Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-02-16

him into good humor, ! nagnani.
mOusly resolved to put a. nd to hi.
victims anxiety.
What is the matter. old Iady?' be
inquired one evening afl~ dinner.
sYon don't look we'll
4 '0hl Josiahl' exclaimed Xrs. Grif-
fsnhoof with . burst Of pent-up emo
tion. as refreshing TO her aaikated soul
a. Q summer shower to thirty earth.
"Such dre-dre-dreadful hing has
happened I haven't dar>d to tell
youT
Why whatl' exclaimed Mr. Grit.
fenhoof. with fsignsd apprehension.
/ Poor Ameiia's diamond atarr gasp
ed his wife.
well. what about it,
4 lost it that evening we dined at
the Baldistone's,' exclaimed Mrs. Grit.
fenhoof. with o fresh outburst Of
weeping.
Lost itl Good heavens. Marial And
never told mel said her husband,
looking very severe.
Don't scold me. josiah pleaded his
wife. quite piteously.
1t can't be helped, of course. said
Mr.. Griffenhoof. softened by her dis
tress. AT the same time. if you had
followed my advice. i should have
been spared the heavy expense. which
I can i'll afford. of replacing this val.
liable ornament
i don't think you will have to do
that, JOSIAH said his wife, cheering
mp a little. The inspector told me
to-day that he thought he would re.
cover it.
The Inspector What Inspector
cried Mr.. Grifenhoof with start.
DO you mean to say that you called
in the pOlice9 he added. testify.
why. of course, Josiah. was
bound to make every effort to recover
Amelia's property, replied the wife.
rather startled by his manner. i
made all inquiries that I could myself,
and then, the day before Yesterday, I
sent for the police
What nonsenser exclaimed Mr..
Griffenhoof, more disturbed than he
cared to show. You ought to have
consulted me. Maria, instead of taking
so much upon yourself 1t isn't worth
making all this fuss and bother about.
will 60 and see thsinspsctor myself
he added abruptly.
Deferring. for the moment. the rev.
elation which he had in store, Mr..
Griffenhoof at once put on his hat and
started off to the police-station. leav-
ing his wife considerably mystifed by
his behavior, but entirely unsuspicious
of the cause of it. Mr.. Grifenhoof
was unreasonsbly vexed and irritated
at the police having been communi-
Gated with, for he had o nervous hor.
ror of the law. besides which, he was
startled at the prospect of having to
confess himeslf practical joker. So
unwilling was he to accept this un-
digni6ed.. position. that he resolved, if
necessary, to offer some other explana-
tion.
When he arrived at the police-sta.
ton, he found that the inspector en-
duty was the individual who had
charge of his case; tall. lean, cheer.
less. long-visaged man, with cold.
steely-blue eye, which Mr.. Griffenhoof
thought unpleasantly penetrating.
I've called, Inspector said Mr..
Griffenhoof. nervously. to say tha.
you needn't trouble any more about
that diamond star which my wife lost.
Much obliged for the trouble you've
taken. Sorry you were called in.
Not the least occasion
How 90. sirr inquired the inspec-
tor. shortly.
How so? Oil Whyl Well-the fact
is. we have found it. said Mr.. Griffen.
hoof. desperately.
When was that sir7' demanded the
inspector, with his cold blue eyes fixed
upon Mr.. Griffsnhoof.
When? Oil To-day. Just now
said Mr.. Griifenhoof. pulling himself
together.
Where did you find it. sirl' asked
the inspector.
'Wheref Why well: what the
deuce does it matterY exclaimed Mr.,
GrifenhOOf. writhing under this eros I.
examination. I've found it, and Il at
is enough. I suppose.
1T is an odd thing, air. said the
inspector. with strange deliberation,
'that ID shonld haze hesn found after
] searched the house myself
/ II Mr. GrifEsahoof had retained his
self-possession be would have simply
acaniesced in this rennsrk and lsk ths