Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-07

liked 10 detect people IN fslsehoods
| and meaunees. and he bid evid~ntly
suspec,ed that neither If the orpa-
| menfs would be forthcoming. He
shut up the case with vicious snap.
and tottered 10 his fee; by the aid of
his sick
when will the other one be home.
chs Where have you taken it ?" ne
asked
Ellen named q we'll known jeweler
from whom the earring had been pur-
chased. and desperately named Q week
as the time required for repairing the
defect The Dext moment she wished
she had said month or year, though
by doing - she would have BETRAYED
herself on the spot. Old s IN sbVffied
of to the library at the end Of the
passage, and locked the case contain
ing the earring in the old bureau.
where he kept his secret papers.
The next few days were q period OF
torture TO the poor girl, not only be-
cause each passing hour brought her
nearer to the dreaded scene. but be
cause her father. as though divining
and enjoying her distress. WAS con.
stsntly abiding to the missing ear
ring. He inquired dozen times when
IL would be ready, and frequently
threatened to call upon the jeweler
and fetch the ornament himself. In
the meantime Ellen Prothcro was ma
king desperate efforts to recover the
earring from her brother. but with
out success; for the truth was that the
young BLACKBOARD had sold it outright
for trifiing sum.
At length the week expired, and,
on the morning Of the eighth day. the
frst thing the old man said when he
came down to breakfast was:
ELLEN, you must call for that ear
ring today"
YES. father" she said, speaking
with an air of desperation.
The old man chuckled and ate his
breakfast with unusual zest. He more
than suspected he was being deceived.
but his daughters disobed ence and
the loss Of the diamonds were nothing
10 him as compared with the grim sat
isfaction Of making her utterly mis-
cradle. When the poor girl started
on her GRAND old Sam took seat by
the window and watched eagerly for
her return. No sooner did the car
riage come in sight than he hobbled
as far as the door to meet her.
"Welly" he exclaimed, with Gun.
ming look.
"Here il is, father" said the girl,
bringing out small packet from her
muff.
Old Sam took the packet in silent
ammzement. Even now he did not
believe that he held the earring in his
hand, for the crimson cheeks and
averted eyes OF his daughter at once
attracted his attention. He was chiefly
possessed by establishment at her au-
daclty in carrying the deception SO
far. Doubtless she was endeavoring
to pal n off upon him some clumsy
imitation or substitute in paste. Old
Sam chuckled as he thought of the
utter futility of such al attempt.
But when he opened the packet his
establishment was greater still, for
there lay the earring, beyond all man
ner of doubt! Old Sam knew some
thing about diamonds. and was con-
noisseur enough to perceive at glance
that the stones In the earring were
the identical ones which he had given
to his daughter. A careful scrutiny
confirmed his first impression. and
for once in his life the old man felt a
trifle disconnected and ashamed Of
himself. lie concealed this passing
remorse, however, by assuming An
injured and aggrieved tone as he said
Much thanks get for giving you
u handsome present. l shall take the
earrings back ageu and lock 'em up
till you're old enough TO take proper
care Of 'em. l don't believe your
story about a stone being loose.
expect you broke the ear ring through
carclessncss. One would think dia-
moDds were as cheap AS pebbles"
With this parting shaft, delivered
cut Of sheer wantonuess and vexa-
ton, the old man beat a hasty retreat
and shuffled off to the library.
He was thoroughly out of temper
not only from disappointment at hav-
ing been deprived Of legitimate &C.
casion for venting his III humor. but
because he had a strong suspicion that
som, how or other his daughter had
stolen a march upon him. However,
as he now had both the earrings in
his possession. there must needs be an
end Of the matter.
Old Sam seated himself in front Of
the bureau where he kept his " III aud
other treasures, and fumbled at the
lock with his equity old fingers. Hav.
ing opened it with considerable diff
Guilty. he tursed to the drawer wherein
he had placed the other earring in It's
case. but, to his surprise, the case had
disappeared. There were other things
in the same drawer, including various
antiqusted articles of jewelry and q
few gold and silver coins, aud for
some minutesthe old man did not re-
alize that the earring was missing.
The truth dawned upon him by slow
degrees. and increased his irritation
Dear me. nowl Thought / put
it here. II Is singular that l never
>oa uuu ahy tutuS WHICH, Wdut IL, lie
muttered. as he CROPPED about.
II was a fact that OF late wears the
old man had acquired a singular mack
of mislaying things. His memory
was beginning to fail him. and MANY
instances had occurred Of this awk.
ward iutirmity. To put something
carefully away, and 10 find 1t months
af,erward in an unexpected nook or
corner, when he had completely for.
gotten all about il. had become quite
common occurrence with the old
man. who, however. flattered himself
that no one but himself was aware of
his weakness. The consequence was
that on the present occasion be did
not trouble himself To make . pro-
ionged search, feeling satisfied thar
the earring would turn up again un.
expcctedly some day or other. He
conicnted himself with carefully put.
ting away the one his daughter had
just given him. and locking The bureau
again, muttering, rs he arose from his
chair:
1t is lucky l told Ellen l would
take the earrings away from her. II
she wants 'em hack sha cant hsva