The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-09-28

"Roland," said Nora, "the Orange dia-
mond has lost a fortune for lis. If you
had written the night of the ball, that
last will of poor Aunt Sabina' would not
have been made"
"Wcll. dear, dare say we are us we'll
without it," responded Col. Cannork
rather rucfully.
Six months passed by bringing no news
of the lost jewel A letter came, how
ever, from Nora's Jim" III Colorado,
which afforded her intense pleasure 1t
was perfect volume, but the pith of it
was that Morals letter had arrived when
he was OIL the eve of committing himself
to some fatal act of folly at which he
darkly limited, and it had proved the
turning point. You saved INC and am
other" lie wrote; "our old life in Your
dear old home rose up before me us viv-
idly as though was in the midst of it
again. You, who have always remained
my ideal woman, you have again proved
my guardian angel. 1t had been so long
since had heard from you that had
dcspaired of ever seeing your han,lwri;-
ing again." etc., etc.
after ALL" said Nora, "thc Orange
diamond has done one good decd to put
against its sins"
One dark December evening at about
| Z O'Clock, Sir Meredith Walton, followed
by Lii Che, was walking down one of the
smaller streets opening out of tho Full
ham road.
A projecting door made a shallow
recess of deep shade. Wait there"
said Sir Meredith, and the Chinaman
instantly drew up and became IL still,
flat shadow within this space His
master crossed over and walked up
the street, turned. walked down,
turned again. Ii Che remained blotted
out in the doorway, and twenty minutes
passed by.
Then Il small door opened, and tho
broad shouldcrcd, slouchins figure of u
man emerged into the street Lii Che
softly extracted himself, and followed
tho heavy steps of this individual, Sir
Meredith promptly crossed the road
raped at the same door, and waited n
few moments Then the door was opened
about am inch.
"Wlat do you want nowl" asked Il
woman's sharp voice.; 81 wish you would
let mo be. 1t wouldn't take much to
make me call the police"
Sir Meredith msinuatcd the tip of his
bamboo cane within tho crack, and in
the most engaging tones said: Pardon
mo, Mrs. PcrsnQrc, but it is l, Sir Mere
dith Walton. hope you will not give
me in charge, but kindly let me in.'
Tho door quivcred; it was plainly the
lady's first impulse TO bang it, but the
bamboo was there, and some other scnti-
mcnt prevailed. f'linging wide open the
blistcrcd door, Nora's cx-mait, Pcrshorc,
looking very far from trim and tligniiiel
as when she was in Mrs. Cannock's scrv-
ice, appeared.
She stared at her visitor Will! a
blanchcd face of tcrrer.
''Somc one told you was living here,
| suppose, sir:' she said hoarsciy, "mv
old name not being on the door plate"
'Of course you married when you left
Mrs. Cannocl," he said chccrfully, "no
doubt; but I happened to sec YOU Nav
| come in:'
Without waiting TO be pressed he ell
tered tho narrow passage, and Pcrshorc,
shutting the door, followed him into a
minute fusty parlor.
81 have gone into tlle millinery bust
ness" she observed. Her manner had
become wavcring, she looked round at
her couple of dummies ;.i though hoping
to find support from their presence
"Kindly sit down" suggested Sir NIer-
sdith; 81 want a little talk with you.
To come at once to the point, it is about
the Orange diamond"
She gavean Involuntary gasp and then
fell into weak weeping.
81 thought, when first | set eyes ON
you, you WAS a terrible man, sir. What
should know about that ghoslly brooch
that lost me the best place ever WAS i'm?
| Mrs. Cannock's figure pleasure to fit,
and very comfortable downstairs. Yes,
it lost the place because / had splsrns
when | knew it WIS stolen, and Mrs
Cannock was so particular she wouldn't
keeps, maid subject to the Mysteries"
''I'csidcs, you knew all about it," said
Sir Meredith, with his eyes going like a
spiritual scaIpcl into the wolnans brain.
a suppressed shricll was her only All
swcr
"Now," said he, ION my advice a re-
ward is offered by Mcssrs. N for the
recovery Of the diamond, through any
one who was not the actual thief. You
were neither the thief nor the muir
tlcrcr'-
"Thc murderer" She cried. You don't
dare s!.pposc-
"S,En. he went OH. Gas l just said,
you were not concerned in the murder
of Joshua Gadd; on the contrary, it up
set your plans. Therefore, il you re-
store tho diamond you will not only he
let off punishment, but receive the rr-
ward. You arc at present in a very ,,n-
pleasant position, terrified, and possibly
in danger from the prosecutions of the
man who has just left your house,
"Tllat's where it is" she suddenly c.i-
claimed, taking her handkerchief from
her eyes. 81 shall be murdered one dav
as sure as | sit here, and to be protected
rs l have been, when the wretch was
thinking of making an end of mo, is al
most as bad"
| 4ot UitNC JloI lg'i lIliJ person, l
presume:
"Marric1 poor Joshua's murlercr!'
The words Of indignant protest were out
before Pcrsllore knew what she was 60
ing to say.
'Just so; but You were engaged or
married to Joshua Gad,l:'
IL don't know Of any person of the
name" The woman shra,l; back into
caution.
"No, Gadl was not lis real name, but
no matter. IL was you WHO were set to
watch the orange girl and take the
| jewel from her."
Sir Meredith did net rcmiosc his ewes
from their steady hold upon the woinan's
fascinated gaze. He was feeling lis
way along - line that might break at
any moment.
lit was you WHO pretended to be at
tractcd by seeing her fall down in Crom-
well road, and she had passed the dia-
mond on to You before the police came