The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-07

On account of the state of Sir Georges health the gathering at the Towers this Christmas was to be a comparatively small one, being confined to relatives and the more intimate friends of the family.
 Bruce and Harold were playing game of billiards by the waning light of the af- ternoon, having the room to themselves, when a servant entered and stated that Ca person" from London desired to see MT. Dare on matter of importance.
 "Show him in here" said Harold promptly. "Some messenger from the office, suppose" he remarked to Bruce. "l hope to goodness they don't want me back before my holidays are over"
 But when the "person" entered, al though he was dressed in plain clothes, Harold at once recognized him as one of the two policemen who had examined his rooms after the robbery. He carried a black bag in one hand.
 Good afternoon, Mir Dare," said the man, with that air of respectful familiarity which his class know so we'll how to as- sume when 1t pleases them to do so. But perhaps you don't recollect me, sir" he added.
 "Oh, yes, recollect you well enough, :" answered Harold, as he proceeded to chalk the end of his cue.
 That's all right, then, sir. You will be pleased to hear that we have caught the rascal who broke into your rooms. On searching him we found a number of pawn tickets, and on going round to the various pawn brokers, among a list of property stolen from other people, we found nearly all the articles specified in the list which you made out and gave to me. The man was up before the magis- trate this morning and remanded for a week and if you identify the articles con tained in this bag as your property, you will be required to appear at Bow street at two o'clock on Wednesday morning next to swear to that fact"
 "All right" answered Harold, who had taken advantage of the break in the game to fight fresh cigar. "And now let us see what you have in the bag"
 The constable opened his bag and brought out the articles it contained one by one. Each article was wrapped in a separate piece of paper, which he pro- ceeded to unfold, ranging the stolen property in row along the table as he did so. There was the big, old. fashioned watch, there was the diamond and pearl brooch, there was the amethyst seal, to- gether with sundry rings and other trink- cts. Harold glanced his eye over the row. "Yes," said he "they are mine, all of them, and l am prepared to swear that they were stolen from my rooms on the night of the I2th instant" That is all we require you to do, sir" said the officer.
 Bruce Wenlock, who was standing by, took up the old watch and examined 1t, and then took up the amethyst seal. The afternoon was waning rapidly by this time, and he carried the seal to the win- dow that he might have better view of it. Neither of the others noticed the start he gave moment or two later. Then he laid hand upon the window-sill as If to steady himself. Presently he went back to the table and laid down the seal without word, after which he returned to the window and stood as before with his back to the room and its inmates. A minute or two later the constable, having been duly tipped by Harold, took his leave, carrying the bag and it's con- tents with him.
 Shall ring for the servant to light up ?" queried Har,ld.
 |" don't care to play any more today" was the response.
 You are not i'll, hope," said Harold, struck by the change in his cousins voice.
 Mot at all By the by, how did that amethyst seal come into your posses. sion ?"
 Harold, who at that moment was wind ing up his watch, stopped in the midst of the process, as though all the pul.es of his being had suddenly ceased their functions. There was utter silence wh le a person might have counted SIX slowly. Then, with an elaborate assumption of carelessness, he replied: "lt came to me with lot of other things at my fathers death" With that he finished the wind ing up of his watch.
 "The heraldic design, or whatever it may be called, that is engraved on it is rather an uncommon one, l should imag- inc" said Bruce.
 !" It may be uncommon, or it may be common," responded the other "lt is a point that l have never troubled my head about"
 "Uncommon as it is, l have seen it once before" resumed Bruce and that not very long ago Can you guess where 1t was that saw ?" As he asked this question he turned suddenly and faced his cousin.
 There was sort of stern solemnity in his voice. His tall figure, clearly out lined against the gray disk of the window behind him, seemed to his cousins guilty conscience to loom taller than hu- man through the gathering gloom.
 "You do not answer me-" went on Bruce after moments pause. "Such being the case, will answer for you. In my fathers desk is a certain envelope That envelope, containing draft of his will, was posted by me in your presence on the afternoon of the 3i of December. My father fastened it up himself, and the | wax bore the impress of the only seal he | ever uses. That envelope and its con- tents were in the mail. bag which was cut