The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-25

lieve to be visitor, it would he great
accommodation, and no harm done.
We can only spare the little garret bed
room; but there's fine view, and you
will find everything very clean"
And thus to his unmitlgated surprise
and amazement, Mr.. Pinto found him
self ut last under the same roof with the
White Heart diamond.
Or course there was a certain outward
show to be kept up. Mr.. Pinto was
obliged to spend much of his time in
the woods, making meaningless attempts
at sketching, while his heart yearned
after the mystic jewel.
lie strove vainly for something like
confidential intimacy with his hostess
but i'll vain--Miss Jorgensen froze
nm. She kept him at ceremonial arm IS
length.
ietty was social, smiling, always
ready to talk, but Miss Jorgensen
never forgot that she belonged to fam
| lily.
Until, one day, All inspiration seized
upon our hero.
"By Jovel'' he profanely exclaimed,
VII marry the old woman, if there isn It
any other way to get at the White
Heart Dlamondl"
But that evening, as he came in, a
little later than usual, with the purple
twilight glowing in the horizon, and a
score of whip-poor-wills singing in the
glen, he met Eetty at the gate. She
started and colored like Il rosebud,
and, murmuring some trivial excuse,
fitted away.
Mr.. Pinto stopped and picked up q
flower which she had dropped.
'Hellop' he said to himself; "this
compllcates matters. Little Hetty is
i'll love with mel''
| 1t was not such an unpleasant idea:
but, of course, 1T could not be enter
tanned for a moment. The White
Heart Diamond was his souls sweet
heart. The White Heart Diamond
only was the treasure OIL which he was
bent.
Accidentally, as it seemed, but in
reality from a carefully-laid train of as
sociations, the conversation turned OH
jewels that evening, us Miss Jorgensen
sat knitting by the lamp, and IIetty was
| picking over blackberries for the NOR
rows jam, III the outer porch.
'"Talklng OF dlamonds," said Miss
Jorgensen, fortifying herself with a
| pinch Of snuff-Mr. Pinto hated snuff
there's a very valuable Siam in our
family, which,"
Aunt" said ITetty, coming in,
Mrs. Didcomb wants to Sef Seeyft1Kfaaf no Of the
ml9HlnyYtte, Hlyts ahs9psStty..h ahs9pstty.h
Miss Jorgensen bustled out. Mr..
Pinto smote the table with the fiat Of
his hand.
"I'll do itl' lie said.
And he did it, within the next half
hour.
cit may seem premature, dear Miss
Jorgensen," he said, after having goI,e
| stittiy down upon his knees, "but our
hearts do not beat by rule or calender.
behold in you a congenial spirit. l
love you'll Win you be mine2'
Goodness mel" said Miss .Jorgensen,
"Well, never didl But, Of course, if
| your happiness is involved l wonder
what Hetty will say2"
Mr.. Pinto clasped the wrinkled hand,
pressed kiss OH the snuff-tlavored
cheek, and with an ecstatic thrill,
thought Of the White Heart Diamond.
Hetty came smiling in, presently, and
Miss Jorgensen told her of the new page
in her life's history.
| Mr.. Pinto expected to see her blush,
scream, or perhaps, even faint away.
| But she did none of the three. She
did not behave ct ell like q broken
hearted heroine of romance.
| "Uh, I'm 80 gladl' said she. "Now
I can leave you with clear conscience,
Aunt Mehitable.
s'She has been engaged to Philo
Wetherlie for a year," explained Miss
Jorgensen. ''P'raps you've noticed her
of all evening hanging over the gate
Waitin'. for him to go by with the
cows?"
ooh, aunty, didn'tl" said IIetty.
"La, child, it's nothing to be ashanl-
ed Of" said Miss Jorgensen, chuck
ling.
Mr.. Pinto bit his lip. lie would like
to have pitched Philo Wetherlie, who
ever he might be, over the cliff. But,
however, this had nothing to do with
the White Heart Diamond, and when
IIetty tripped out again, he led the way
as gently as possible to the fascinating
subject once again.
"You were speaking" said he, with
an insinuating smile, "of IL famous
diamond which"
ooh, yes,' said Miss Jorgensen.
1.-The White Heart Diamond, they call
ed it,"
II am something of Judge of such
matters,' said Mr.. Pinto, his heart
DedCluS I6Volllo Ill lllS UOSOIll, IL
you would allow HE to look at it"
| Miss JorgeDsen shook her head.
L couldn't" she said. 81 sold it
three and twenty years ago tony cousin,
Philo Jorgensen. He was drowned on
the very next voyage he made to Am
sterdam--diamond and all, for he al
ways carried it in little chamois-leath-
or bag next his heart. He had a very
good imitation put into the setting for
me. I've got it somewhere up stairs.
And, after all, what could l do with a
thousand-dollar diamond?''
Mr.. Pinto drew his breath with q lit.
tie gasp. Had he sold himself for the
rest of his days for a mere bit Of paste
q fasceted lump Of glass, while all the
time the White Heart Diamond lay
fathoms deep i'll the seal Angels and
ministers of grace defend himl 1t could
not bel
But he had a geeat deal of fortitude
and self-reliance. He played tho de-
voted lover to Miss Jorgensen's entire
satisfaction all the evening, but wheL
Hetty came to call him to breakfast the
next morning. his bed had not beel