The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-06-07
MISS GRACE'S ILLUSION.

Miss Grace Archoll, the youngest
daughter of wealthy city merchant re.
siding at South kensington, received on
her sixteenth birthday present OF hand.
acme diamond necklace from her god
father. 1t was an extravagant gift for
Young girl, but the donor was rich and
eccentric. Miss Grace was naturally
highly delighted with her first really
good piece of jewelry, and wore it with
conscious pride at a little birthday party
the same evening. Her parents were
away on the continent, or probably they
might have objected to this proceeding.
In their absence, however, Miss Grace
scoffed at the wisdom of her elder sisters
Who represented. not without a spice of
envy, that such ostentation was in bad
sAste. She received many congratula-
lions on her good fortune from her
young friends, who regarded the dia-
nonds with sort of woe. stricken admir-.
.tion. On retiring to rest. Miss Grace
persisted in carrying the necklace to her
room, perversely declining to deposit it
m the stroDg-room, where the plate was
kept, being, apparently, rather unduly
s2ated at the sensation it had caused.
In the middle of the night the house
hold was aroused by loud shrek, and
Miss Grace was found on the landing out
side her door in very scared and hys-
serical state. It was some time before
her sisters and the servants could ascer-
tain from her what was the matter; but
.s length they elected that she had been
awakened by some one moving about
her room, and had distinctly heard and
seen q man go up to her dressing-table
and subsequently disappear through the
door. According to her account she had
rushed out OF bed, too frightened to
inter- a sound, and had seen the man
nAking his way down the STAIRS. She
I'D not dared to follow him, but had,
with some difficulty, raised the alarm.
This recital naturally caused the great
est excitement. The butler and foot
man, who slept in the basement, had not
yet appeared on the scene, and the terri
6sd women, for there was no male men,
Der Of the family in the house, began to
scream and make q commotion. Some
body threw up a window which opened
on she street and shouted for the police.
One of the elder girls, more courageous
ahau the rest, went downstairs to put the
mon servants on the alert. There was q
general move toward Miss Grace's room,
where it was ascertained that not only
the diamond necklace. but ring and o
few smaller articles Of jewelry had van
nhed.
In the midst of the lamentations and
paroxysms which ensued the door bell
Vas beard TO ring, and several persons
nounted the stairs headed by the butler.
Among others was young surgeon
named Lake, who resided o few doors
"a. A constable was also of the party,
which was mainly composed of gentle
Den who we're returning home from a
hill in the neighborhood. The cause of
~ alarm having beeo explained. q care
fal search was made for the burglar, but
70 trace OF him was found. A window in
enc of the landings was discovered to be
sPen, and it was possible he had escaped
By il, though the descent must have been
psx,loas. This possibility. however, be.
sADe certainty when it was ascertained
thst all the other windows and doors in
he house we're securely fastened, and
that the thief was clearly no longer upon
- premises.
While the search was proceeding. DR..
Lake was requested to step up stairs TO
0ins Grace's room, where one OF the ser
WANTS had tainted from terror snd could
IA be brought to. The doctor was q
ysung practitioner who WA said to be
extremely clever at his profession. but
Aswas allowed few opportunities of Civ
ing evidence of his ability. In other
words, he had no patients though be had
hssn IN practice year or two, and was
Ddergoipg that painful period Of pro-
1afi0n which falls to the lot OF most med.
III nsn. He had rather striking face.
vi1A keen eyes and . resoluts chin, and
- decidedly good-looking.
He soon disposed Of his patient. whom
AeSsstored 70 consciousness BY the sim
- and Summary method Of dousing her
ksnd With cold water. He then turned
- Miss Grace, Who vas nov quiet and
ssnposed. and looked very pretty in her
lir hair down her baeE, her flushed
GAssks ~ ~ nars dressing Osvp,