Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-09-23

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brought over two thousand psund'
worth.
Hem, yes," he said; "of course. d
you like that bracelet Lilla,"
Yes" said Mrs. Ross; i picked Ii ou
particularly yesterday. That emerald |
so beautiful"
"Put it on" he said curtly; and sh
ciapped it upon her arm.
How much?'' he said shortly.
Thirty-five guinea5," ] replied.
Dear he said-'.very dear. Tn
bracelet we bought at the shop was IA
more handsome at the same money"
mo, love: it was sixty guineas, salt
Mrs. Ross.
"Ah, was il? forgot" he said care
lessly. "Well, lay that aside: 1 dom
want you to come for nothing"
| hastened to assure him that it Wa
the wish of the firm to satisfy their pa
irons, as well as to sell their jeWeiry
and that we should only be to happy Il
bring or send on fresh selections for h.
choice.
He assented almost rudely, and turneC
over the various rings. asking the price
of nearly every article l had brought
when suddenly throwing himself impa
tiently back, he "Goos
heavens! Lila, this room is insufferable
throw some of that vinegar about.
Mrs. Ross smiled faintly; and taking 1
flexible tube from the rnantlepiece, sh'
pressed it; so that in fine shower ;
finely scented aromatic vinegar ditfuset
a refreshing perfume through the room
That's better,n he exclaimed. Now
show me those pearls again. How
much did you say they were??"
''Four hundred guineas the suite,'
said, fastening to lay them before him
''There, take them away" he exclaim
ed. 81 can't afford four hundred.guin
eas; four hundred shillings more likely
That confounded doctor is running me
Let me look at the watches; or, stay, le
me look at the pearls again. No; neve
mind. 1 won't have them unless yot
will take half the money"
smiled and shock my head. "Ws
are not dealers of that sort, sir" j ven
tured to say.
81 don't know-I don't know. l be
lieve you jewellers get most terrible prof
its. Show me the watches"
was fastening to place the half doZ
en- had with me in my hands, when he
exclaimed again: "Insufferable! Have
you any more of that vinegar, LILA ?'
Mrs. Ross nodded; and taking a cut.
glass bottle from her pocket, she placed
it with handkerchief by his side.
mo, no." he said. giving me back the
watches. Sprinkle the room with
another of those tubes. Now, you, I'll
have that little plain watch. Fm get,
ting tired of this. Let me have chain
to match--a fine one, mind-the thinnest
you have-and that will do for to-day"
As l selected four or five chains after
putting the watch aside, Mrs. Ross took
up another tube, unscrewed it, and then
appeared to be taking especial notice ei
the chains which l bore across to the
invalid.
"Those are sweetly pretty" she ex-
claimed. ~ don't remember noticing
them so much yesterday"
AS she spoke, she stood close TO my
side, when the invalid exclaimed impa-
tiently; "There, be quick, DEAR" aud
at one and the same moment he poured
out the contents of his bottle upon his
and l felt a fine spray of
a peculiar odOr playing right in my nos
trils.
/ started back, gasping and asteunded,
when, leaping from the couch, the in
valid exclaimed: "Good Heavens! sir,
you are upwell;n and he covered my
face and nose with the wet handkerchief,
forcing me backwards into chair.
believe that / struggled, but only
feebly: for a strange, delicious, enerva-
ting languor was stealing over me; / saw
things mistily, but still with an under
standing mind, seeing though unable to
move hand or foot, that the invalid was
over me, while Mrs. Ross was
hastily placing the various articles of
iewelry in her pocket.
1 saw all that, but in dreamy, un-
way, for it seemed then to be
not of the slightest consequence-nOtt to
concern me. Then L have some recol-
lection of an intensely cold sensation as
Of water being poured upon my face,
while my next impression is of hearing
A closing door and the click of a lock.
How long 1 remained in that condi-
lion l never knew; hut by degrees L
woke to 3 feeling of deadly nausea; my
head swan, my temples throbbed, and
1 gazed upon was seen
through mist of dancing NOTES. But by
degrees thoughts of the present began to
AXE the place of the dreamy imaginings
If the past. / started up and looked
around, to find l was still in the inner
.oom. but the jewels the cases-where
was tlfe invalid-where Mrs. Ross? Was
{ true, or was it some strange vision? 1t
vas impossible that L could have been
luped like that.
Iran TO the door-fastened. The other
on the outside. 1 darted
across to the bell, but in doing so, !
,aught my foot in the long table-cover,
ripped and fell. dragging the cloth on
20 the carpet, and revealing the whole
If the jewel-cases beneath the table,
ust as they had been hastily flung.
L could not helpit then, for my brain
was confused, and STOPPING down, /
.ook the cases one by one, and opened
hen !, in the fond hope that l had been
deceived, and that 1 Ishould find the jew
lis safe; but, save one ring, which had
escaped their notice, everything had
been taken.
I sat on the carpet for few minutes,
holding my throbbing head, and trying
@ recall. the scene, but almost in vain,
or it seemed a portion of my existence
lad been wiped completely away. Il
vas showing jewelry at one moment,
he next it seemed that I was seated by
ny yempty cases. / tried to clear nay fac
llties, but in vain; and l should think
,uite half an hour had elapsed before.
thoroughly awakened to the fact that I
lad been robbed, rang the bell.
I had nearly arrived at the extent of
ny loss two or three times, but only to
lraye, as il Were, q veil drawn over my
lenses, just as if relapse were coming
m; and then mentally blind, could do
nothing but rock nyself to and fro, try
ng to get rid of the remains ofthe strange
tupor in which had been plunged.
Before the waiter could ascend, rang
gain.
"Where are Mr.. and Mrs. Ross?" L
inquired.
"Went out in brougham some time
Igo. sir; and your lunch is ready
MY lunch :" ! exclaimed.
eyes, sir; the lunch they ordered for
vou."
"Oh, thank you." said quietly;. .''Pll
ing again. Send my porter up in five