, 1874-09-12
the DIAMOND BRACELET.



aud on tho GORGEOUS dresses Of tho }ataies; tho
aullyoning strains Of tho baul invited to tho
dance, and tic raro oxotics emitted n swaet por-
iumo. It waH tho Nost~End residence Of famod
md woa1thY city merchant OK lofty standing
His young wife was M Earl's daughter, and the
admission 10 tho horne Of N1r. and Lady Adola
Nothorloigh Vas coveted by tho gay world
! ."Theres rontt" almost screamed pretty
looking girl by aon,o misl.ap during dancing
her pnrtnor contriyod to put hts foot upon nor
thin whto dress, and the bottom OF tho eAlrs
was torn half OF.
nQuto impossible t1lat I can tanieh tho quad-
rilie," auoth she to him, haf in amuHomoat ia't
provoked Mt tho misfortune. "You must 1i1a
another partner, whllo l 50 hna get 'An To-
barred"
It vas Indy Frances Ohonovir. by some me-
r1ent t.,n iady's n,aid waH uoL in attendance up-
st.lra, aud rraucee, In hcr ltnrationcc, ran down
to tho ho,,yckeepor'H partor. Tho sister Of Lady
At,e1u, sho waH quite 1T homo In the house. Sho
hua gathered tho damaged dress up ON hef arm,
hut hor wtito silk potticoat foil III rich folds
around her.
"JuBt look what an objoct TINT stupid -"
And tbero stopped tho young lady. For, instead
Of tho lousokeoper mid lady's maid, whom she
expected to meot. nobody MA In tho room bus
gentleman; a tall, handsome man; sho looked
thnndcrstruek uud then aowly advanced and
stared At lin, an ii not bniievnE hor own eycs.
my goodness, Go1ardl Well, ! should 1,tst
aa aoou have expoeted 70 meet ts ss Heaa hera. Pa
ing out Ais hand with hesitation.
Lady FranccBt atn mitch obliged to yolt
for your tovnality Lady Francss returns l,or
Continued sle, in tone Of ,plqno. and hoporing
him with swimming courtesy Of ceremony.
lie caugt hcr hand "Forgiye mo, Fanny,
but our positons haye altered. At east, mine
II. Il 1rY4,t hints FF yEh n l..
tored with it?r
"You are on ngratcful--raven," ctfod she,
"to croai like Tint. After getting mo to write
you no end Of lottors, with all tho news about
eudlng sYour afTectionnto Fanuy.' mud boing. ~
good to YOU as ulster, you meet nlo with My
fady Francesl' Nov don't squeeze my hand to
atonls. Whut on earth have you eome to sn-
~ could not stop there" he returned with
emotion; II was frotting away my heartstt1ngs.
So | formed resolution and l. oanle bnek.
Gness in WIZ. sa1 5aes8 " a sa w1 o TO aav
"As 3 clerk; = olerh, to earn my bread. That's
xhat am now. Worry consBtcnt, iu it not, for
eno in ny ny pogitiosn. to address fanll'iarly Lady
.You ncsor spoke graiu Of sonso In your
life Gerard" 4he exclaimed. pcevishly. "What
.2sir. Netherlegb has taken me into his count
sfr. NosherJegh ?" she echoed, In surprise.
"Whut. with that-that--'
"Thlt crime hanging over me- Speak up'
Trnuces."
s.No; was going to Bay that doubt don't
believe You guilty; you know that, Gerard"
II aut in lis house Of business Frances; and
came up ho.o Tonight from tile &c. CITY to blnE !"
poto to him from his partner. Tho reception
rooms nero occupied, I suppose, and tho ses-
yauts nut me in here. So much tho better. l do
aot caro- to meet old acquainsanccs:"
s.But you hAd o mountain OF dcbts IN En-
land. Gerard, and were afraid Of arrest"
II have managed that; they Are gong to lot
mo square up b., instslnont1. Has tile bracelet
ueYor been heard Of Z!
dawn in cnldron, Us tho Colonel calls It. and
tho diamonds rceet. 1t ltronalps mystery OF the
past and is mover expected TO be solved"
'And they still suspect mo! What ls tho
"A1nttor enough" answered sho, letting il
down. aud turning round for his inspection. II
came here to got it repaired aly great BOBBY
Of q partner did it Tor INC"
:. fanny, how III Alico Seaton ,"
You hare causo to ask after her. She IL
"Dying l" repeated Mr. Hope, in hushed.
II do not moan actually diving this night, or
going to die tomorrow but that she III dying
BY slow degrees. there il no doubt. 1t ma1 bo
weeks Oh yet; ! cannot tell"
"Whero is she ;"
"Curious to say, abe is where you left hor-
1t Lady Sarah Hopes. Alice could not bear the
house after tho loss Of the bracelet, for she was
10 obstinate aud foolish as to perslst that tho
.o1vants mnst suspect her, even II 4ady sara5s 03
taw her, and wnn 10 shocked nt the change in
her. the extent to which she had wasted away,
hat ahe brought her to town by main force. and
70 aud tho doctors arc trying to nurse her up.
1t eeomB OF no use.'
q A,e you n!so staying at Col. Hopes again ?
IL invited ulyaelf there week or two ago, to
be With Alice. It is pleaHantor, too, than being
Vt ho1ne.'
a snpposc the Hopes are hero tonight 7"
My sister is. do not think your unclo has
sonle yet."
"Docs he ever speak Of ne less roaenttnlly ?'
mot he. think. his storu,ing over it has
sniy made his suspicious stronger. Not week
onssca but he bcgina again about that leteHta-
ale bracelet. Ho is nnaite1abiy perauaded that
Iou took it, and nobody must dare to put In o
'.Aud does your sister honor me with tic
.an1e belief Z" demanded Alr. uopo bitterly.
.Lndy Sarah il silent On the poiat to me;
:hink Bho scarcely knowa whit to believe, Yo.
leo tell you all freely, Gerard"
Before another word could be spoken, Ms
Eotheyleieh entered. An MISUNDERSTANDING
nan, w,th noble countenanee. lie bore
'oaled note for 3,r hore to deliver IT, t. the city
"Why, Faany!" ha exclaimed to hla sister-in
nw, "you lore !"
"Yes; look ut the sight they have made sne,
:eract she, shaking dowu her dress for i.la ben
ttlt, ~ Bho tlad previously uoHb lOI MT. 1lDpo !
m waiting for some at tho datnaelH to 1neu
for mo; euppose Air. Hopes presence la
scaycd them away. Won't ulatuma 10 in a tit Q
ago, when htlo becs it, for It is new OH Tonight.
Gerard Hope shook hands with Lady Frances
Ind Mr.. Netherleigh, Who had . word Of dires
don to give him, walked with him into the hal
As they stood there. w1o should outor but Col
Hope, Gurard's uncle. He started buck whom b
mw Gerard.
"C-ca-can be1ieve my aenses'" atuttoro
10. "Ms. Netherloigh, is |le one OF you
{ucsta2"
lie is hero on busineas,'" was tho merchant
eply. "pass OH, CoIonel,"
"No, cir, will not pass on" cried tue On
aged Co!ouel, who had not rightly caught til
yosd business. "0s il do pass OH, 1t will onl
10 to wsr1 your guesa o to take e, caro- Of the ~
,ephow "you eau coma back, ca1l you, who
he proceeds Of your tAess arc spent! You hay
icon starring 1t at Csaia, I hear. llow long di
a,o bracelet last YOU to live apon9"
"6is," answered Gerard, with pale face, VI
,as been starving, rather ti,an starring. ! AZ
erted my inrocence ut Tho time, Col Hope, I'LL
rel,eAt it now