Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-07-03

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gentlemen too often are, and asked a
variety of questions about my BUSH
ness, commiseratipg me.upon the anx-
iety L must suffer in travelling the
country with so vast and tempting
treasures in my possession.
will not detain you with the result
OF my interview with the Earl and his
daughter. | was fortunate enough to
have in my possession the precise Or
naments they required; and as re-
turned to town that night, we'll pleased
with my journey and q big check in my
pocket, congratulated myself that my
treasures were so considerably light
ened since the morning. It was more
than twelve months before I heard
from the Earl again.
1t was ono dull November morning,
with q fog beginning to settle over the
city,, so dense that we had lighted the
gas, though it was not long past eleven,
when visitor was ushered into the
counting house-no one else than the
! slim gentleman, who gave me smil-
ing recognition and held out a note for
| my perusal. / was somewhat aston
lshed and not little pleased when
saw that it was an order for q parure
OF diamonds; in fact, almost the same
order as l had received nearly eight
cen months ago. In a jocular way I
pointed out this resemblance to the
slim gentleman. 10 my surprise his
face became grave, and he looked
around cautiously, as if afraid
of eavesdroppers, and coming a
little closer, began in a significant
tone: "Of course, you understand, sir,
that confidential servants are often
obliged to know things that it is as
We'll other people should be ignorant
OF. Every noble family has it's skele-
ton, and our family have theirs. Now,
in the first place, have you another
suite OF diamonds the counterpart of
the others my lord purchased"
intiinated that we had such another
suite, as the Earl must remember; but
my visitor waived the question aside
mpatiently.
You might possibly have sold it,
he said, land there is no time to make
another. The fact is, Lady R, who
is staying with us now. must wear
those jewels at a dance we are giving
tomorrow night. And this is where
the difficulty comes in, for they have
been stolen!''
Good gracious, you don't say so!
But why make a mystery of the mat
ter?n
Because we happen to know who
the thief ISL said the valet, dropping
his voice still lower. Ito a great ex-
tent I was instrumental in detecting
the delinquent myself. 1t is Il de-
plorable affair, a shocking affair-such
a promising young gentleman, too
But am saying too much, perhaps.
NJ. -, we must have those Jewels
at any price. If not. one of the high
est families in the land will be terri
bly, compromised. Do not be at Ar
lington street later than 800"
l always had weakness for a mys-
terry, and here was one ready to my
hand. | could understand, from my
visitors little indiscretion, that some
terrible scandal had happened, though
l admired the fellows cautiousness il,
checking himself before he had said
too much. Under the circumstances
need not tell you that my cab
reached Arlington street on the stroke
of 2:3O
The drawing-room blinds were down;
the shutters, too, all over the house,
with the exception of the dining-room.
In the clearer atmosphere it was fairly
light-light enough to do without gas.
In the front dining-room young man
was standing before the fire, who
pleasantly introduced himself to me az
Hon. Claude v, name I know
well enough, though had never seen
the young gentleman before. In spite
of his naturally amiable manner I
thought he seemed anxious and i'll at
ease, frequently breaking off in the
middle of some observation to listen 10
the sound of voices, which came plainly
enough from behind the thin orna-
mental partition dividing the two
rooms, and whence the Earl's peculiar
grating tones could be heard every
now and then raised in something like
anger. I could catch from time to time
illusions to diamonds, and occasionally
the word thief" was used in tones
of unreasonable contempt. In the
midst of this the door opened and
the gentlemanly valet walked in.
Even he seemed somewhat restless
and uneasy, a circumstance I should
scarcely have expected from person
of his unusually even temperament. He
held in his hand an open telegram and
a letter for me, the ink still wet upon
the envelope. I tore it open and read
that his lordship had suddenly been
summoned to NJ Castle, the valet
at the same time showing me the tele-
gram, signed "Mary."
"You will have to go down to NJ
tomorrow, SIR" he said to me, ''un-
less perhaps you have no objection to