Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-01-28
s'Nsver buried?" echoed Janet, with al


ed the head came unfastensd by some acoi-
dent, and what fluster 1 was in during
the re-arrangement lest anything should be
revealed to the man who was assisting me.
A woman in the neighborhood, who tidied
up the room after the funeral, found the
diamond in corner, and carried it away.
What she intended to do with it, she will
;.ot state; but on the road to her cottage she
ost it in tho park, and not being able to
dnd it again, made up her mind never 10
mention the matter. lest she would got into
5rouble, A few weeks afterwards, some
i erations, if you remember, were made in
fhe park, and one Of the strange men then
employed dug up the diamond pin. and con-
cealed it as his find He was taking it to
brokers' in London to ascertain its value,
2 ssn he also lost tt
'Oh, Sister Clare, how did you learn all
this?" cried Janet, when the story was end
I'd.
"From Mr.. Dreyfus," answered Sister
Clare, naively. "Poor fellow! Mr.. May
land turned him out Of his service = few
weeks ago on suspicion that he had some
thing to do with tho disappearance Of the
pin; and to prove that he was innocent Of the
chargs he set to work to find out the real
truth, and fortune favored the guiltless.-
He succeeded when the detectives failed. It
is to be hoped Mr.. Maryland will try to atone
in some way for conduct of which 1 never
believed him capable. Poor Dreyfus! he
was quite broken hearted when he came to
see me at the hospital"
"Indeed!' said Janet sarcastically.
"My dear Janet, exclaimed Sister Clare,
with surprise, 'what can you mean by
speaking in that tone? One would think
that you did not believe Mr.. Dreyfus had
told the truth"
"Nor do I, Sister Clarep' replied Janet,
quietly. l am very sorry"
"But Mr.. Mayland is coming to confirm
the storyp' said Sister Glare, earnestly.
ooh, then," said Janet, 81 must bog Mr.
Dreyfus's pardon for my doubt, and hope
his discovery will be of benefit to Mr.. Cavol.
If the jewel by an accident escaped its des-
tination, sure Lady Maud's property will
be allowed to continue in Mr.. Roland 8
hands?'
81 don't know" replied Sister, thought
fully; 1--WE shall have to wait and hear May
lands opinion
As she spoke, footsteps were heard with
out, and the next moment Roland Cavcl en-
tered the apartment.
Three years had not changed him at all;
but he looked more cheerful than when he
went away.
Janet advanced to meet him, wondering
how this could be, for he had come homo
under such different circumstances to those
which he seemed to have a right to expect.
Instead of crowd of tenants going out
to receive him with every demonstration of
welcome, he r. turned alone and apparently
unnoticed
His young housekeoper was distressed as
abe impaired his home coming with what
she thought it ought to have been; and
words rose to her lips relative to the subject;
but somehow her tongue would not utter
them Her eyes, however, evidently ready
to brim over with tears, told her thoughts
as she took tho hand Rolaud Cavel offered
her.
He retained her hand in strange affec.
tiona'e manner, and gazed at her fondly.
"Janet," said he not, in the least abashed
by the presence of Sister Glare, II have a
right to warmer welcome than q hand
shake from you"
J,uet blushed violently, and sought to
withdraw her hand. But Roland CAvel
would not let it go. Smiling at her efforts,
he carrie it to his lips.
ooh, Mr. R"land!' cried, Janet; "what
can you mean by this behavior: What will
Sister Glare think ?''
"That it is quito right, I am sure" an
swered Roland, laughing. "Eh. Sister
Clares Don you think it quite proper?'
"Certainly," assented Sister Glare, nod
ding and smiling at Janet's color and dis
may. "It is quite right, dear; but if 1 were
Mr.. Roland, would kiss your face as well
as your hand"
"And so 1 WILL" answered Roland Cavel,
snatching the girl into his arms, and en-
braciug her affectionately. "Brothers al
ways kiss their sisters when they return
from long journey. Don't they, Janet ?"
"Oh, dear, dear!' cried Janet, still strug
Cling "Don't, Mr.. Roland-please don't!
''Well, then, kiss me, said Roland, land
will let you free! Come, come, Janet; I
am your brother, really and truly! Am l
not, Sister Clare?"
"Yes; he is your brother, Janet, really
and trulyr' answered Sister Clare, in re-
sponsa to this appeal.
AID then tbs astonished Janet, who had
suddenly ceased her endeavors to escape
from the arms which encircle, Ter. listened
to strange story.
Two orphans had been brought up by
Lady Maud, and not one alone, as all the
world supposed-a twin brother and sister;
but while the boy had been taken to Weldon
Hall to grow up under the eye of its mis-
tress As her presumed heir, the girl had been
carried to cottage and placed under the
care of an old servant, who would not be
tray the secret of her birth or the namc OF
her benefactress. This guardian had in-
structed Janet to call her grandmother. and
Janet never knew that she had no right to
the title; and when she died, wept for her
bitterly as her only relation.
The woman dird when Janet was about
twelve years old; and then Lady Maud chose
to take her into her own care-strange care
it was, as we have seen. She made the
daugater of her 1lval her maid, for she could
not fngive her for having the face of the
btauty who had been preferred before her,
though Janet's pleasant manners and CON
slant good humpr presently induced her to
strive and school herself to do so in her own
ecc nitric fashion.
"Why-oh, why exclaim' Janet, when
Sister Clare had finished speaking, 'did