The Dillon tribune., 1886-12-10

1yallptOrt 1OuHu awaiting IeE Wncn
che came down to breakfast.
.oh. Ned, ongratulate mew she ex-
claimed. rapturously, when she had
."astered the contents of the letter.
nTlat dear, sweet old thing has &C.
tually-
"Left you some money!" interrupted
the captain eagerly. "My dearest
lila
mo, not money, but-her diamonds
positively all her diamonds" The
little woman's eyes sparkled as she
glanced trinmphantly at her husband.
.The celebrated Belchambre diamonds.
They are magnificent. know for !
have often heard my mother speak of
them
For moment the captains face fell,
Init he soon remembered that a fine
collection of diamonds represents a
very fine sum Of money. His w1fe's
legacy was not, then. to be despised.
"What do you think they are worth? z"
he asked. suddenly
"Oh! l don't know: thousands and
thousands Of pounds. should imagine"
replied MS wife. vaguely. "Ned, just
think how we'll I shall look in them. I
have so few jewels, and"
any dear girl, you don't mean to say
that you intend TOTO keep then,." he
gasped, as the dreadful possibility
jswned on his mind that Lila might
elect not to turn her costly legacy into
hard cash.
"Of course I mean to keep Them"
she retorted coolly. "Oh. Ned, you
don't-want me TOTO sell them. do
you?" she added piteously. as the cap
! tains brows drew together ominously,
and an unpleasant light came into his
eyes.
"You will do as you like, of course"
he replied, irritably. "They will be
yours and not mine. But how any
woman can care to deck herself out
with diamonds worth several thousand
pounds when she knows what it is
to want money passes my comprehen-
sion."
Mrs. Valletort was usually the most
ilocile of wives; but she resented her
husbands angry words, and was trebly
determined to hold her own in this
matter. The captain saw that it would
be useless to argue with her, so he
turned away with half contemptuous
shrug of the shoulders. and muttered
anathema or the folly of women in
general and of his spouse in particu-
lar. 1t was really too bad Of Lila; a
few thousand p'';nds would have set
him on his iill,i ..ti feet again.
In due course. after the numerous
delays inevitable in all legal matters,
Mrs. Valletort came into possession of
her legacy. by her husbands advice
she had a safe constructed for the dia-
monds in her dressing-room. and the
dingy leather cases containing the
jewels were at once consigned to this
repository
On the first available opportunity
Mrs. Valletort (who had been burning
to display her treasures before the eyes
Of her frienGs) donned her diamonds
and appeared in blaze of splendor.
At the ball to which they went that
night Mrs. Valletort created quite a
sensation. The story of her grand
mothers costly bequest had got about.
and every one was anxious to see the
celebrated Belchambre diamonds.
Women secretly envied her, though
they shrugged their shoulders as she
passed and wondered how long the
Jewels would remain in her possession.
Men admired her charming face and
graceful figure so much that they for
got all about her diamonds as they
crowded round her, eager to secure a
dance with the prettiest woman in the
room.
Mrs. Valletort was in her element.
She n.oyed herself immensely, quite
ignorant of the fact that her husband
looked unusually morose, not to say
sulky, as she whirled past him radiant
IN the jewels he secretly coveted.
Creditors pushed the gallant captain
70 desperation, and he made one last
appeal to his wife but without success
u refuse to part with my diamonds"
she SAID coldly; "it is unfair of you to
ask me to make such a sacrifice
Very we'll my dear; then the deluge
must come" replied the captain.
quietly. He turned and left the room
The Cantain did not allnda to the