The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-06
t was surprising how calmly she took the

1t was surprising how calmly she TOOK the
matter.
Nurse was a little disappointed-sh
would have liked 10 see her downfall ac-
companied by signs of rage and discom-
future; but Constantia went about with
the meekness and patience of a sister of
mercy. In due time her baggage was
ready-many heavy cases, Whereas"
commented nurse, sarcastically, "when
she came she had nothing but little
handbag" And the packages were all
neatly marked in white paint withe the
NJ inclosed in lozenge shaped figure. 4
baggage-van came and took them away
after dark.
And then Constantia came to say good
bye. still meek and forgiving. Louise felt
remorseful and i'll at ease, feeling that she
had done the girl an injustice, She had
ordered some supper Tor her; but she
would partake of nothing but some choc-
olate, which the girls partoOk of together
II shall be gone before you are down to-
morrow" said Constantia, $50, goodbye"
Tears stood in her eyes. Louise also was
weeping in sympathy, and Constantia
folded her in an embrace that was almost
fierce in its intensity Was it affection OF
a desire to cut her throat? Louise could
not tell. But she had no longer any fear.
EhS hdd huLS hcl IOuuu utI llcGk,
and, knowing it safe, there was nothing
more TO dread. But, when Constantia had
retired, a strange drowsiness came over
Louise. The excitement of the day, no
doubt, would account for that. No; she
would not have nurse to sleep in her room
or Luigi TO watch outside. There was no
more danger now. She locked her door
carefully, that was all, and fell into a
heavy, dreamless sleep the moment that
her head touched the pillow.
There was good news for Louise next
morning Aunt Irene had passed an ex-
cellent night, and had recovered conscious
ness so far as to ask for her niece Con-
stantia, too, had departed; and nothing
had been seen of Mr.. Papyrus, although
he had promised an early visit. But
Louise was asleep still and at noon, when
BERTHE came to see her, she still slept.
I'm not going to waken her" said
nurse. "She has had trouble enough
lately, poor child let her sleep it off"
But in few moments there was heard
cry Of alarm and distress from Louise's
room: "My key, nurse l have lost my
keyW
"And if you have lost key, dear, what
does it matter?" cried nurse soothingly,
as she entered the room, The door was
unfastened, although Louise had locked it
the night before.
But, nurse, you don't know; it is the
key OF evervthing-of life, happiness-of
everything"
Louise had gone to sleep with the key
safely hanging from a ribbon round her
neck. The ribbon was there, cut in two,
but the key was gone. And certainly
there was the mark of a chisel on the
door-jamb, as if somebody had forced
back the lock. Was anything else miss
ing? Nothing, as far as could be seen at
hasty glance, except-yes, Louise's hat
was gone, and the costume she had worn
the day before, when she went into the
city.
BERTHE was waiting in the drawing-room,
and Louise ran to him in dressings gown
and slippers, and with hair hanging down.
"0h, Herbert help me- ! have been
robbed of my key-of everything" And
in few hasty words she told him of the
fortune that had been locked up in the
iron safe and of the imminent peril there
was of losing it. For now the plot was
evident and still more evident when
BERTHE revealed what he had seen the day
before Oh, that he had warned her. Oh,
that she had trusted him!
Constantia had carried out the scheme,
no doubt, which her brother had perhaps
suggested. Constantia had drugged the
chocolate. Constantia, in her treacherous
embrace, had felt the key as it hung by
her friends throat. She had forced the
door, taken the kew, and clothed in
Louise's costume, and resembling her in
hight and figure and general appearance,
she would have had no difficulty in OBJ
tanning entrance 10 the vaults of the secu-
rity company, when her key would place
the contents of the safe at her mercy. And
Constantia had been given several hours
start; and az for tracing her, what was
there 10 trace her by? Even the list OF
securities was with the rest, and beyond
Louise's vague recollection OF certain
bonds among them, there was nothing 10
identify the spoils.
All was lost, the dream of a day had de-
parted and once more the specter of pow
crty and social extinction resumed its
sway. And, 10 crown all, there could be
heard in the hall the stentorian tones OF
Papyrus, evidently in terrible anger.
"Where is my ten shousant pount?
Come, where is my ten shousant pount2'
ooh, treacherous talisman." cried
Louise, bursting into tears. "Why did
you not warn me OF all this?'
But il was not the fault OF the talisman.
which had lain neglected in the young
lady's drawer ever since she had discov-
cred the key OF the safe. But now, as she
held il in her hands, the casket closed and
fastened at n touch, although before she
had long tried in vain TO shut il.
Still the voice of Papyrus could DC heard:
"Oh, where is my ten shousant pount?'
And at that momen something like an in
SEPARATION darted into Herbert's mind. lie
ran out to meet Papyrus.
"Where is your ten thousand pounds?
Why, sailing down the river in the Krapo-
ticas, while George and Constantia are
sitting in the cabin counting their money,
and laughing at YOU for an ass"
"What, what" roared Papyrus. "Dey
have run away and robbed me! Oh, the
scoundrels, the villains"
"Come along, then, we will stop them"
cried BERTHE, pushing Papyrus toward the
door. "There is nothing like setting n
thief to catch thief. Goodbye, dearest, |
will come back with fortune on my wings"
The day passed slowly and dismally
enough with Louise. A telegram came
from BERTHE, dated Gravesend. They had
just missed the Krapoticas. But they
hoped to have better luck at Dover.
Then, just at midnight. came another
telegram from Dover: "Krapoticas sunk
in the Downs-in collision. Some OF crew
saved, but passengers drowned. Divers
will be employed, but Papyrus claims all
salvage. Position difficult. Consult law
yers."