Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-03-05
S.-The Diamonds,

s.-The Diamonds.
The new week was essentially week of
events
On the Monday morning Mrs. Westerfeld
and her faithful James had their first quarrel.
She took the liberty of reminding him that
1t was time to give notice of the marriage at
the church, and to secure berths in the steam
er for herself and her son. Instead of an
swering one way or another James asked
how the expert was getting on.
HAS your old man found out where the
diamonds are?'
Not yet"
'Then Wen wait till he does"
do you believe my word?' Mrs. Wester-
field asked CURLY.
James Bellbridge answered, with Roman
brevity, No"
This was an insult; Mrs. WeSterfield ex-
pressed her sense of it She rose and pointed
TO the door. go back to America, as soon
as you please" she said; land find the money
you want-if you can"
As proof that she was in earnest she took
her copy Of the cipher out of the bosom of
her dress and threw it into the fire. 1.-The
original is safe in my old mans keeping"
she added. Leave the rOom.'
James rose with suspicious docility and
walked out, having his own private ends in
view.
Half an hour later Mrs. WeSterfield's old
man was interrupted over his work by per
son of bulky and blackguard appearance
whom he had never seen before.
The stranger introduced himself as gen.
tleman who was engaged to marry Mrs.
Westerteld; he requested mot at all politely
to be permitted to look at the cipher. He
was asked if he had brought written order
to that effect, signed by the lady herself. Mr..
Bellbridge, resting his fists on the writing
table, answered that he had come to look at
the cipher, on his own sole responsibility,
and that he insisted on seeing it Immediate
ly. ALLOW me TO show you something else
first" was the reply he received to this as
sertion of his will and pleasure. do you
know loaded pistol, sir, when you see it?''
The barrel of the pistol approached within
three inches Of the barman's big head, as he
leaned over the writing-table. For once in
his life he was taken by surprise. 1t had
never occurred to him that prOfeSsed inter
prefer of ciphers might sometimes be trusted
with secrets which placed him in a. position
of danger, and might, therefore, have wisely
taken measures to protect himself. No pow
er of persuasion is comparable to the power
possessed by a loaded pistol. James left the
room and expressed his sentiments in Ian
guage which has not yet found its way into
any English dictionary.
But he had two merits when his temper
was in a state of repoSe. He knew when he
was beaten, and he thoroughly appreciated
the value of the diamonds. When Mrs West
erfield saw him again, on the next day, he
appeared with undenable claims on her
mercy. Notice of the marriage had been re-
ceved at the church, and cabin had been
secured for her on board the steamer
Her prospects being thus settled, to her
own satisfaction, Mrs. Westerfeld was at lib
erty to make her arrangements for the de-
sertion of poor little sgd.
The person on whose assistance she could
rely was an unmarried elder sister, diStin-
guished as prOprietress of a cheap girls
school IN one of the suburbs of London. This
lady-known to local fame as Miss Wigger-
had already proposed to take sgd into train
ing as pupil teacher. III force the child
on" Miss Wigger promised, It'll she can
earn her board and lodging by taking my
lowest class. When she gets older she will
replace my regular governess and shall save
the salary"
With this proposal waiting for reply Mrs.
Westertield had only to inform her sister that
1t was accepted. Come here" she wrote,
'on Friday next at any time before two
o'clock and sgd shall be ready for you. p.
81 am to be married again on Thursday
and start Tor America with my husband and
my boy by next Saturdays steamer"
The letter was posted, and the mothers
anXlDnS mind w nj raA
lieved OF another worry.
AS the hour of s drew near on Wednesday
evening Mrs. Westerfields anxiety forced
her TO find relief in action of some kind. She
opened the door of her sitting room, and list
ened on the stairs. 1t still wanted a few
minutes to o'clock when there was ring
at the household. She ran down to open the
door. The servant happened to be in the
hall and answered the bell. The next mo-
ment the door was suddenly closed again.
Anybody there?" Mrs. Westerfield asked.
NO ma'am."
This seemed strange Had the old wretch
deceived her, after all? Look in the letter.
box" she called out The servant obeyed
and found a letter. Mrs. Westerfeld tore it
open, standing on the stairs 1t contained
half sheet OF common note paper. The in
depreciation of the cipher was written on it
in these words:
Remember No. 10 Purbeck road. St
Johns Wood. Go to the summer house in
the back garden. Count to the fourth plank
In the floor, reckoning from the side wall on
the right as you enter the summer house.
Prize up the plank. Look under the mold
and rubbish. Find the diamonds"
Not a word of explanation accompanied
these lines. Neither had the original cipher
been returned. The strange old man had
earned his money and had not attended to
receive it-had not even sent word where or
how it might be paid! Had ne delivered his
letter himself? lie Tor his messenger had
gone before the house door could be opened.
A sudden suspicion of him turned her cold.
Had he stolen the diamonds? She was on
the point OF sending for a cab, and driving to
his lodgings, when James came in, eager to
know if the Interpretation had arrived.
Keeping her suspicious to herself, she
merely informed him that the Interpretation
was in her hands. lie at once asked to see
it She refused to show il to him until he
had made her his wife. Put chisel in
your pocket when we go to church to-mor-
row morning." was the one hint she gave
him. AS thoroughly worthy of each ether as
ever, the betrothed lovers diStrustcd each
other to the last
At IL O'Clock next morning they were
united in the bonds Of wedlock; the land
lord and landlady of the public house in
which they had both served being the only
1t
permitted 70 see the ceremony On leaving
the church door the married pair began their
honeymoon by driving to St Johns Wood.
A dirty printed notice, in broken window,
announced that the house was to let; and a
souT-tempered woman informed them that
they were free to look at the rooms
The bride was in the best of humors. She
set the bridegroom the example of keeping
up appearances by examining the dilapidated
house first. This done, she said sweetly to
the person in charge: May we look at the
garden?"
The woman made a strange answer to this
request That's curious" she said.
James interfered for the first time. What's
curious?' he asked, roughly.
Among all the idle people who have come
here, at one time or another, TO see this
house." the woman said, only two have
wanted to look at the garden"
James turned on his heel, and made for
the summer-house; leaving his wife to pur-
sue the subject or not as she pleased. She
did pursue the subject
Il am one of the persons, of course" she
said. ''Who is the otherF''
AN old man came on Monday"
The brides pleasant smile vanished.
stWhat sort of person was hep, she asked