The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-05-23

was passing along the hall on her way to
her room, the hall door stealthily opened,
and that Lottie crept in, covered with her
waterproof, although the night was very
fair-and that she, Clara, stepped back
into passage-way, and as she did so, Lot
tie removed her wrappings, and said in
hoarse whisper Thank Heaven no one
has seen me.''
"Were you out last evening ?'' | inquir-
ed of the terror-stricken girl.
"No," she moaned. Il remained in
Fred's room until he fell sleep, and then
l read till late, expecting to have a chance
of bidding Mr.. Cumming goodnight"
Here the child blushed to the roots of her
hair, and the whole story was told.
Gould Clara have manufactured this
terrible story, or did she see some one enter
and imagine it was Lottie? 1t seems to me
this terrible suspense will kill me-" said
poor Demming
eff you will come with me-both of you
round to your house, Mr.. Demming, /
think can not only exonerate this little
girl here, but can place the crime where it
belongs. In other words, my dear sir, |
know who stole those jewels"
Had l weighed the probable effect of my
words before | uttered them, 1 should not
have been so abrupt; for Lottte tipped
over as dead as log on the sofa, and Mr.
Demming, in his fright and relief, came
mighty near tipping in the same manner.
An hour after we entered tho Demming
mansion. Lottie was now calm and self
possessed, while my coward heart seemed
inclined to walk quite out of its surround
ings.
We were shown into the front parlor
The old gentlemen entered.
Father, | have brought Lottie round"
said the young man "and l am going to
have her skirts cleared from this horrible
suspicion before another fifteen minutes
rolls over my head"
"God grant it ~ calculated the venerable
gentleman fervently. "Poor little Lottie,"
he continued, eve have all loved her SO
dearly from the beginning. Wemust clear
her-of course we must. Don't cry, little
girl, " as she again broke down under his
caressing language. 1t was evident that
the governess had made for herself very
warm and tender nest in the old mans
heart.
Father" said the young man, "this
lady Mrs., has decided information in
regard to our trouble. Ma and Clara are
in the library-let's go in there"
He led the way, and we all followed, the
old man bringing up the rear.
erred tells me-, said the latter, "that
this lady"-pointing to me-"has some
thing to say on the the subject under dis
cussion."
Mr.. Demming couldn't help being par
liamentary even at this critical time.
"Was the bag containing the jewels in
this deskP" l asked, placing my hand on
the article of furniture.
"It was, F." replied Mr.. Dremming.
"Did any of the members of your family
know exactly where you did keep them ?"
"No he answered. "I never would
lock them up until everybody had left the
ROOM" .f .
That accounted for the rummaging."
"This is all have to say" l continued.
Last evening at precisely half-past six,
saw lady dressed in white, with scallet
sash and neck-ribbon, enter this apartment,
open the different drawers and doors of
these bookcases, and then"
"You lie p screamed the girl in white.
You lie you lilo You know you lie ! you
bad woman-you fiend in human shape p
Sand then," / continued / saw her open
the desk, search it awhile, and finally take
out bag which she held aloft for moment
and then run out of the room.''
"You-you-you" the culprit,
trying to reach the place where I sat- Her
uncle caught her in his arms and laid her on
the sofa in perfect paroxysm of rage and
despair.
They remembered that Clara was ten
minutes late at the tea table and one part
of the story fitted into the other SO perfectly
that there was not the slightest loop-hole
for her to crawl out of. r.
Lottic did not go back with me. / left
her with little Fred in her lap, Grand
pa Demming beside her, and little Fred's
pa at her feet, and the old lady hoy
ering near. / have an invitation to a
wedding next week. odi
1t was found out afterwards that Clara
Mason stole the jewels, as l suspected to
enrich her lover who was, of course, n