Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-01-24

lady, and had reason TO think she was
fond OF me. She accepted, and yet with
certain Indifference, my suggestions as to
some Heterogeneous OF the estate Ia her
favor; and without In the least making
much OF me In a favor-currying spirit, she
allowed me to feel that she Thought me
good fellow, and, after her own old fash
ion, made me welcome in her house.
am not sure that | should have STAYED
with her so contentedly, however, had 1t
not been for her young cousin, Madeline
Morrison, who was also a visitor there.
will not attempt TO describe this girl fur
Their than TO say that she was tall, dark,
slender, beautiful In feature and gesture,
and very difficult to fathom She seemed
shy; and yet could not be sure whether
what appeared to be shyness, was not
In reality reticence or secretiveness. She
was extremely clever, but she never dis
played her cleverness, and the veil she
drew over 1t was raised only occasionally
and involuntarlly. fell IN love with her
at first sight; but, though she treated me
with courtesy and consideration, had no
means of determining whether or not
was an object OF Indifference to her She
was poor, and | was "good match,'t so
far as worldly considerations go, and
mot TO fiatter myself inoffepsive in other
respects; but, could not find grounds for
believing that either Of these facts influ-
enced her. Unless her heart was touched
she would have none of me, were the
| angel Gabriel or Rothschild IN person
And what her heart felt only she could
tell.
should have felt less anxious about It,
however, but for the appearance at the
house Of ay ing gentleman Of handsome
appearance and pleasing address, whose
name was Fordyce Greenough. His pres
ence there was due Gas nearly rs I could
discovery to the fact that his father had
been near friend Of my aunt fifteen or
twenty years before. His family and
manners were both good, but that he was
thorough going scape-grace and spend
thrift IL needed no magician TO perceive
More ver, believed him to be not incap-
able of riding rongh shod over the laws of
honor and even Of honesty to compass
his ends which resolve themselves into a
determination to enjoy the luxurles OF life
at any cost. He had run through what
money he may have had, and was now
shaping his course so as to be benefited
| by the money of others. ! was surprised
| that my aunt tolerated him. but | sup
| posed that she saw In him only the child
that he was when she knew his father.
was not only surprised but distressed that
| Madeline showed him q courtesy which
had the appearance at best of being more
cordial than anything In her demeanor to-
wards me. And, finally, was perpleXed
TO understand what he expected to gain
by his visit. OF course, Madeline was
attraction enough in one sense; but that
Fordyce should contemplate making a
poor girl (however beautifully his wife,
was out OF the question; and certainly my
aunt could do nothing for him. Mean
while, Fordyce behaved toward me with
a good-natuled freedom and calnaraderie
which irritated me not little But
will do him the justice to say that he never
tried TO borrow money of me. Whatever
designs he had were ona larger scale than
u loan of $40 or 500 would satisfy. But
he made almost open fun of my aunt, adj
dressing to her gfotesque protestations OF
affection and admirationaS If she had been
lovely young hciress. Why she did not
box his ears dozen times a day could
not imagine. Possibly she might have
been simply amused Ut his antics. She
accepted his attentions with 9 certain dry
competency, and appeared to like hin
the better rather than the worse for offer
ing them
This depression has been long, but was
essential to the matter in band. A few
days before came to my auut's sent on
some of my baggage, and with 1t the jewe
box containing the sapphires. They were
greatly admired by the two ladies'. even
Madeline going somewhat beyond her
usunl reserve in praising them. OF
course it is my Neutrality-suspicious.
Madeline ever consent to become mine
that the s1pphires should become hers,
aud asked her TO let the box remain Ia
her room among her own yaluables. Hers
was q corner room, and could be entered
only through M s. Ccampton's. She con-
scented, indlfferently enough, and nothing
more was said about 1t. In due course OF
time Fordyce's Wis / came to an end The
day following Madeline had come into
the breakfast room with pale but com
posed lace, and said fixing her eyes OF
me:
"Did you take your sapphires from M
room Yesterday"
"No,n | answered, surprised at th'
question.
"Then they have been stolen" she re
Joined.
'Nonsense" exclaimed my aun
brusquely.
Bat IL turned out that Madeline wa
right. We examined the room and all it,
approaches to it carefully. There was n'
sign of any violence having been used
The sapphires, by Madeline's own show
ing, had been in her drawer when sh'
went to bed All the windows wer,
! closed but one, at the head Of the bed, II
! which was fastened q wire mosquito net
ting. The door between her room an'
my aunt's was uniastened, but my aunt'l
door was locked. There seemed TO be n'
way by which anyone could have entered
from outside. And yet the sapphires wer'
gone. Who took them2
NV first thought was to communicate
with the police; hut my second thongh
| forbade it. That suspicion, at which
have limited, was too serious. Terrible
! and incredible though the idea was,
could not escape from the evidence tina
! Madey had taken the stones. But l wa
, more splicituus to keep my susplclon
| from her knowledge than was 10 recoye
the Jewels. In order to quiet the persls
; tent obiurgaiions of my aunt, however,
, pretended TO have sent word TO detec
tive agency. But this preense must sooi
, become transparent; and what was to b.
| done thenp
nut the stone which | had found II
the summer-house In my pocket, ana re-
turned up the path. AT the door on I'M
/ yerandah stood Madeline. As mounteI
the steps she said
J 500 YOU know where your aunt ih!'
7 eIs she not in her roomF
"She Is not in the house"