The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-09-02
THE MISSING JEWELS.


TIT has plan. but no plot Life hath none
-Fsstus
Anne Bardulph was not very youthful,
nor was she particularly handsome; and
she was housekeeper for the ailing Mrs.
Dorman.
This invalid lady resided in a fine
wooden house of many rooms through
which ran wide hall with walls OF
Pompeiian red, and gilt-edged ceiling
that was painted in some curious and
uncertain tint of paly, pinkish brown
The floor was tessellated in brown and
red, and the dark carved doors opened
upon columnar portico with broad
brown steps leading down upon a great
lawn -flanked with thick trees of beech
and pine.
Across the greening lawn in the sweet
yellow April sunshine, walked Anne
Bardulph-a slim, straight woman with
regular and severe features. and wonder
fully large eyes of darkest gray. She
had an abundance of neatly arranged
dark hair, and she was neatly attired in
n serviceable suit of some clinging. dull
blue fabric, with collar and cuffs of linen
"hitt, Piiiii anu iiufittultttts
Two young men coming upon the
portico saw her-an interesting and not
unloyely figure moving under the grim,
whispering pines.
1.-The new housekeeper Of madame
pleascs you-her you admire perhaps, y
one remarked, rather quizzingly.
.'Would you suggest that Miss Bar
dulph may not merit admiration?" re-
turned the other, evasively and with
some perceptible irritation.
II now do nothing suggest" was the
protesting sharp foreign accents. III
here am come to see much, to much
think; but nothing say until the-how
say you it?-till the one exposure
grand"
Tony Dorman smoked thoughtfully
for several silent minutes. Finally he
tossed away his cigar and turned toward
his company.
'D'Razelly," he began, pleasantly;
''you are here ostensibly only as my
guest and intimate friend"
''On the what do you call the osten-
D'Razelly. quickly and proudly. 81 but
the detective am--the servitor hired of
madame to her diamonds of value find,
and the thief to discover
ayes. know" interposed the Young
gentleman; but have become aware Of
your worth as man, and / really re-
gard you as friend. No friend will
ever be more warmly welcomed to nv
home than you. If did not feel like
this should not be likely to confess to
you that / have been refused by Miss
Bardulph-for whom" he supplement-
ed gently and with hesitation-sI fancy
you, too, have tender preference, even
though you would appear to disparage
hertz
The young Frenchman WINGED. and in
his bright black eyes was an expression
of trouble and distrust, as he gazed
steadily toward the stately pines that
doomed in sharp spires against the sweet
blue April sky.
ut is So" he acknowledged. present
1y, a hot color reddening his swarthy
face. "For her l have the one liking
that is very tender; bat also have 1 the
doubt that it is much and not good.
What of this do you think?"
DRazelly-who had become detect
i've only because he had an odd and
Unborn fondness for what he considered
an exciting and most delcctable vocation
opened what one would presume to be,
from its exterior appearance, a quantity
bound book, and nothing more. 1t was,
however, detective camera by
which he had shortly before obtained.
and without her knowledge, several
striking photographs of the woman of
whom he had been speaking SO dubi-
ously.
''What of this do You think?n he tier
ated, exhibiting a picture of Miss Bar
dulph, as she was standing in curious
attitude of eager and fearful interest
beneath one OF the great beech trees
beyond the lawn. At her feet, beside a
pile of moss and stones, opened small
cavity. over which she was bending,
while holding low in loosening grasp,
what was quite surely number Of
jeweled ornaments.
Il do not know what to think" enun-
ciated MIR. Dorman. in tones of dismay
1T would seem that my mothers Jewels
have been secrctel in that place; and l
should say that Anne has accidentally
discovered the depository
IF that is SO. why to you or to the
madame honorcd, she comes not-all so
glad. so animate-and tell the one dis
coyery SO happy and 50 not to be under
stoodg' pRazelly demanded, with
emphasis