Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-12-05

differently, Notwithstanding the aston
ishment that Stormont had expressed.
But we committed the indiscretion once
too often. The next morning Lucy's ex-
quisite diamonds were gone.
An unusual event had happened at
| last, but it was too serious for joking.
Lucy was too miserable to get up, and
at length left her to her maid and went
down to breakfast alone, bordering what
steps 1 should take. 1 had hardly
| poured out my coffee when Stormont
came in. He held an open letter in his
hand. and seemed quite alert and cheer
! full.
Good morning." he began, eagerly.
''I've heard from my sister. She is in
London; has come up on purpose to meet
me and wants me to join her to-day"
Indeed said 1, absently. Your
sister-Mrs. Macdonald-in town-oh!'
Stormont looked at me, surprised.
"Any thing the matter?" he said.
Lady Dennis not well?"
swell, yes, something is the matter, "
said l. Something deucedly disagree
able has happened. My wife's diamonds
have been stolen"
''Good Lordr exclaimed Stormont.
He was so taken aback that he literally
felTinto a chair and sat there staring at
me.
''Those diamonds?" he said at last.
''Those splendid diamonds? 1 have no
words. Did you lock them up?'
NO" 1 replied; give been a con-
| founded fool. But the diamonds were
close to us, and we don't sleep heavily"
"Whom do you suspect?" asked StOr-
mont. 'hs# >
mo one" said. "All my servants
have been with me for long. Some one
must have been secreted in the house"
"And what are you going to do?" he
asked.
'Can do any thing in town? must
go up by the 3:15."
We discussed the subject all morning,
and Stormont's indignant interest was
very consolatory, and when Lucy APP
peared she was greatly cheered by his
sympathy and hopefuiness. He was GER
tain that the rougues would be taken
and the diamonds recovered.
"You are very sanguine," said she.
You seem quite well to-day, Mr.. Stor-
mont"
81 feel much better" he replied. ''Joy
is fine doctor, and the expectation of
seeing my sister has made another man
of me. Then this atrocious burglary ex-
cites me to pitch ! can't describe. Lady
Dennis, you must recover your diamonds.
1 shall run down on Saturday to hear the
news. a talk will be so much more sat
isfactory than letters"
l drove Stormont to the station. By
his advice I had not called in the local
police, but telegraphed to London for a
detective, and l should meet him by a
train which would arrive soon after the
Sis departed.
by the way" said Stormont, as we
stood waiting on the platform, ''abOut
| Colonel l. Estrange-whatw was he hke?"
about your height" 1 said. Thin
and fair, with long beard and longish
hair; not military looking at ALL
A very peculiar expression came over
! Stormont's face, and he whistled softly.
MY dear fellow" he said, that's
your burglar! How these rascals get to
know things passes my comprehension,
but somehow they do. have a friend
"a Colonel L'Estrange-but he is stout
and extremely dark, and wears mus
tache only. Depend upon it, that fellow
hoaxed you. wonder he didn't pay his
attention to the duchess diamonds also"
So he had. A gentleman came up at
the moment, and after shaking hands
said excitedly:
Heard the news, DenniS?"
''Only my own, Shaw" l replied, dis
mally. My wife's diamonds have been
stolen"
by jove!" cried Shaw. "And the
duchess lost twenty of her finest dia-
monds last night-cut off her dress
while the detectives stood by"
We told him about L'Estrange, and he
listened with interest.
"We think it is a celebrated burglar
of the name of Paxton, alias Grubb, he
said, lowering his voice. That's what
the police think. They say no other
man could have done it,"
Il thought Paxton was safely out of
the way" said Stormont. Surely re-
member hearing of him when l was a
lad. Wasn't he concerned in the great
diamond robbery at Grey Towers in '69?''
''He was" replied Shaw, ''but he's on
the loose again now, and the police have
been watching him. A fortnight ago
Mrs. Howard lost her dressing-bag, with
e., 900 worth of jewels in it. Paxton was
suspected and trace to Canterbury, then
gave his pursuers the slip and disap-
peared."
''He has probably been lying perdu in
the neighborhood," said Stormont, as
the train came up. Dennis, write to
me at Morley's if l can help you in the
least. Au revoir till Saturday. Thank
you beyond words for all your kindness. :"
That evening as we sat at dinner, Mr..
Stormont was announced. rushed out.
But the Stormont who stood before me,
with Edgar Arrowsmith's letters in his
hand, was not the man who had gone to
town that afternoon. In a moment
realized the truth. Stormont the first
was Paxton the burglar!
Certainly very uncommon thing haC
happened at last, and when Paxton was
caught it all came outflow he had
robbed Mrs. Howard, and hiding in my
grounds, had heard Lucy read her broth
er's letter aloud-how, as Col. LES
TRANCE, under cover of my introduction,
he had robbed the duchess-how, as he
stood on the platform talking of the
burglary, the duchess diamonds and
Lucy's were actually on his person!
There was no doubt that Paxton had
been superlatively clever, and in my
| 90 he Al lon -