The Washington herald., 1920-01-29

I did not wait for. Tony to return
from seeing Alice to her taxi. hur-
ried to the exit. Alice and he were
standing close together. near a taxi.
+, talking. I hailed another taxi that
was looking for fare. gave a direc-
| ton to the driver and was driven
| rapidly away.
Ny heart was pounding with excite
ment. II hadn't been so miserable, !
\ should have felt exhilarateda-like
Sherlock Holmes setting off on a new
case.
Only In this particular instance the
case meant all my happiness!
For I was driving to the jewelers.
from, whom Jim had bought the brace
let. / was spurred on by a torturina
curiosity-to learn the very worst!
It's true I had been there before.
| But now ! wanted to discover IL any
thing was known about the lady In
| the case
| / utterly despised myself-and yet !
| had to go-I couldn't kee paway!
The taxi drew UP with a jerk. ]
| told the driver he might wait. Then.
| screwing up my courage. I walked
once more through the swinging glass
| QOOTS anu INTO tilt snOp.
Here my heart failed mel
"I-Ive come-to look at brooches"
| stammered lamely. flushing under
the place.
He laid a trayload of baubies on
the counter. My fingers futtered
nervously among them.
| TIL take this one" / picked
out an insipid little pearl brooch.
| -Four pounds ten" He eyed me
curiously. 1 am sure he guessed my
mission. Anything more that / can
\ do for you?'
I handed the, four pounds ten to
him across the counter. My cour-
agc--and my color-rose.
! "You remember the diamond watch
bracelet that you showed me-is II
still for sale?"
He shook his head.
II told you 1 was sending IL to
Canada. i posted it myself a day or
two ago. 1 sold the other one to
young gentleman who had 4 lady
with him"
| "what-what was she like?" ]
stammered eagerly. I'm sure the
jewcler thought | was a little mad
He leaned across the counter and
stared pityingly at me. His voice
was lowered discreetly when he
spoke.
she was small. and fair. ard very
pretty. Determined to have the very
best. too. she was!'
My heart sank painfully. II
sounded so like Alice.
she dropped a card out of her
purse. / picked il up" he went on.
! "what-what name?"
| Mrs. Anstruther Of Anstruther
Lodge"
| Thank you-good afternoon. / hur-
ried from the hateful place.
| An hour later, when I returned 10
my empty little flat. it dawned on me
| hadn't even waited for the brooch
which / had paid for!
1 The jeweler will think me crazy
/ tut nothing will ever induce me to 20
back to the shop where Jim has so
1 Inundated me-" 1 told myself re-
peatedly.
| A thought that held a ray of .,om-
fort struck me. had only known Jim
for a few short weeks-was IL not
/ possible he had bought the expensive
gift for Alice before he ever met me
But Alice herself had said she had
received it 'just a short time ago"
There was the jewelers. confirmation
too!
1 cried myself to sleep that night
Women are queer illogical creatures.
Before / left my little flat to 80 down
into the country. l lifted Jimis photo.
! graph from the mantelpiece and
kissed it passionately.
For a few brief moments I lived
through all the ardor of our ten'-
pestuous courtship. and our blissfu
honeymoon.
What a strong. clean-cut face he
had! Reliability shown in every Inc
/ of it. from his square chin TO his
broad low clever forehead. How sen
sitive his lips were but how firm! He
was a man whose feelings could b
easily wonderland once hurt ht
would be slow to forgive.
But the dark deep-set eyes were
frank and kind.
Once again l kissed the photo
passionately. Big tears dropped 6n
it's covering glass. l felt as though