The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-12-28
was Just telling my wife her diamonds be-


her neclace aud earrings.
Beautiful he saiO several times. "Dis
monds of the first water! know sometime
about diamonds; my great uncle was dia
mond merchant"
''If you were going with us you would SCI
far finer diamonds than NINE" said Lucy
''The duchess has dia monds that are abso
lutely princeless, andl such quality! Sh,
has them sewn on to her dress, and two de
tectives always close to her."
81 wonder she daIes walk about in sucl
precious things" observed Stormont. "a
large parties it is impossible to say what bat
characters may not slip in"
well, as matter Of fact, she doesn'
walk about" said Lucy. "a few years age
she hurt Der spine. out hunting, and she i;
always on the sofa"
Wouldn't you like to come with us, my
dear fellow" said I.
"Thank you, / think not" he replied
plaintively; II should like it,, but 1 fear the
noise and heat wsuld hurt my head. Thank
you, Lady Dennis. for letting me see your
treasures. hope you keep them carefully q''
"Oh, yes! Frank keeps them in his strong
box. and when we travel they 60 to the
Dank," she replied. Prank will lcck them
up tomorrow as safe as church."
"Tomorrow-not till tomorrow" ex.
claimed Stormont in Mortified voice.
NO." said she; ''why should he tire him.
self?" Nobody could take them out of our
ROOM"
At this moment the carriage was announc.
ed and carried Lucy off. 1t was a good
ball. and the duchess lay in state, covered
with superb diamonds, and watched by
acute and intelligent functionaries. In the
course of the evening gentleman-like
stranger, with long fair beard and rather
long fair hair, addressed me and asked if l
could point out Sir Francis Dennis l told
him that was the gentleman in question,
and he bowed courteously.
"You will excuse the liberty took" he
said, "but believe my old friend, George
Stormont, is staying with you. only heard
of his whereabouts today, ard at cockcrow
start for the Continent, or l should have
called to see him. Perhaps you will say you
met Colonel L 'Estrange."
was pleased with the coloneps manner,
and we entered into conversation, and after
a time he begged me to present him to the
duchess. This did willingly, knowing that
the poor duchess's chief pleasure lay in talk
ing with agreeable people. and after that [
lost sight of him.
1t was late when we left, and on reaching
home we found Stormont walking in the
drive, smoking. He followed the carriage
quickly and helped Lucy to alight, and we
stood talking in the hall few minutes.
"And the duchess and her diamonds ?" in
quired Stormont presently.
THE duchess and her diamonds were all
there" said /. "By the way, Stormont, I
met friend of yours, a Colonel L'Estrange,
and introduced him to the duchess, who,
| understand, was charmed with him."
HE is nice fellow" said Stormont;
quite ladies' man. / wonder what he was
doing there? However. mustn't keep you,
Lady Dennis; you must be very tired"
We went up stairs, and, as usual, Lucy's
diamonds were left on her dressing-table.
We had done this so repeatedly that it never
occurred to us to do differently, notwith-
standing the establishment that Stormont
had expressed. But we committed the in
discretion once too often. The next morning
Lucy's exquisite diamonds were gone.
An unusual event had happened at last,
but it was too serious for joking. Lucy was
teo miserable to get up, and at length [ left
her to her maid and went down to breakfast
alone, bordering what steps / should take
had hardly poured out my coffee WHEN
Stormont came in. He held an open letter
in his hand, and seemed quite alert and
cheerful.
"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 today"
Indeed said absently. "Your sister
Mrs. Macdonald-in town-ohw
Stormont looked at me, surprised.
Anything the matter?" he said. LADY
Dennis not well?"
"Well, yes, something is the natter" said
l. Something deucedly disagreeable has
happened. My wife's diamonds have been
stolen"
"Good Lord" exclaimed Stormont.
He was so taken aback that he literally
fell into chair and sat there staring at me.
"Those diamonds" he said at last. Those
splendid diamonds? have no words. Did
you lock them up?"
NO." / replied. 1--WE been COMPOUNDED
fool. But the diamonds were close to us and
we don't sleep heavily"
'Whom do you suspect?" asked Stormont.
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.
Scan do anything in town? must go up
by the TO-"
We discussed the subject all the morning,
and Stormont's indignant interest was very
consolatory, and when Lucy appeared she
was greatly cheered by his sympathy and
hopefulness. He was certain that the rogues
would be taken and the diamonds recovered !"
"You are very sanguine," said she. "You
seem quite well today, Mr.. Stormont."
81 feel much BETTER" he replied. Joy is a
fine doctor, and the expectation of seeing
my sister has made another man of me. Then
this atrocious burglary excites me to pitch
can't describe. Lady Dennis, you must
recover your diamonds. shall run down on
Saturday to hear the news. A talk will be
SO much more satisfactory than letters"
drove Stormont to the station. By his
advice had not called in the local police,
but telegraphed to London for a detective,
and should meet him by train which
would arrive soon after the 3.15 departed
by the way" said Stormont. as we stood
waiting on the platform, "about Colonel
l. Estrange-what was he like?"
About your height" said. "Thin and
fair, with long beard and longish hair-not
military-looking at ALL"
A very peculiar expression came over Stor-
monts face, and he whistled softly.
my dear fellow" he said, "thats your
burglar! How these rascals get to know
things passes my comprehension, but some-
how they do. | have friend-a Colonel
L'Estrange-but he is stout and extremely
dark, and wears moustache only. Depend
upon it, that fellow hoaxed yoa. wonder
he didn't pay his attentions to the duchess's
diamonds also"
So he had. A gentleman came up at the
moment and after shaking hands said ex-
citedly:
Heard the news, Dennis?"
"Only my own, Shaw" replied dismally.
my wife's diamonds have been stolen.''