The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-10-22

Had 1, lying awake longer than either OF tnen
heard nothing eithcrf Nothing Releases
from examination. Mr.. Franklin (still sticking
to the helpless view Of our difiiculty) whispered
to me: "That man viii be Of no earthly use Il
US. Superintendent Seegrave Is an ass" Re
leased in his turn, Mr.. Godfrey whispered Il
me: "Evidently most competent person
Bettercdge, have the greatest faith in him u
Many men, many opinions, as one Of the ancient'
said, before my time.
Mr.. superintendent next proceeding took
him back TO the "boudoir" again, with my
daughter and me at his heels. His object was tc
discover whether any Of the furniture had been
moved during the night out Of its customary
place-his previous investigation In the room
having, apparently, not gone quite far enough
to satisfy his mind on this point.
While we were still poking about among the
chairs and tables the door Of the bedroom was
suddenly opened. After having denied herself
to everybody. Miss Rachel, to our astonishment,
walked into the midst Of us Of her own accord.
She took up her garden hat from chair and
then went straight to Penelope with this ques-
ton:
"Slr. Franklin Blake sent you with message
to me this morningf'
"Yes, miss"
.He wished to speak to me, didn't her.
"Yes, miss"
"Where Is he nowl"
Hearing voices on the terrace below looked
out Of window, and saw the two gentlemen
walking up and down together. Answering for
my daughter, l said, "Mr. Franklin is on the
terrace, miss" ...- ...--
Without another word, without needing Mr..
Superintendent, who tried TO speak to her, pale
as death, and wrapped up strangely in her own
thoughts, she left the room and went down to
her cousins on the terrace.
II showed want Of due respect, II showed a
breach Of good manners, on my part; but, for
the life of me l couldn't help looking out Of the
window when Miss Rachel met the gentlemen
outside. She went up to Mr.. Franklin without
appearing to notice Mr.. Godfrey, who thereupon
drew back and Left them by themselves. What
she said to Mr.. Franklin appeared to be spoken
vehemently. II lasted but q short time and
seemed to astonish him beyond all power Of ex-
preston. While they were still together my
lady appeared ON the terrace. Miss Rachel saw
her-said few last words to Mr.. Franklin
and suddenly went back into the house again,
before her mother came up with her. My lady,
surprised herself, and noticing Mr.. Franklin's
surprise. spoke to him. Mr.. Godfrey joined
them, and spoke also. Mr.. Franklin walked
away, q little, between the two, telling them
what had happened, suppose; for they both
stopped short, after taking few steps, like per-
sons struck with amazement. l had just seen
as much as this when the door Of the sitting
room was opened violently. Miss Rachel walked
swiftly through to her bedroom, wild and angry,
with fierce eyes and flaming checks. Mr.. Super
intcndent once more attempted TO question her
She turned round on him at her bedroom door
al have not sent for you - she cried out, vehe-
meptly. ~ don't want you. My Diamond ].
lost. Neither you nor any body will ever find
IL 7" With those words she went in, and locked
the door in our faces. Penelope. standing near
est to it, heard her burst out crying the moment
she was alone again.
In rage one moment, in tears the next
What did il meanr
/ told the Superintendent 1t meant that Miss
Rachel's temper was upset by the loss OF her
Jewel. Being anxious for the honor Of the fam
lily, II distressed me to see my young lady forget
herself-cven with n olce-ofiicer-and l male
the best excuse l could, accordingly. In my
own private mind was more puzzled by Miss
Rachel's extraordinary language and conduct
than words can tell. Taking what she had said
at her bedroom door as n guide to guess by,
could only conclude that she was mortally offend
ell by our sending for the police, and that Mr..
Frankln's astOnishmcut on the terrace wa:
caused by her having expressed herselfto him "a
that effect. II this guess was right, why-hav.
ing lost her diamond-should she object to the
presence in the house of the very people Whose
business II was to recover II for herl And how
in Heavens name, could she know that the
Moonstone would never be found againf
A., AZ ~. q Santt svrar n
questions was to he hoped for from any body in
the house. Mr.. Franklin appeared to think II q
point Of honor to forbcar repeating to servant
even TO 30 old a servant as Iwas-what Mis-
Rachel had said TO him on the terrace. MIR. God
frey, who, rs gentleman and n relative, had
been probably admitted into Mr.. Franklin's con-
fdence, respected that confidence as he was bound
to do My lady, who was also In the secret M
doubt, and who alone had access TO Miss Rachel
owned openly that she could make nothing o
her. "You madden me.when you talk Of tn,
Diamondv' All her mothers influence failed d
extract from her word more than that.
Here we were, then, at a dead lock about Mis-
Rachel-anda at dead lock about the Moonstone
In the first case, my lady was powcrlcss to hell
US. In the second las you will presently judge)
Mr. Scegraye was fast approaching the condition
of a superintendent at his wits end.
Having ferretcd about all over the "boudoir,
without making any discoveries among the fur
niturc, our experienced officer applied to me Il
know, whether the servants in general were o.
were not acquainted with the place in which thu
Diamond had been put for the night.
al knew where it was put, Sir" I said, st
begin with. Samuel the foOtman. knew also
for he was present in the hall when they wer
l. Al. Ill,
that night. My daughter knew, as she has al
ready told you. She or Samuel may have men
toned the thing to the other servants-or tn
other servants may have heard the talk for them
selves, through the sde-dOor Of the hall, whicl
might have been open to the back staircase. Fo
all can tell, every body in the house may hay
known where the jewel was last night.
My answer presenting rather wide field TO
Mr.. Superintcndent's suspicious 10 range over
he tried TO narrow il by asking about the serv
ants characters next
/ thought directly Of Rosanna Spesrman
But it was neither my place nor my wish to di
rect suspicion against a poor girl whose honest,
had been above all doubt as long as had know
her. The matron at the Reformatory had re
ported her to my ladya sincerely pcnitent ant
thoroughly Trustworthy girl. II was the Super
cec
pccting her fst-and then, and not till then, i
would be my duty to tell him how she came int,
my lady's service. "All our people have excel
lent characters" said. "And all have deserv
ed the trust their mistress has placed in them.
After that there was but one thing left fbr Mr.
Seegrave to do-namely, to set to work and tackl
the servants characters himself.
One after another they were examined. On,
af,er another they proved to have nothing to 81,
and said II $50 far as the women were con
cernei) at great length, and with very angry
sense Of the embargo laid ON their bedrooms
The restof them being sent back to their place
down stairs, Penelope was then summoned, anC
examined separately q second time.
My daughters little outbreak Of temper in IN,
"bourloir," and her readiness TO think herself
suspected, Appeared to have produced an unfa-
yorable impression on Superintendent Scegrsve
II seemed also to dwell little on his mind tha,
she had been the last person who saw the Dia-
mOnd at night. When the second questioning
was over my girl came back to me in frenzy
There was no doubt Of IL any ylonger-the police
officer had almost as cool rs told her she was th,
thief could s..arrely beliexe him, ftuk;nv M