jewel
case or left It on the pincushion. Did
you see 1t Wednesday when you
cleanedp Try to Think"
cit might "a been there-but I never
took notice" clamping on the lid.
Baffied, Helen ran back to another
futile search of the top drawer. 1t
must be I'm the house somewhere. She
had not worn ii since Tuesday night
of that she was positive.
She called Dora to help move out the
dresser. The pin might have dropped
back against the wall.
With flushed face and lowered eyes
the girl dragged out her side Of the
dresser-but there was only hairpin
caught on the dusty molding.
sect a cloth and wipe off that dust
while we have this out" ordered
Helen, her housewife instinct opera
tive even in her anxiety.
Though the heat Of cooking always
Redeemed Dora's face there was some
thing in her heightened color and
evasive eyes that suddenly struck
Helen with disturbing suspicion.
She had never doubted the girls
honesty, but now as Dora wiped off the
molding there was a furtive conscious
ness in her manner.
After she had escaped to the kitchen,
Helen stood thoughtfully thrusting n
hatpin into the darkened pin wounds
OF the lace-covered cushion. Dora's
references had been excellent, and in
the nine months she had been with
them she had seemed scrupulously hon
est.
Feeling that her suspicious were I'M
just, Helen now began a systematic
search of the whole apartment. She
was interrupted by the telephone. A
foreigners voice-a mans voice ask
ing for Dora.
"Dora, some one wants you on the
phone" noting the girls still REDEEMED
face as she drained the salad in the
sink.
Even from the bedroom Helen could
hear the intensity in Dora's rapid. gut
tural Norwegian. Though the words
were unintelligible, the girls voice
vibrated with anxiety, pleading and
fear.
Had this something to do with the
pin? Helen's intuitlons were working
fast. Was this the man who had been
calling on her every Sunday?
It was relief when the hall door
slammed and Warren swung In with
brisk vigor.
"well, how goes everythIngT
Breathlessly Helen poured out the
story Of her loss and OF her growing
suspicious. With incisive rapid-fire
questions, he came back at her.
"When did you wear II last? How'd
You know you had IL when you got
home? Where'd you put It? Haven't
worn II SINGER How'd you know you
haven'tT Then his curt verdict, Lost
It at the theater."
'But tell you remember taking II
Oft caught in the lace"
Huh, might've been some other
night. You're pretty hazy about the
rest Of Il. Can't accuse the girl on
that sort OF evidence"
ct shouldn't dream of accusing her
II she didn't act so suspicious. And
her voice when she talked to that man
over the phone TT she has taken it
he's put her up 10 II. Oh. I'm sure
there's something wrong-you watch
her ut dinnerlr
Although Dora always had dinner
promptly at seven. tonight ii was al
most twenty minutes late.
Helen's distress over her loss had
taken her appetite. but she watched
the girl keenly. That something was
wrong was evident, for Dora served
with awkward elf-consciousness. A
fork fell gathering to the floor, and her
hands trembled noticeably as she
placed the roast on the table.
Dear. you know she was never like
that" whispered Helen. "Can't you
see she looks guiltyi Won't you have
talk with her after dinner? She isn't
really dishonest-it's all this manr