The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-02-26

II was late thai night when the ball
broke up, and Rose Caruthers, tired and
weary, unfastening her shining jewels
dressing-table, hurriedly disrobed.
The sun was shining brightly in at
the dormer window when she awoke
the next morning, and the breakfast-bell
was ringing for the second time. She
She found Henry awaiting her arrival
with little frown disfguring his hand
some face, as the rolls and coffee had
been served and were cooling upon the
table.
II did not know but you were still
dreaming of your diamonds" he said,
little jealously.
"Oh, no, indeed; you do me injustice,
Henry. / declare to you that they
have not, even for one moment. en-
tered my thoughts since / unfastened
them last night after the ball. 1 am
not quite so vain, / hope" she said,
with pout of her red lips.
"Well, never mind, Puss," he re-
joined, as he kissed away the pretty
pout. Come now, we will break our
fast, and after that will remove your
new jewels to the bank. as l am on
my way to the Office, and lock them
up in the casket with the others, for
they are the pure stuff-warranted. =
As soon as they had finished their
repast, Rose ran gayly up to her room.
keeping time with her dainty slippers
to the waltz she was humming as she
went, and bursting in ran straight to
her dressing-table confidently, to grasp
the precious diamonds. The next mo-
ment her face assumed O blank, puz-
zled expression, as she stood riveted to
the spot.
The diamonds were not there.
She placed her hand to her forehead
in dazed manner, striving to recall
some other place in which she might
have secreted them.
But, in vain. She felt as sure of
casting them upon her table as that she
was awake when doing so.
Had burglars entered her chamber?
Impossible The windows were all
fastened securely, and the doors all
locked.
She stepped to the landing, and in a
faint voice called Henry"
He ran wonderingly to her, noting
with anxiety her white face.
"Why, Rose, have you seen ghost?'
he queried, assuming playful tone.
When told what had occurred, he gave
a prolonged whistle, while his first sus-
picion startled while it angered her.
Peggy Such an ideal That honest
countenance allow her hands to commit
a theft? Never. The thought alone
seemed wholly preposterous to her
mind.
mo, Henry, she never did it! /
could swear that Peggy is innocent
Rose said, with positive assurance.
Nevertheless l shall call her, and
allow her the privilege of protesting her
ignorance of the affair."" he said, suiting
the action to the word.
But, no; he felt that Rose must be
right III indicating Peggy's cause, when
he beheld the clear, honest gray eyes
unhinchingly deny the unjust accusa-
ton, while the lips unfalteringly pro
claimed her entire innocence.
Strange! strange! strange!' was his
only comment, as he left the room.
Later in the day, as Rose sat ponder
ing on the strange disappearance of
her diamonds (she thought of little else
now, q slight circumstance required
to her, which had taken place just after
her husband had left the room the
night of the ball.
After kissing them several times, she
had looked around, ashamed of her
folly, when pair of keen gray eyes,
with an expression of gloating admira-
ton in their depths, were fascinatingly
fixed upon her treasures, through the
door, slightly ajar.
She remembered now the start of
confusion evinced, undoubtedly oc-
casioned by her (Rose's) sudden change
of position.
| And yet was it not very natural for
Peggy, in passing the slightly open
door, to peep in, and, having done SO.
pause to admire the dazzling brilliance
which must have caught her eve?
She refrained from relating the in
cident to Henry, for fear of reminding
the slumbering suspicion.
Days flew into weeks and weeks into
months, bringing no clew to the miss
| ing diamonds; but, strange to relate,
many small articles of lesser value were
found missing and all remained en-
4 fOlOpcd III obCAy
One evening, after dusk, as Henry
Caruthers was returning from his Office,
he saw the rays of a bright light
streaming from the one little window
in the unfinished and unoccupied
attic chamber, just over the kitchen.
Somewhat puzzled, he assembled the
steps leading from the street to the
front door, and was i'll the act of cross
ing the hall to seek Rosa, when his at
tention was drawn to the back stair
case by the closing of door near the
attic, and soon after Peggy descended
the back staircase, and hurriedly passed
through the rear door, bearing huge
bundle with her.
Has Rose discharged her ?" he asked
himself.
But upon questioning Rose no infor-
nation was gained. as she knew abso-
lutely nothing about it,
Peggy has been IN the dining-room
for half hour certain" she told him.
"And L have just come from there
Henry, instructing her little in the art
of economy. She must have flown, to