Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-10-20

'tiiliiil"l. - must absolutely refuse tp
believe that Ann" ingenious and
serious wirl. with her pure eyes and
innocent brow i a thief? Although
there may he something inlrlnah!r ani
my -trri"us about her. could never
as>"ciatc with the mystery of crime any
thing She might do"
She WAS but his mother hou<rkeeprr:
she had refused his love. and the name
and station he would have given her;
yet was he right loyal friend, and would
not listen unmovcd or acquicsceni In any
accusations made against her.
While ID Ha2elly. who profeSsrd for
her tender liking. although he doubted
her much. shrugged his spruce shoulders.
sighed aud looked vastly consequential
and melancholy. albeit he was moi a sen
timrntali>t, and hal determined to be
an>tclrly practical, "a britS 4 profcS-
Sional of his kind.
81 nothing know of the mystery.
not evil. that YOU do men," he said I'M
patiently. And tn me il does seem
that the diamonds of much value must
now To the madame So di>conSulalr he
restored, and the ways that 81 puzzling
are, must L" the custody "n.'
''But she never entered this house I'M
til DAYS after The diamonds were missed"
demonstrated Tony Dorman, shuddcring;
al am decidedly mySlilicd. What is your
explanation of it all?'
"She the accomplice of one other is. |
do think" announced the detective. with
grandiloquencr of manner. "Shc no
longer here will stay. She will an illness
f.,i,, : Ia, Il fl,,,, -,
rr, she will soaway. the diamonds with
her taking. if her We moi could prevent"
THAT is all very plausible" returned
her defender. unconyinccd. 4" But we
will nj once secure my mothers precious
ornaments. and then really must have
positive and irrrfiltahle evidence against
Miss Bardulph before l shall allow YOU
to dcnounce her
The early dusk had already su.fused
the lawn with 4 purple haze. The cool
air was delicious with the fresh odors of
violeS and hyacinths and sweet young
grasses. The new, rosy moon and q
great golden star glittertd in the blue
western sky. and out among the gloomy.
complaining pines the night birds were
tuncfully calling.
The two young men crossed the lawn
and entered the dim grove, full of resin
ouS scents, strange. dreamy noises. and
uneasy aud fantastic shadows. Mutelv
and with soundleSs steps, they followed
the grassy. winding walk that led To the
outrageous beach of ID Razclly's singu-
lar photograph.
Suddenly both started. and simultanc-
ouSly retreated around 4 curve of the
path where they stood rs silent and mo-
tiOnless rs the shade in which they We're
hidden. Beyond, in the pearly eil'ul-
gence of starlight and moonlight. they
saw the suspected young woman bend
ing over that odd repository from which
she removed the moss and pebbles until
her intent watchers behcld the cold. in
extin~uishable tire of the precious gems
cleaning within the dark. black mold.
"What think you now whispered
D'Razcllv. eXcitcdly. "Ihe diamonds
she will take. See! is it not So9'
And before the other could silence or
restrain him, he leapod forward and
confronted Anne, who stood quite still,
and only lifted her comcly head fearless
ly, smiling with calm defiance and some
unassumed amusement
''Hush!' she murmured, imperiOusly,
as he began to speak. ''In another mo-
ment the mystery of what You have pre-
sumed to be robbery willbe clucidatcd
and precisely as | believed it would be.
Look!'
Down the path. with an unsteady and
unnatural gait, came a surprising appa
rtion-the figure of n lady. Bare were
her feet, and her gay, dropping head
was uncovered, and her thin white robes
glistened with the damp night dews.
"Motherr' gaspcd Tony Dorman.
amazed. and glad for the accused Anne,
who was SO curiously exonerated.
Straight on came the somnambulist.
Pausing at length before the treasures
she had secreted in her abnormal sleep.
and gazing with unseeing eyes upon the
priceless, sparkling things that she
touched lovingly with her withered
hands. and carefully again covered with
the thick, silky moss. Then she smiled
family, sighed with satisfaction, turned,
and slowly moved away.
The collntenance of Louis D'Razclly
at that moment was not that of an indi-
vidual conscious of superior discernment.
and the glance he ventured to vouchsafe
Anne was deprecatOry.
"What should say know not" he
stammered. "What | did think-what
l did do-so very stupid was. All, if the
kind madamOiselle would me but par
don," he continued, with gallant en-
treaty.
Very demurely she assured him that
his suspicious were quite pardonable,
and perhaps creditablc to his zeal as
detector and denouncer of the un-
righteous.
Some time later, coming through the
handsome. brilliantly lighted hall, Anne
met the young master of the house.
The tempting reward offered for the
recovery of Mrs. Dorman' diamonds in
duced me to come here as her house.
Keeper" she explained. II had an in
explicable feeling that | might find the
missing Jewels. | consulted no one-no
one advised me. | was really ashamed
of my project, that knew was quixoiic,
if not impracticable. and a failure would
have made me ridiculous. Shortly after
coming to Mrs. Dorman, l learned that
she had la,terly been haunted by an eX-
cessive and increasing fear x being
IODDtu- utt- toO. tlttI SllC fl1u
only recently manifested somnambulic
symptoms. The truth came to ME as an
inspiration, but only by merest accident;
and only this morning while was ex-
ploring for gentian that did not land.
did espy the tiny. suggestive mound
of loose, dying moss, through which |
saw a single spark of something shining
like a glowworm. So | waited and
watched. hoping she would visit her
buried treasure just as she did. The
discovery was very simple, and is now
clear to you all
"And now you have Won the reward,
yon will leave us, suppose" he OBJ
served soberly.
Yes she gravely assented.
go. Anne. if l could only persuade
you to stay?" he responded quickly and
imploringly. ''Do You fear l cannot