Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-04-22

her own fancies, and with drawing of
the outlines of old Worlds End, it was
not strange that she did not particularly
notice the demeanor of the girls, OF, II
she did observe them whispering with
their heads together, that she should
have thought it no more than the Gus
tomary mischief and merrymaking.
She was standing alone one morning,
ljust as the sun was drying the grass and
moss on the top of Breezy Bluff, behind
her the great purple mountain, below
her the dewy verdure of the hill sides
hawks were soaring and sweeping over
her head in the marvellous blue of the
stainless sky, and under her feet the
bending. 1t was not like daily life. che
was saying to herself. 'sThis wonder
full hill countryl 1t is Just as If one had
died, and were really approaching
heaven And in her white gown, with
her bright brown hair floating out
about her face in the wind that famed
SO pure color there, and with her
luminous eyes borrowing the very color
of the skies, she looked almost as if she
were. As she stood there, rapt in rev
erie and happiness-the world was so
beautiful, and Phil was coming any day
now, and she had hardly any other
thought-she did not notice Miss Ma
honey, under big umbrella, toiling
up to meet her, till that Individual was
close upon her.
have followed you here, Miss
Montrose,' said she, suddenly, in her
most rasping tones, to save you any
modification before the other boarders,
and to ask what you have done with
my Devonshire point"
!" With whatp"
With my Devonshire point"
What / have done with your De-
vonshire pointp Why, Miss Mahoney,
what do you meanp" she exclaimed,
descending from her day-dreams.
. mean what / say. My Devon
shire point has disappeared. / have
searched everywhere for it-so have
two or three others-eyery box, every
bag, every basket, every drawer. /
have shaken every garment, have left
| not to be found. You were the last
person seen with 1.-THE only one who
appreciated it. What have you done
with it?'
You must-you must be dreaming,
Miss Mahoney,n said Adele. What
in the world should I do with your
lace?"
Finish bridal toilette with it, per-
haps, said Miss Mahoney-
Do you mean-is it possible you
can mean"
Miss Montrose, mean that some
body has taken my lace, and that to be
plain, suspicion points to you, and that
| am giving you chance to restore it
to me before call in an officer. For
doubtless, since you could do such a
thing. you know the value of that lace. y
Am | talking to crazy womanPn
cried Adele.
NO" said Miss Mahoney. "But l
am talking to thief
For moment Adele was dumb. Then
the full meaning of the accusation
smote her, and her anger flashed up like
flame. g How did it happen" she
broke forth, that so dreadful, so con-
temptible a woman came under the same
roof with mel Leave me-leave me this
instant! | refuse ever to speak to you
again.
You will speak to the officers of the
law, then" said Miss Mahoney, using
her umbrella like tipstaff. " The peo-
pie at the house have but guessed that
| suspected you. Now shall speak at
once to Mrs. Pierson and the other
boarders, and tell them my certainty. |
never dreamed that coming into cOun-
try farmhouse / was coming into den
of thieves" And she was as good as
her word
Adele herself hurried down the noun
tain, slipping and scrambling and roll
ing. But fast as she went in her indig-
nation, Miss Mahoney's long legs had
gone faster; and as she drew near the
house, she saw that the usual gay morn
ing parties on the piazzas were absent,
and she presently understood, by the
sound of the loud forgetful tones that
came through the open window, that the
loss of the Devonshire lace was under
discussion.
MIR. Philip Hunt will learn" Miss
Meyer was saying, that before one
marries beauty it is best to see whether
or not she is a kleptomaniacn
Kleptofddlesticksw cried Miss
Mahoney. "A thiefs thief. Rich or
poor. She has my lace, or she hasn't.
If she has, she's a thief, and four strong
walls will hold her before nightfall, and
save the lace of other people,
Tt seemed to Adele that she was GER
tainly going mad herself. She walked
in among them and stood looking about
her, white as ashes, and with blazing
eyes rs there any one here capable
of believing such frightful thing as
this woman's wordsp" she exclaimed
Miss Montrosei" cried Mrs Pierson-
Miss Montrose, don't you be mite
troubled. There's nobody believes her.
Wed trust her, all of Us, with untold
gold :"
g I don't know" said Maria Meyer
then, slowly and very white herself
But feel it my duty to say that pass
| ing Miss Montrose's door the other
morning, saw what looked very much
ike a long strip of lace futtering at her
window"
Maria Meyerl'' cried Lucia. 81
would far sooner believe you told false
hood
"Thank you" said Miss Meyer, with
scarlet face. "But your belief will
not end the matter" And Just then
every ones glance followed in the
direction of her own, and they saw the
tall figure of dark young man in the
doorway. What is all thispp cried a
CHEEKY voice. And at that Adele turned
too. Oh, Philip! Philiplr she
shrieked, holding out her arms. " Save
me, save me, save me from this dread
/ fi1l Tn, onatba.- -, ~, .