The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-06-04
HOW THE PEARLS WE'RE STO-
LEN.

HOW THE PEARLS WE'RE STO
LEN.
While young Lady Duceville wa
dressing for dinner on a certain chill
ly January evening, her aunt, tn
Dowager Duchess of Goldoni, cam
into the room. She was ALREADY
dressed. and seemed very serious
Evidently she had come to talk owe
something, but before she had tim,
to speak Lady Ducevill's maid burs
out into tears and sobs. The younI
Marchioness turned around ant
stared at her in qmazement t; fc
Mills was a very quiet and decorou
person generally.
"Whatever is the matter, Mills ?
queried Lady Duceville.
IL thought should have died o
shame, your Grace" said the wo
man. addressing herself to the Ouch
ess, when | came out of my rooA
this morning aud found that pape
posted on the door. 1t seemed as i
they suspected me. | know, o
course il isn't so, because the notices
are all on the servants doors. But
your Grace, the police will be called
in if the pearls are not given up by
next Monday and is there any
hope that the wicked creature tha'
took them will give them up p
II don't know, Mills" said the
Duchess.
Mills had been her servant before
she was Lady Duceville, and the
Duchess was never a mistress whose
maids were afraid to speak to her
But this made the present circum-
stances seem all the more dreadful
to poor Mills.
The Duchess, whose Jewels were
very splendid. had a pearl necklace
of fabulous value. She had left that
necklace on her dressing table for q
short time the evening before. When
her maid went to get it to CLASP
around her neck, ii was gone.
When it was evident that the
necklace was really gone the Ouch.
ess told her hostess. Lady Duce.
vile and the Duchess were staying
at lockwood, one of the pleasantest
country houses to visit in all Eng
land. A very gay week it had been
there, and Lady lockwood said that
extra servants had been employed in
the house, and she really could not
vouch for the honesty OF her own
household. The Duchess pearls
were a great prize, and sometimes
understood the value OF
such things only too well. So Lord
lockwood had some notices printed
which stated that unless the pearls
were produced on a certain day the
police would be sent for to search
the servants rooms.
Il suppose" said the Duchess
that Lord lockwood
thinks it the best plan to try first by
holding out this chance to the thief
If, however, the thief confesses and
gives up the pearls before Monday,
shall be done. OF course
we will get the pearls but | shall
not be satisfied, for | think it is her-
rible that such wickedness should 90
Except that the pearls
are an heirloom, i would not have
allowed Lord lockwood to try this
plan. Are you ready, Gertrude ?
Let Mills 60, then, Tor she is hardly
fit for work. Don't allow this to
upset YOU 50, Mills. No one can up
set old and faithful servants any
more than one would sus pect mem
bers of ones own family.
But II l. posted up on all our
doors.
We'll, well, Of course if put on
one it must be put on all, F" said the
Duchess.
Mills went away. When she had
shut the door the Duchess said:
surely the servants must know
that the police are already in the
house? If not, | suppose they are
in disguise. Lord Rock
wood told me that he had summoned
people from Scotland Yard immedi-
ltely.'
Did he?n said Lady Duceville.
Shall we go down p she added, af-
Ter a minutes pause, during which
he Duchess looked at her very
zeenly.
Gertrude" she said, why do you
gamble so much? | wish you would
,ive up the cards. You are looking
horribly i'll 1t is hideous vice this
hunger for excitement. Gertrude, /
believe you have lost and are in
debt"
We'll" said Lady Duceville,
what if am ?"
1T is scandalous !" exclaimed the
Duchess. Il will not help you"
Il know that" said Lady Duce-
Vile quietly.
"Duceviile will not help you"
81 know that" she replied.
What will you do. then ?"
"Get out of my difficulties unaid-
d."
Gertrude. you make me shudder.
am certain there will be some hor-
'ible ending to this life of excite
nent you are now leading-some-
hing that will get into the society
papers and disgrace us all" p"
"There is the dinner gong, we had
better go down." said Lady Duce-
lille.
They went down Lady Duceville
IS pale as ghost, yet very beautiful
n spite of her pallor and the lack of
my happy smile IN her eyes or on
Ter mouth the Duchess with a
hunder cloud upon her face. She
lad no children, and this her at one
ime favorite niece would inherit
Ter jewels and perso aal property,
or Gertrude, before her marriage,