The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-21
CHAPTER 20 The Truesdeu Eyebrows

Ine ITues0elI EyeDEOWB
 Maurice Trask looked at Miss Mys- tery with rapidly growing interest and curiosity. She seemed so young and helpless and she was so pretty and so pathetic that he immediately decided she could not be mixed up in any wrong doing. He also decided, for he was a man of quick conclu- sions, that this was the girl for him. Having his new fortune. he wanted a wife to help him enjoy 1t, and where could he find a more utterly desirable girl than Miss Austin?
 Straightforwardly he asked:
 Did Doctor Waring make love to you? Did you love him?"
 The others looked aghast at these suggestions, and then Mrs. Adams said.
 "Yes. she didl I saw her one night. kissing Doctor Warnings picture"
 Cray turned on Anita.
 Did you love that man?" he asked, sternly. If you did, you surely didn't kill him."
 "of course. she didn't kill him. Old Salt put in. Impossible to imag- inc such thingi Speak up, little girl. Why did you kiss the picture of a man you had never seen?'
 Several of those Listening waited breathlessly for. response,
 Gordon Lockwood, for one, could scarcely control his impatience to hear the answer. For. only too well, he remembered the letter he had found in the doctors waste-basket. The words were graven in his brain,
 Darling Anita: At the first glance of your brown eyes love was born in my heart. Life is worth living-with you in the world.
 If love at first sight had been born in the mans heart, must 1t not have found response in the girls? Or, even Ir{II IoA ., who felt thus toward her? Truly she was a mystery. For, the very fact that Waring had fallen in love with her, made possible, even plausIDts. her clandestine visit to him, and her possession of the money and jewel.
 Could it be that the pretty little thing was merely sly adventures? That she catoled Waring into giving her the valuables, and then
 No. Gordon Lockwood could not and would not believe any evil of the girl he loved. Even though she should admit her love for Waring, he would not lose faith In her.
 Answer me-" Cray demanded. An swer this direct question directly. Did you love Dr. Waring?"
 Almost like one hypnotized, Miss Mystery gave helpless glance st her Anquisitor and murmured 8 low, all most inaudible yes"
 Then why did you kill him?' Cray storned at her.
 TT didn't"
 You were there. In his study the night he-she died"
 "N-no, I wasn't"
 You were! It's been proved. You went over from this house, across the snow field, and you went in the study and you sat on the plush chair, near the desk. Didn't you?"
 The great dark eyes seemed unable to tear themselves fom Cray's face, and again the half-breathed whisper was, Yes"
 T protestr' said Trask. That girl shall not be tortured. Whether she's guilty or not, she's entitled to fairer treatment. You can't make her say those things that may be used against her! Cult 1t, Cray. for bid it."
 said, quietly. You've no right to bait Miss Austin-you make her ad- init things through sheer fright"
 And 1t was true. Miss Mystery was trembling. and her face was White, save for the delicate flush on her cheeks and lips that she had placed there herself.
 Her great eyes, beneath their heavy dark brows, flew from one face to another, and she did not fail to mo- tice the fact that every man In the room, Cray perhaps excepted, was in sympathy with her, while every wom an was. against her.
 This must have comforted her, for she looked about, faint smile dawn ing in her eyes.
 "Is that true?" she said may be excused from this questioning until l can get counsel2 don't know what to say-myself-"
 Her pretty distress and helpless ness again appealed to the masculine sympathy, and, realizing this, she ig- nored the other sex.
 A puzzled expression crossed the face of Maurice Trask.
 ''Who in the world can she be?" he thought. That last flash of those eyes. as she drew her heavy eyebrows Into straight line, surely reminded me of somebody. By heavens! the Truesdell browsw
 Again he scanned the oval little face. He shook his head in uncer- tainty, but again declared to himself, The Truesdell eyebrows"
 Now look here. all of you" Old Saltonstall Adams said. q don't be- lieve this child Is guilty of anything really wrong. If she caught the fancy of pr. Waring, 1t may seem pretty awful to us old fogies, but pretty girl like Miss Austin can't help charming the menfolks. I don't want to discuss that, but 1 do say that it's no crime to go to see man in the evening, and, too, she may have had some errand we know noth- ing about. Did Dr. Warning give you that money of his own free will, Mss Austin?"
 Yes" said Anita, involuntarily.