The Union and journal., 1869-12-10
MORNING, DECEMBER 10, 1862.

H
only person who was undenisbly competent
speak from positive knowledge Of the subjec
Alas the temptation to lead the lawyer artfa
ly on 10 his own discontinue was too much "a
me. asked what he meant by "lats
evcnts"-with an appearance Of the utmost IN
noccnce. v.lIH H.rl ssrst1
by later events, Miss Clack, mean event
In which the Indians are concerned procecde
Mr.. Bruff, getting more and moro superior I
poor Me the longer he went on. What do th
Indians do the moment they arc let out Of th
prison at Priiinghalli They 20 straight I
London and tx on Mr.. Lukcr.. What does MI
Luker say when he frst applies TO the magi,
trates for protectionl He owns TO suspecting
foreign workman In his establishment Of collu
sion with tlio Indians. Can there be plaine
moral evidence. 20 far, that the rogues ha'
found an accomplice among the persons in Mr.
Luker's employment, and that they knew tn
Moonstone 70 be In Mr.. Luker's housef Yer.
well. What followsi Mr.. Luker feels alarmc
(and with good rcason) for the safety Of tn
jewel which he has got in pledge. He lodges
privately (under o general description) in hi
bankers strong-room. Wonderfully clever Q
him; but the Indians are just as clever on thei
side: They have their suspicious that the Dia
mond Is being shifted from one place TO another
and they hit on singularly bold and compiled
way Of clearing those suspicious up. Whom d
they seize sud searchl Not Mr.. Luker only
which would 10 Ineligible cnoush-but Mr.
Godfrey Ablewhite as well. Whyi Mr.. Able
whites explanation Is, that they acted on blin,
suspicion. after seeing him accidentally speak
ing to Mr.. Luker. Absurd Half dozel
other people spoke to Mr.. Lukcr that morning
Why were they not followed homo TOO, and de
coyed into the trspl No! no! The plain In
ference is, that Mr.. Ablewhi,e had his priyat
interest in the Moonstonc as we'll as Mr.. Luker
and that the Indians were 30 uncertain rs :
which Of the two had the disposal Of the jewe
that there was no alternative but to search then
both. Public opinion says that, Miss Clack
And public opinion, on this occasion, Is not ca
silly refutcd.'
lie said those last words looking so wonder
fully wise In his own worldly conceit that re
ally Ito my shame he II spoken) could not resis
leading him on little farther still before over
whelmcd him with the truth.
Il don't presume 10 argue with clever law
yer like you, said. But Is II quite fair, sir
to Mr.. Ablewhite to pass over the opinion Of tn
famous London police-0fficer who investigates
this CASE Not the shadow Of suspicion rest
ed on any body but Miss Verindcr, In the min
Of Sergeant Cuff.
do you mean to tell me. Miss Clack, tha
you agree with the sergeanti' .r..
Il Judge nobody, sir, end offer no opinion.
And commit both those enormities, ma'am
I Judge the sergeant to have been utterly wrong
and oGer the opinion that, IL he had know
R,chel's character as know II, he would have
suspected every body In the house before be sus
pectcd her. admit that she has her faults
she is secret, and self-willed; odd, and wild
aud unlike other girls Of her age. But true a
steel, and high. minded and generous to fault
If the plainest evidence in the world ponted
one way, and II nothing but Rachel's word o
honor pointed the other, would take her wor
before the evidence, lawyer as | am Stron,
language. Miss Clack but mean it.
Would you object TO illustrate your meaning
Mr.. Bruff, DO that may be sure understand
III Suppose you found Miss Verhder quit
unaccountably interested in what has happens
to Mr., Ablewhite and Mr.. Lukerf Suppos
she asled the strangcst questions about thi
dreadful scandal, and displayed the most un
RuNCTuaDic tkitatiOH WHtii suc IOuuu Cut th
turn 1t was takingr
Suppose any thing you please, Miss Clack
II wouldn't shake my belief In Rachel VerindcI
by hair's-breadth.'
she is 30 absolutely TO be relied on MS that ?
$50 absolutely to be relied on rs that
Then permit me to inform you, Mr.. Brufi
that Mr.. Godfrey Ablcwhitc was In this hous
not two hours since, and that his entire limo
cencc Of all concern in the disappearance of th'
Moonstone was proclaimed by Miss Verindc
herself, in the strongest language l ever hear
used by young lady in my life
enjoyed the triumph-the unholy triumph
I fear, | must admit-of seeing Mr.. Bruf ut
terly confoundcd and oyerthrown by o few plail
words from Me. He started TO his feet an,
stared at me In silence. I kept my seat unds
turbei, and related the whole scene exactly a!
II had occurred. And what do you cay abou
Mr.. Ablewhitc, now 2 I asked, with the utmos
possible gentlencss, as soon as had done.
IF Rachel has testified to his innocence, Mis-
Clack, l don't scruple TO say that l believe In
his innocence as firmly rs you do. l have beer
misled by appearances. like the rest o
the world and l will make the bes
atonement can, by publicly contradicting tn
scandal which has assailel your friend whercv
er meet with it. In the meantime, allow m
to congratulate you on the mastery manner II
which you have opened the full fire Of you
batteries on me at the moment when least ex
pectei 1t. You would have done great thing
In my profession, ma'am, II you had happcne
10 be man.
With those words he turned away from me
and began walking irriably up and down tn
room.
could sec plainly that the new light I hat
thrown on the subject had greatly surprised anc
and disturbed him. Certain expressions drop
ped from his lips as he became moro and NOR
absorbed in his own thoughts, which suggested
to my mind the abominable view that he hat
hitherto taken Of the mystery Of the lost Moon.
stone. lie had not scrupled to suspect dear Mr.
Godfrey Of the inamy Of taking the Diamond,
and to attribute Rachel's conduct to generous
resolution to conceal the crime. On Miss We
rinder's own authority-a perfectly unassailabl'
authority, as you are aware, in the estimation
Of Mr. BrufT-that explanation Of the circum-
stances was now shown to he utterly wrong
The perplcxity into which had plunged thi,
high legal authority was so overwhelming that
he was quite unable TO conceal Il from notice
W nat u Cusc! l ncaru Hiu siy 10 nlmscll, stOp'
ping at the window in his walk, and drumming
on the glass with his fingers. ut not only
de6es explanation it's even beyond conjecture !!
There was nothing in those words which mad,
any reply at all neodful on my part-and yet
answered them II seems hardly credible thai
I should not have been able 10 let Mr.. Brua
alone, even now. II seems almost beyond mer,
mortal perversity that should have discovered
in what he had just said, a new opportunity Of
making myself personally disagrecable TO him,
But--ah, my friends ! nothing is beyond NOR.
tai pcrversity; and anything Is credible when
our fallen natures get the better Of us
pardon me for intruding on your reflections
I said to the unsuspccting Mr.. Bruff. But
surely there is conjecture TO make which Ia:
not occurred to us yeti'
(ro BE coSrISUED.)
TVln