The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-12-19

to work.
had been standing by the bureau
while we spoke and something to my
eye seemed missing on 1t. She hadn't
more than left the room when / knew
what-my revolver was gone. 1t Icy
always on the corner where could
put my hand on 1t In the night In the
dark. knew hadn't seen 1t when I
cleared up the room; knew monsieur
couldn't have helped seeing 1t when he
cleared out the bureau. And by the
token, knew that he had taken it.
l'The curi' thought T. But the loss
was a good tonic, for after the first
minute of fright at finding myself
without defense, got so hopping mad
at the sheer meanness of the creature
ALSO so pleasing glad at the little
compliment he was paying me by adj
uniting thus he was afraid Of me and
revolver In combination-that I'd
have sailed into him with hatpin If
he'd shown his face at the door. And
at that moment heard the sound of
latch-key working In door. thought
It was my own, and dashed out and
threw 1t wide.
1t was the lady In the adjoining fiat.
She said: "How these keys do stick,
sometimes! wonder If anybody has
been tampering with my lock-"
Tampering with the lock / closed
my door without thanking her for the
reminder had been in the act of get
ting new lock when monsieur called
me to Mrs. Delarios supposed death
bed, Oh, If only had had 1t put on
Friday night---the key working in my
own door and that assumed belonged
to Mr.. Man-down-stairs.
No wonder he didn't swear at me
when | called out to him he had the
wrong fiat: Mr., Man was--monsieur!
| flung on my wraps, telling Mrs.
Jimmson / had an errand out, and in
less than fifteen minutes / had a lock-
smith putting on a new Yale lock and
exchanging the small chain-bolt for
the heaviest In the market.
had rung when returned with the
man to give color to my tale of a lost
key. Mrs. Jlmmson let me in and
seemed greatly astonished to see
man begin at once taking out screws.
80 you lost your key?p she observed
plaeidly-just her way of taking every
thing / happen to be doing as per-
sonal matter OF her own. She was
now prepared to superintend the OPP
GRAFTON, "Well, that's too bad to have
to go to the expense of a new lock.
Couldn't the man find key that would
fit? The key would cost only quar-
ter and you wouldn't have to buy
whole lock-"
Her arms were folded and she
showed she meant to see the new lock
on to the last screw gazed at her in
sheer wonder that a person could be
so stupid, so obtuse as not to know she
wasn't wanted; and from her, my eyes
travelled along the hall. to the dining
room, to the table-my heart jumped,
and stopped: the hyacinths were not
therel
What have you done with those
hyacinthsf" / demanded, as soon as
could control my voice.
you mean those faded things in
glass on the table,"
"Yes-what did you do with them?"
"If you'd mentioned them before you
went out"
WHAT DID you DO WITH
THEM?"
why, they were so faded never
thought you--wanted them"
She was beginning to quail and slide
away. caught her wrist-my fingers
left marks-she showed them to me
later
"What--did- you-do--with-them
Answer me instantlyw
Il threw them out"
As Mrs. Jimmson said those words
that she had thrown the hyacinths
away-the locksmith handed me the
two keys, saying that the lock and the
bolt were all right and that was all. l
had paid him at the shop In order to
hasten matters at the house, for l
hoped, If possible, to get the job done
so quickly that even George wouldn't
find out what had brought the man
in for. | was still digging my fingers
into her wrist while he gathered up
his tools and he gave the two of us a
curious look, half amusement. half
wonder at my vehemence, before he
closed himself out.
As for Mrs. Jimmson, she had been
too paralyzed with fright TO move. The
instant the door was shut. l dropped
her wrist and made a dash for the
kitchen, hoping the garbage hadn't yet
gone down. As did 1t. / let out one
short unpleasant word. That word
was Damn r and into it crowded all
the pent-up feelings Of the last twenty
four hours.
saw her look of horror as | closed
the door-she thought / had gone in
sane! Now, I'm not given to profanity,
but | am willing to admit that 1t may
have its uses on occasion.-as for in
stance when your scrubber-iady has