Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-12-27
CHAPTER I:

NAA1i III
1t was the night before the wedding.
Though Sinclair, and not myself, was
the happy man, had my own causes
for excitement. and sought the We
randa for solitary smoke in sight
OF the ocean and full moon.
was in a condition of rapturous
delight. That afternoon little hand
had fingered in mine for Just an in
slant and small IS the favor may seem
to those who do not know Dorothy
Camerden, to me, it was sign that
my long, if secret, devotion was about
TO be rewarded and that az last was
free to cherish hopes.
was reveling in these anticipatiOns
when q sudden shadow fell across the
broad band of light issuing from the
library window, and Sinclair stepped
out.
He had the appearance of being dis
turbed; very much disturbed, l
thought.
81 have something to say to you"
he whispered. Come where we shall
ran less risk of being disturbed"
whats wrong?" | asked. ~ new
or saw you look like this before. Has
the old lady taken this last minute
to"
"Hush!" he prayed. "Tbe little
room over the west porch is empty
lust now. Follow me there"
| sauntered in after him. thought
| understood his trouble. The pros
pective bride was young-a mere slip
of girl. indeed-bright, beautiful
and proud, yet with odd little re-
straints i'm her manner and language.
The fault was not with her. But
she had for guardian (alas! my dear
girl had the same) an aunt who was
4 gorgon. This aunt must have been
making herself disagreeable to the
prospective bridegroom.
But, one confronted with Sinclair in
the room above, / perceived that | had
better give my full attention to what
he had to say. For his eye was cloud
ed and his manner, when he strOve to
speak. betrayed q nervousness | had
considered foreign to his nature.
walter" he faltered, something
has happened. something dreadful.
something unprecedented You may
think me a fool-God knows | would
be glad to be proved so, but this thing
has frightened me. L" He paused
and pulled himself together.
Don't beat about the bush. Speak
ur' What's the matter?"
He gave me a Todd look) full of
gloom. then coming closer, whispered
in my ear;
al have lost little vial of the dead
Hest drug ever compounded; Vene-
tian curiosity which | was foolish
enough to take out and show the ladies
because the little box which holds it is
such an exquisite example of jew
eler's work. There's death in its taste.
almost in its smell; and it's out of
my hands and"
''Well, I'll tell you how to fix that
no" put i'm. "Order the music stop
ped; call everybody into the draw
ingroom and explain the dangerous
nature of this toy. After which, if
anything happens, it will not be your
fault, but that of the person who has
so thoughtlessly appropriated it"
"Impossiblel 1t would only aggra-
vate matters, or rather would not re-
lieve my fears at all. The person who
took it knew It's nature very well, and
that person.
"Oh, then you know who took it,"
| brok in.
mo" he moodily corrected, 81 do
not know who took it. That is. ! do
not know the exact person. Only
Here he made q fresh beginning.
"When I came here, brought with me
a case of rarities chosen from my vari-
Gus collections. In looking over them.