Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-01-12

MONTHS" he fenced, weakly II shall
probably be able to settle upon you a
sufficient sum to make you always In
dependent. Won't that sufice?"
There was a note of jealousy In the
nervous laugh which followed. $50
you expect to marry the Dare millions /!
Is that It'll"
That's it" he admitted, after a de-
FAINT silence.
Her manner swiftly changed. The
mask Of the worldly woman disap-
peared from her face, flushed and re-
vealing an outraged heart. She start
ed from the sofa and then for the first
time his widening eyes saw a plain
gold locket attached to a chain at her
throat.
For a few disturbing seconds Brent
COMPOUNDED it with the one in which
the government chemicals had been Sc
creted and given to his unfortunate
brother officer.
He sprang to his feet just as she
wrenched the locket from it's fastening
and pressing a spring disclosed its
contents to him.
The locket contained his miniature
signed, dated and inscribed:
ITO My Darling Wife,"
lie drew back uttering an oath.
She turned away, swapping the lid
shut. IF l were you, Thornton" she
drawled with studied irony; 81
wouldn't calculate on those Dare mil
lions to provide me with an income"
Brent sprang upon her In swift and
uncomfortable rage, his vision blurred,
seeing only that forgotten inscription
of an impulsive and sentimental mo-
ment of years ago.
The lOcket rolled on the floor and
out of their reach. Bertha was about
to Shrek when a knock on the door
brought Brent to his senses Bertha
recovered the locket while he reluct-
antly answered the summons.
At the threshold, saluting, stood an
orderly from the war Office.
Compliments Of the chief Of staff
and instructions to headquarters in
full dress uniform, sir" said he from
a respectful distance.
"Wait below!" Brent shut the door
in his face to avoid discovery of
Bertha, who, taking advantage of the
situation, slipped out when a safe exit
was assured.
She Immediately went to the hotel
office. Here she deposited the locket
with the clerk for safe keeping. The
clerk gave her the usual duplicate re-
ceipt, numbered and In blank, on which
her signature in her own handwriting
was a necessary requirement. She put
this In her purse and turned away
with a feeling of security. Incuriously
she observed the orderly from the
war office awaiting the major. Then
she went to her W room. Hardly |
had she entered when from the pave
meat rose the shrill cry of excited |
Eewsboys.
The hoarse, believing voices In the
night air rudely Jared upon her over
wrought nerves. Straining her ears
she was unable to catch any meaning
or ever IN ineligible word in this sud-
den vocal outburst. She took a dime
out Of her purse and going downstairs
to see what the clamor was about, pur-
chased a paper. 1t contained q brief
account of the tragedy at the Granada
embassy.
The hotel lobby was seething with
people. Bertha did not escape
the thrill of the moment. In awed ST.
lence she re-entered the elevator. AS
1t went upward 1t passed Brent ready
to descend. He ignored her passing
smile of hooking sweetness. She
laughed to herself.
She opened her purse to put the
away and discovered, to her
lmazement, that the duplicate invoice
or her locket, which she had placed
but a few moments ago, was
zone! Instead was a gold locket! Un-
lble to believe her eyes, she opened 1t
1T once-her priceless miniature Of
Thornton Brent was missing!
Fumbling again through her purse
The found this explanatory note penned
IN the private stationary Of Capt.
Ralph Payne:
Guard the packet In your travelling case.
frontier. There further instructions
you. Wear the locket for identif-
alton and Brent's miniature will be yours
1t was some minutes before she
that an inexplicable turn OF
vents was injecting her, whether she
villed or not, into the affairs of the
whom Major Brent had set out to
erlove, if possible, from the life of
'earl Dare.
Bertha opened her travelling case.
lay a neat, oblong package re-
embling a silken envelope. 1t was
called and unaddressed. She looked
t it th%oughtfully.
For u thousand dollars in crisp
bills, held together by a rubber
and, also lay in a conspicuous place
4 the case.
Still smiling, she went downstairs
nd paid her account out Of this mys-
eriously acquired wealth.
sIJo-o 49, III .--A-- Az--zl