The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-06-29

cu I'LL sne Huug up OUT dresses, Bel re-
torted Grossly. Il know Mary Smelling
is doing her best to get Jim; anybody
could see that, with half an eye. I'm
sure I'm too tired to touch the room to-
night
In another minute the disturbed young
lady, who, to do her justice, was only
fretful when sleepy, had tied on herVal-
enciennes-frilled cap, and nestled her.
self comfortably on the pillows.
'But, Isabel,'' said her cousin, care
fully laying in little box her only Or
naments-a brooch and earrings of her
mothers hair-s.here is all your jew
elry."
We'll, | can't help it; nobody win
run off with it tonight. / wouldn't get
up for twenty sets of coral
Let her be, Nett" said Sallie, step
ping out of the pile of fieecy founces
and into the low French bed. There's
all my things too. wouldn't be hired
to put them up tonight | wish l had
been born to lady's maid
'.Norah seems to be avery nice girl.
| like her a great deal better than
Ann, who was here when / first came"
''Only mamma is so afraid of letting
her wait on us. She says there's enough
of the regular work in our large family.
Are you never coming to bed, Annet-
te?" and even the stylish Sally began
to show symptoms of drowsiness.
''As soon as | have hung up my
things. You know can't get evening
dresses as easily as you can, and have
to take care of what l have. Norah
seems very honest and obliging."
That's it. She would as soon take
care of our drawers as not: but mamma
has foolish notion that lace sets and
embroidered handkerchiefs and jewelry
might tempt the most honest person to
steal III be up time enough to put
them away before breakfast
But the red light from the CRATE flick
cred out, and the gray light of dawn
crept over the disordered room before
either of the wearied occupants so much
as turned upon their pillows. And even
the dressing-bell rang unheeded, except
by Annette, who lay in a half-dreamy
revery, wondering if it really was time
to get up. Finally she reused herself
sufficiently to look at her cousins
watch, and found to her CONSERVATION
that they had just fifteen minutes to dress
in.
There is sleight of hand, wonderful
to the uninitiated, by which young Ia
dies contrive to make q morning toilet
in an incredibly short space of time
Sallie and Isabel, reused at last, arrayed
themselves as rapidly as possible; for
Mr.. Lockwood, indulgentin many things,
exacted prompt attendance at the break
fast table. So down stairs the ladies
hurried, without so much as thought
of the scattered jewelry left behind.
1t was a very merry breakfast party,
other and Charlie and jim; so many
queer incidents 10 relate. Mr.. Lock
wood, who suspended his perusal of the
money article to listen, and Mrs. Lock
wood, who had been a belle herself in
her younger days, showed great deal
of interest in all that had occurred.
Charlie, especially, was in the highest
spirits, and fretted the elegant jim con-
tinually with illusions to Miss Smell
ing's addresses" until the young gen.
tleman's ire was SO highly reused that
Mr.. Lockwood told them both it was
high time they should be down town,
and so sent them about their business.
The girls lounged about the dining
room and parlor some time longer, talk
ing and laughing all at once, until Bel
suddenly remembered the coral set, her
fathers last birthday gift, and hurried
up stairs to put it in the eases.
Not a trace of it was to be found, eX-
cept the pear-shaped pendant of one
earring, accidentally dropped and over
looked. Perhaps Norah had put them
away. The key was in the drawer, but
the drawer was empty. Sallie might
have played her trick, and hidden
them with her own ornaments after she
had dropped asleep. But Sallie's watch
and chain and diamond ring had vanish
ed too The bewildered girl stood per-
fectly still for moment in the eXtrenl-
ity of her loss, and then rushing down
stairs, needless of the discovery of her
careleSsness, began calling ''Sallie, moth
er, papa all 1T once, much to the as
tonishment of those who still fingered
in a group round Mr.. Lockwood.
The old merchant was seriously an
cry, when he comprehended what had
happened, at his daughters for their
carelessness, in spite of oft-repeated
warning, but above all things that he
should have harbored q thief in his
household. The hall door was fastened
as usual; no one could have entered that
way. The cook, an old family servant.
could take her affidavit that no one had
passed through the area, where she had
just left Norah talking with boy, her
cousin"
The whole family instinctively looked
at each other at this announcement, and
Mr.. Lockwood Immediately despatched
the waiter to detain the man, and send
Norah to him. The discovery was made
too late; the man had disappeared with
his booty; cook also testifying that she
saw the girl give him bit of parcel,
though she never saw harm in her,
1t was very hard for Mrs. Lockwood
to believe that theyoung, innocent-look-
ing girl to whom she had taken such
fancy, and who had made herself gen.
eral favorite in the household, could be
the culprit. Even Mr.. Lockwood had
noticed her quick step and cheerful face
as he passed her on the stairs. But who
else could it be? The jewelry was gone,
10 the value of many hundred dollars,
and no one except Norah had any call
to enter the young ladies' rooms. Ey-
cry drawer, box, and hiding place was
searched by the police officer, hurriedly
summoned; and suspicion became /.
charge preferred by Mr. Lockwood
against his new servant, all the rest hay
ing been In the family many years.
1t was a pitiful sight, rs she was led
away TO the station-house, still protest
ing her innocence; her hair dishevelled,
her face pale and swollen with sobbing,
and the dreadful fear of a prison before
her, for no one could e,ouul put thls was
her first offence Mr. Lockwood sent
his daughters to their own rooms before
size was finally given up to the officer,
and steeled his heart to her frantic ap-
peals, as she kneit olasping his knees,
and besought him not to send her
away,
lt'gas hard matter, s'but Justice must
hA dome" rhe merchant said to himself,
in justification, as that face, raised SO
beseechingly to his. came before him