Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-24

ed few weeks before. went to nv safe to get
out paper, and there were the Jewels ase and
all, just as had received them from Hattie
=yOEn hands.
We were all delighted to have them hack
again, YOU may be sure, but the mystery con-
B tnued to be as perpeXing as ever. or, indeed.
more 80. Whoever had stolen the diamonds
either repe nted afterwaTd. else restored th m
from fear OF being found oat. But who was
the thiet: and how had he gotten twice into
my safe
Annoying AZ these questions were, had vet
the great satisfaction OF feeling that whoever
was at the bottom OF the affair, / al least was
/ cleared from the Temotest suspicion Ct wrong
/ doing. Short-sighted mOrtals' COulC | have
/ foTeseen at that time that the new troubles
I these abOmnable Jewels were soon to bring
! upon me, / should, doubtless, have wished
they had sunk TO the bottom of the sea, in
stead of having reappesred in my strong box.
| have omitted TO mention that just before the
/ loss of the diamonds my marriage with Hattie
had been postponed for another year. The rea-
\ sons for il were comparatively unimpOrtant,
| and may be summed Up by saying that did not
/ feel quite ready to marry. Hattie was very
| willing to wait, especially as We could see each
/ other so often.
Before the first half of this year had gone,
made an unpleasant discovery. Giles Burche
/ was learning to think too much of Hattie White
| lake. He knew of her engagement and al
though I could not say positively that he was
endeayorlng to supplant me, | had good reason
to believe IL. Not word was poken. but Giles
soon perceived my suspicious. We underst BOD
each other, and from that time the breach be-
tween Us wldened until cold. formal pOliteness
took the place OF our friendship. Hattie noticed
ts-s, of course, and several times asked the
reason. I was then jealous enough TO believe
avoided an answer.
Matters had gone on in this way for a month g.
when Hattie went 10 Clearport, saving she had
some little affairs OF business to look after and
would be home again III a couple of days. She
did not return as promised, but Instead there
came letter from her TO me. When received
it had secret misgiving that something had
lone wrong, but was utterly unprepared for
what was to come. Ii was a dreadful letter; how
dreadful you shall see for yourself:
'MR. ARTHUR BURCHE.
"SIR. 1t becomes my painful duty TO tell Won
that since lett bone, few days ago, | have
found out something about the burglary that oc-
CURED some time ago, which makes it neces-
saTy for me TO break Oft our engagement at
once. perhaps ought not say anything more
yet feel that must tell you how l found out
your villainy.
"A week or two ago / read something in
newspaper about how artificial diamonds were
made, and the article wound up with an anec-
dote about lady who had been so cleverly de-
celved by her own husband that she had worn
false diamonds for years, and never would h ave
known any better If it had not been for an ac-
ctdent. After | read this began to wonder If
the diamonds have now were the same ones |
had given you to keep. didn't want to suspect
YOU, but the more l tried to drive away the
thought Oft, the more it haunted me, until said
TO my IN go up to Clearport and have my
diamonds examined, just to be rid of nv foolish,
licked thoughts about Arthur had no idea
CT what was to learn; it was dreadful dis
cCVeTy, but 1t IL well for me that made it in
time. NJ diamonds are all cOunterfeifS But
why should | tell you, who already know all
about ii? l got back from my country visit
little too soon for you. It is all as plain TO me
row as II has been all along to you. / under
stand how the diamonds got out of your safe,
why you had business in Clearport the day
after went to the country, and how my jewels
happened to be found again in such a strange
way.
''But enough; vilely as you have deceived me,
Will not betTay you. | will keep your secret
as long as live. In return, ask you to 90
away from Fairfield. Invent any excuse Won
can, and spare me the pain of ever meeting you
hereafter. shall stay here month"; aud then
nope 10 hear that you have done what ask
IL. W."
AS soon as l recovered from the shock this
lcaffni letter gave 10 me, naturally cast about
IN. my mind for some means Of escape from the
tClls which lad been thrown around me in such
a mysterious manner, but could not think of
the least clue that would lead me out The dia
monds might possibly have been cOunterfeits
when they left the hands of the jewelers. but
from the reputation of the firm, I could hardly
suspect them, or think they would have risked
their credit even il disposed to be dishonest:
and, had believed them guilty of fraud, had
no more AFFINITY to prove it than had 10 show
now the Jewels had disappeared from my Gus
toay. All the facts in the case pointed 10 but
one conclusion in my mind Some one had man
aged, IN some way could not guess, to get the
diamonds out of my safe during my absence
and had substituted false ones TO Conceal the
robbery. The robber had evidently been de-
layed in carrying out his scheme, but finally
completed 1t in the hope that the jewels had not
Oeen missed, or that, il they had, the trick
would not be suspected when they reappeared
But who was the thief? Circumstances unde-
nlabiy pointed TO me, and had no proof to give
that would show my Innocence.
Only one resource remained-to throw myself
pack on my honor. thought at first of going
INN diately to see Hattie, but doubted II she
would receive me, and so concluded to write in
stead. Her answer killed all hope: II could
ROY trust you after what has happened. Unless
| know that you are innocent we can never
meet again. L now believed that my jealousy
had been well founded. Alter this peremptory
refusal TO even discuss the matter, i began to
ming mat Hattie wished to be rid of me, and
as giad OF go good excuse for breaking our en-
gagement.
Nothing was now left for me to do but to leave
Fairfield: | told my uncle that Hattie and
disagreed. He anxiously inquired the cause. 1
told him that must be known only to Hattie
and myself. He was very reluctant to hear to
my going away, ard insisted on interposing his
KIND Offices, but | felt that they would be Of 10
use; and, besides, my pride now so stung
that did not want reconciliation. SO left
him, TO travel a month or two, determining that
would after that settle in or near Clearport
and devote all the energy could spare to un-
ravehDg the dreadful mystery of the diamonds.
III.
| resume my story at a period about three
nc nths subsequent TO the events narrated in the
last cnap'er. i had found some relief from my
troubles II. the eXcitements of travel, and then
carried out my determination of locating in
ClearpOrt. 1 had quilted Fairfield in such
distracted state of mind that did not feel as if
i could consult with any one, or make any ar
raDgements for professional assistance. You
may think 1t strange | should have delayed so
long, but the truth is that, appearances being
so strong against me, 1 shrank from laying
open my case to any one even in professional
way. | had another good reason, too, for nv
delay. Soon after left Fairfield, a suspicion
dawned on my mind of who the criminal might
be. actually dreaded the idea of proving this
suspicion to be correct for the person had
liked on was my cousin, Giles Burche. And, Ii
It should be he, felt that l would rather keep
the matter in my own hands. l am afraid
telt too much like screening him from Justice
II he should be found guilty, but 1 reasoned
that 1t would be bad enough In this case to show
who was the thief TO those who must know it.
With such a one as Giles, felt that the punish
ment of exposure to his friends would be severe
enough, and that he could be, perhaps. re-
claimed by such a mild measure, while harsher
ones would hurry him to destruction.
While was thinking out a plan of action, 4
had an invitation to go TO Four Oaks TO meet a
friend. -Four Oaks was a little village on the
line OF railway running from Clearport to Fair
reld. Ii was only an hours ride from the former