Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-01

A V ANOD A Il 4NAlA A As AO business in some strange way he had failed to explain. They were valuable; too valuable to be worn publicly as yet, until he had made his fortune and hers. Too valuable to be worn at Mrs. Brands, for example He had, indeed, made her give her promise not to wear them at Mrs. Brands, and she had faithfully kept that promise.
 But there! He had not surely calcu- lated on the fact that she would ever be herein such house as this. If he had known, he would have been the first to tell her to make herself look as charm ing as was possible to her. He would have had her no whit behind the rest. The very fact that she does not love him has made her the more particular in the matter of obeying him, and now little pang shoots across her heart as she won- ders whether she had been deaf to his desires when she hung that diamond cross last night around her neck. Ger tainly it had brought her no delight no luck. It had hurt Lady Valworth, her kind friend. It had hurt Duran, too, in some odd way. She could not tell how exactly, but he had asked her one or two questions about it, and had refrained from praise of it, even when she laid it in his palm for inspection.
 No; not the cross. The sapphire pend ant, rather. She lifts it from it's case, and raises her arms above her head and clasps it round her neck As she sees it glittering upon her lovely skin, she smiles softly to herself, and bends for ward full of girlish delight at the beauty of it, and tells herself that Lady Val worth will be pleased to see her thus bedecked out to do honor to the home coming of her son, Capt. Boyle-this dearly loved son, who, to Nadine, is as yet unknown, but of whom she has heard so much.
 With last lingering glance at the mirror, that gives ner back her charms so truly, she leaves the room. As yet it is early for the arrival of guests, and as she enters the huge ball room she finds it al- most deserted. The fiddlers are tuning their instruments in monotonouS lugu- brious way, and one or two people are The lights as yet are dim, and Nadine can scacely see them. She walks quickly in their direction, her heart beating gladly with sense of youth and joy, that no misery in the future has power to kill. AS she draws nearer the laughter she can see that her two or three have developed into group. Duran is here, and Gerald Massareene; Mrs. Brand and Millicent. As Nadine comes up to them some of the servants turn up the lights to the fullest, and quite glow of brightness is flung upon the room. Duran steps for ward to greet Nadine. He says nothing to her, but only holds out his hand as if in welcome. In reality, the soft sweet beauty of her has entered into him and stricken him dumb. The lamps are shin ing upon her starry eyes, her red parted lips, her face so like flower. The dainty, shy glance, that half bespeaks the praise and half decries it; the lovely kissable mouth, that would fain say, "Am I not good to look at, dear, my love?' yet dreads to say it; the bent, yet proud little head, the tender, longing smile, all appeal to him. His hand closes upon hers. She is his at this moment, whatever other forlorn times the years may hold for him and her, and with the eager hand clasp he leads her forward to where the lamps shine clearest-to where all may see how fair his love can be.
 He turns to make some gay remark to Millicent, still holding Nadine's hand but glance at Miss Grey's face checks him. She has grown positively livid. She was full of laughter just minute ago. but now mirth has died from her and her lips are all set and stern, her color ghastly.
 '"Take her away-anywhere! Into the next room," she says in tone of SUD- pressed but passionate command to Du- ran. There is no need for him to ask to whom she alludes-her eyes are riveted upon Nadine's neck, where the sapphire pendant is resting calmly. Duran, who is a man quick to understand, scenting danger in the air for her he loves draws Nadine aside and presently takes her out of the room. A little too late, however.
 Mrs. Brand too had seen and recognized the sapphires!
 The guests have all arrived, the ball is at its height. Yet still the hero of it is absent. There is, however, 8 midnight train that will in all probability bring him.
 ''It must He has never failed me yet,n says Lady Valworth, with a rather wan smile, who is feeling hurt and disap- pointed.
 Millicent. who has been going about with nervous distressed air all the night has been regarded as model fiancee by all her world. Plainly, sbe is fretting for her recreant lover. She has more feeling than they had given her credit for. She is not the heartless, soulless creature they had imagined! Yet her thoughts have never wandered to Granit; they have Ueeu ceuIereCl on the preCty, happy crea- ture, who, with the stolen sapphires lying on her bosom, has been blissfully unconscious of the gathering storm that is so soon to break upon her.
 Duran had made it first care to learn the cause of Miss Grey's desire to get rid of Nadine as soon as her glance fell upon her in the ball room. What he had been told since by Millicent had led him at once to a knowledge of the truth. He was al- ready aware of the suspicion about the diamond cross worn by Nadine the night before. It is now impossible to him to disbelieve but that this lover of Nadine's this Paul Annerley-had something to do with the robberies both of the dia- monds from Valworth, and the famous sapphires from Park lane. If this be true! If this be provedi He is sngry with himself for the wild thrill of joy that rushes through every pulse, as this thought suggests itself and takes root within his breast. If it prove true! Why then Nadine will be free! This