Telegram-herald., 1889-10-27

= TIE bard 3 the distSuoe. and ReW the
voices q R-ssl2n gee slngerss Col Can
mock .ookel f.T his ssife, feeling uneasy.
half alarmed 81 hls frleDa : strange asser-
eioa ne ssid u hlnss.f E<ssE even " sltoa
uight b mistaken son1stirnez. thAt he
h4d eot iato TIE habit q asemiRg hin-
sslf infallitls and pr&cEicing an aEcaile5
ia susp.cioasness BE wzs presently
accosteS by oae q rhe rsJ4ns suite, who
with : profound t.o~ informed him that
her la5yshiy Mrs. O4l.nock was waiting
for him in the A AusIT-lzs-2n court Tie
dark face and leWeled uurbsn bo~ 81
themselves sway again among Ehe motley
throng. and iannocz hurried GA IL tie
direeton named 10 him The cream
and silver folds Of his wifes train
caught lis eve the moment he mount
ed the step into the court Ii formed
the one pale spot against the quaint
background Of green foliage DARK ~ u
vans, brown sAvages gliding, "a skill
fully seeming - glide, Oh the painted
river 4 great mass Of real foliage and
living palms h2d been added u the dec
orati0ns. and the court Was empty but
for that one moon hued figure.
"Oh, Nora" he began at once, for be
WAS dying 70 tel her al about II.
Nora" he repeated, dashing up with
one stride. Shs remained immoysble.
her head turned and resting against the
plush back oi the settee.
He bent down 10 examine her face
with a sudden oramp Of agonized appre-
hension al his heart. She was perfectly
still. her ewes open, but unseeing lie
tried her pulse, and when he had stoadied
himself to attention found that IL beat
lie laid her full length on the couch and
she sighed. consciousness Was evidently
returning. Looking round for help he
saw some one coming down the vista Of
greenery and called out. Up strobe Sir
Meredith Walton.
Il was in search Of YOU. he said. then
fixed his eyes on the recumbent figure Of
his friends wife. "Ill fetch doctor,
he added. and without one question or
remark was gone like lamplighter
Even at that anxious moment his
prompt exit provoked smile. recalling
many an exciting episode on both Eng
lish and Oriental cricket field 10 Col
Cannock. Before he returned with a
distinguished physician in his relentless
grasp Mrs. CannOck had recovered con-
sciousness, though not clearness Of recol-
lection. Her husband pressed her 10 tell
him what was the matter; all she could
say was:
Il really have not the least notion; !
l don't think am ILL.,
Sir Meredith and the doctor appeared
in a very short time. The latter stopped
down, picked up a white handkerchief,
and said:
"This is the explanation. I'm afraid
it's case for the magistrate rather than
the physician. Mrs. Cannock, do you
miss anything!
Two voices exclaimed together, 'The
diamond has gone!'
"This," said the doctor, "is what they
call in my part of the country a pretty
kettle of fish. OF course l know that it
is the famous Orange diamond that is
gone. What can 1 do to assist you, Col
Cannock?'
Sir Meredith Walton vanished without
a word.
Husband and wife gazed st one an
other, paralyzed for the moment by the
greatness Of the disaster. The doctor
carefully folded the handkerchief
stepped in a strong anesthetic, and cast
his experienced eyes slowly round.
Wigwam and canoeing savage did not
escape his scrutiny. nor even the ma
hogany brown papooses sprawling in
close imitation of nature.