The Washington herald., 1922-03-06

taken away the breakfast tray a
few minutes before.
Could she have been careless
enough to leave it on that tray?
She was ringing the bell to sum-
mon the maid, intent on getting
that letter back at all costs, when
Vera Dayton sauntered into the
room. She had spent the night at
the Barstowes.
1t seemed to Jeanne that Vera
was always showing up at the most
inopportune moment like an evil
Senii.
Then she noted that Vera was
dangling something Imply between
forefinger and thumb.
II say. old dear, did you lose
letter? l just found this in the hall
where it must have fallen off the
breakfast tray. judging by the way
it is soaked in grape Juice"
There was no use denying 1t.
Jeanne knew well enough that Vera
had read the letter. She did not
believe that Vera had found II in
the hall. She had probably passed
the maid bearing the tray kitchen
ward. and deliberately filched ii.
Thanks" she drawled. but I
don't see why you troubled to
salvage it. I'd thrown it away"
Vera eyed her keenly.
Surely you are not such a fool
as to let letter like that get down
to the servants quarters"
Jeanne raised her brows.
"Oh. so you have read it?"
Vera, fairly caught. crimsoned.
'T-I-had TO read II to see to
whom it belonged"
What a Samaritan you are!"
laughed Jeanne with a shrug.
Vera. the little guardian angel of
the Barstowe fortunes" she said
mockingly.
What do you mean?" demanded
the girl.
"Oh, pardon me. didn't mean TO
offend. l used fortunes quite alb
stractly. didn't refer to the Bar
stowe money. of course. You could
have no interest in that"
War!
She swept up her bag. containing
the pearls. the marquise ring and
the bracelet, and opened the door.
''Bood-by. am off to town"
Vera Dayton only stared after
1t was the first time her thrusts
Fad drawn counter-hre.
Jeanne. hurrying down the wind
ing drive toward the trolley-she
did not want one of the Barstowe
cars on this trip to town-laughed
to herself mirthlessly.
The die was cast now! Hence
forth it was open warfare between
her and Vera Dayton, but she
didn't care.
Nothing could save her now, she
thought. Her castle was in ruins.
The ultimate catastrophe was i'm
minent.
Vic Barstowe would have to
know!
Jeanne reached the suburban sta
tion just as an electric train was
pulling in. She slipped into rear
car and seated herself well up front.
where she could. by burying herself
in the folds of a morning paper.
escape a chance encounter with any
one who knew her.
She congratulated herself on her
luck in not being seen by the lodge
keeper of the Barstowe estate, as
she slipped through the small gate
behind his cottage. Although she had
taken Ine suburban. lTdln on OlnSE
occasions, she preferred that this par
ticular trip pass unnoted.
AS the train sped toward New
York, she tried to plan what she
could do. AS yet, pawnshops re-
mained a mystery to her. She had
never been inside the door Of one;
she did not know what one said or
did. nor had she any idea OF the
value one received on a pawnable
article.
A small headline in the paper
caught her eye:
THIEF CAUGHT IN PAWN
SHOPr
"Pawnbroker Becoming Suspicious
Summons Police, and Gem Robber Is
Caught Redhandedr'
The story went on to tell how a
pawnbroker becoming suspicious Of
an unkept man. who offered a valu-
able ring, called UP the police, and
found that the ring was one OF the
missing articles in a recent jewel
robbery.
To Be Continued Tomorrow.