Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-28
THE VALLET0RT DIAMONDS.

People were always asking each othel
how the Vailetoits kept their heads above
water. They were known to be in 4 state
OF chronic impecuniosity, and yet, some
how or other, they contriyed to show q
bold from; to the world. Their pretty riy.
erside villa at Tw;ckenham was furnished
luxuriovsly. Captain Valletort, who had
retired from the service some years before
drove a dashing mail phaeton and pair
and Mrs Valletort was one OF the best
dressed women in London How it was
done 10 one knew. Captain Valletort
dab6led on the stock exchange, and was
one OF the best ecarte players going but
neither OF these sources OF income was
likely TO afford him thc means Of gratifying
his very expensive tastes. Mrs. Valietort
had no private fortune; but she, too, spent
a good deal Of money, although she was al
ways telling her dearest friends that she
was dreadfully hard up, for Edward had
made several unfortunate speculations
lately, etc, etc.
still, IN spite of this, the impecuniou9
pair lived in good style and were appar-
emily prosperous. They were in debt, Of
course, but by some unknown means they
kept creditors and duns at bay. They did
moi entertain much but az Mrs, Nalletort
was extremely pretty. and her husband
had the knack of making himself agreea-
bic IN society; and mede it 4 rule never to
borrow money Of his friends, the Vale
forts were z good deal in requeGt at dinners
and dances during the season. People
were always glad 10 see them. for their
light hearted, semi-Bohemian gaycty was
wonderfully infectious, and no dinner
party at " hich they were present ever went
CfT badly. Captain Nalle.ort was, besides.
extremely popular at his club-the Bayo-
net and Charlie Fenton, of the Guards.
was in the habit of saying that he would
rather lose money to Ned Nalietort than to
any man he knew. IL was fortunate he
took that view of the matter, for the I'M
happy youth very often rose heavier
loser when the Captain employed his tai
ents against him; and it was equally for
tunate that the latter possessed the difficult
art of winning gracefully, for ecarte was
his principal means of bringing grist to the
mill, and many men less philoSophic than
young Fenton might have declined to try
their luck second time against such skill
as his, had it not been for the pleasant,
good-hUmored, nonchalant way in which
the CAPTAIN pocBe.ed his winnings.
One morning the husband and wife were
seated at breakfast, when the Captain looked
up suddenly from the newspaper he was
carelessly reading, and said, with sudden
eagerness, as his eye caught an announce
ment among the deaths y
My dear, wasn't Lady Araminta Bel
ohambre q godmother Of yours ~
Yes, but why do you ask ~
shes dead-died at Mentone a week
ago"
Mrs. Valletort clasped her hands, and her
eyes frightened.
Oh, Ned wonder Tiff she has left
me anything. | can't pretend to be sorry
she is dead. she added. half alphabetically
because she is ever so old, and | haven't
scen her since l was . child
NV dear Lila. don't think that l ex-
pccted you to dissolve into tears at the
news" he interrupted, with short laugh.
We always agree 10 be candid with each
other You didn't care n straw for Lady
Araminta living but if she really has done
her duty as a goimother by putting you
down in her will for handsome sum,
am quite willing that you should get up
any amount of enthusiasm for her virtues
But, seriously, do you think it likely she
has done SOP
Il think it Just possible she may said
Mrs. Eaietort, looking thoughttully at the
flowers on the table. " wish | had writ
ten to her Oftener.'
1t is no goodregretting anything otthat
sort now, my dear. We shall probably
hear in a day or two from her solicitors
that is, il You are really down for legacy.
IL VIII be 4 wonderful piece of luck if
an. ." remarked bis wife. stirring her coffee
thouEhttu}lv. We are dreadlully short
of money Just now
Captain Falietort asseuted.
Do you think we could raise anything
on my expectations p said Lila, looking
II am afraid not. Old Morris made nc
end of difficulty about the last advance"
Mrs Valletort's pretty face clouded, bu
only for moment her native light-heart
edneSS soon reasserted herself. aud all that
morning she employed herself in rearing g
magnificent Spanish castle on no more sub
stanial foundation than that afforded by
the brief announcement in the Times.
Some DAYS later q long blue envelope
addressed in neat, legal handwriting, was
among the heterogeneous heap of letters
invitations and bills, Mrs. Valletort found
awaiting her when she came down to
breakfast. She gave little gasp as she
took it up read the superscription and ex-
amined the seal.
My dear if you want to know what is
in that envelope, you had better open it, u
remarked the Captain, as he entered the
room. could never understand why
women waste time in studying the outside
of their letters.
g Because they are afraid of being disap-
pointed with the inside, and so put off the
evil moment" reiointed his wife, seriously,
as she slowly broke the seal.
"Oh Ned congratulate me- she ex-
claimed, rapturously, when she had mas
tered the contents of the letter. That
dear, sweet old thing has actually"
- Left You some money! interrupted
the Captain, eagerly. My dearest
Lila
No, no. money, but-her diamonds
positively all her diamonds The little
womans eyes sparkled as she glanced tri-
umphautlv at her husband. The cele-
brated Belchambre diamonds. They are
magnificent, know, for have often heard
my mother speak of Them
For q moment the Captain 5 face fell, / Ut
he soon remembered that fine collection
of diamonds represents very handsome
sum of money. His wifs's legacy was not,
then, TO be despised.
What do you think they are worth p
he asked suddenly.
"Oh, I don't know. Thousands and
thousands of pounds, l should imagine,
replied his wife, vaguely. Ned, just think
how well ! shall look in them. l have SO
few jewels, and
" My dear girl, you don't mean to say
that you intend toto keep them,n he
gasped, as the dreadful possibility dawned
on his mind that Lila might elect not to
turn her costly legacy into hard cash.
''0f course mean to keep them" she
retortei, cOolly. Oh, Ned, you don't
want me toto sell them, do you?" she
added piteously. as the Captains 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
comprehension"
Mrs. Valletort was usually the most do
Gle of wives, but she resented her hus-
bands angry words, and was trebly deter
mined to hold her own in this matter. The
Captain saw that it would be useless to argue