Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-28

Marion did not laugh now, ne WAS too
much concerned about my obvious distress
and annoyance. To find ones idols so ut
tcrly shattered was a stunning blow but |
had TO arouse myself, for there were others
to be considered. What on earth was TO be
| done? The original stones were worth
many thousands of pounds | did not like
that loss, but the prospect of my mothers
trouble. when the truth became known,
vexed me infinitely more.
Anyhow" said Marion at last, " let us
keep it quiet for the present. | have no
doubt Mir. Rawsthorne will say nothing
about it to any one"
h RawsthOrne, whom we had known for
years promised silence, and | am sure he
kept his promise. After he had gone Mar
ton said:
II don't know exactly what made me
suspicious, except the conviction that pve
seen that woman before, and in connection
with something that wasn't straight. You
said there wasn't time 10 get those stones
changed between the Saturday, the day
Mrs. Walcot left Earnshaw, and the Mon
day when YOU got them back. But how if
il wasn't Mrs. WalcOt at all who took them
on the Saturday, but he, on the-which
day did he go? Wednesday,"
mo. on Thursday, by an early train"
"Mell, if he took them on the Thursday
he could get them changed by the Satur-
day night; no doubt he had the false ones
ready or somewhere within easy reach
Birmingham most likely; he posted them,
you said in bennington"
But how could they have got the da-
mOndsY" / made one more struggle in
my unwillingness to believe. Il don't
think that they were ont of our sight at
all, except. perhaps when dressing for din
ner, and at that time my mother would
herself be dressing in the next room with
the intervening door open; and when they
went TO bed"
Ali ,or-e they in bed all night? Your
bedroom Is next the boudoir; did you hear
any one enter, or any noise z"
Nothing, slept soundly-by the way,
yes, but did. heard that wretched We
nus snuffiing about. and told Mrs. Walcot
IN the morning that Venus was not much
TO depend on for a guardian, the creature
rambled about ~"
What did she say p
Nothing that | remember"
BE sure be got hold of them then, and
took the dog either 70 give warning or to
afford an excuse, il he were found at that
side Of the house, by saving the dog had
slipped out and he had followed 10 find her.
A pretty piece of work you will have 10 get
them back. If you go at him straight he
VIII declare the stones are as his wife
brought them, and that you are not acting
as a gentleman should-that is where he
VIII have you-in suggesting that they
have changed them. SO often husbands
have sold their wives diamonds and substi-
tuted paste that he can easily insinuate
you have had them changed yourself TO
spend on larks, without the mater, your
agent, your banker, or any one being the
wiser, and he will say you have taken adj
vantage of what he told you as q trusted
friend; he can make out a specious case,
and man Of that stamp caa invent other
hctio"s hardly lees annoying. Mrs. Wal
cot stayed alone with you, / think you
said. from the Thursday till the Saturday. |
! suppose you don't mind spending hun
dred or two over the business if you can
only recover them?"
Certainly, and twice as much for the |
thing neysr 10 have happenAd- Loan handy J