The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-09-18
MRS. 80 b
BY JOHN STRANGE WINTER.
4uiaor of" BootEe} Baby" Beautiful jim"
Etc, Etc.
CHAPTER xxIv.-THE TRUTH AT LAST.

room, that she wanted to write letter if
Miss Theodosia did not happen to want
her The old lady said that she did not.
and begged her to do exactly rs she
like[ "You have not come to Boscombe
to be my slave, my DEAR" she said, kindly.
"You are very kind" said Julia, then
looked at Stephen. "Stevie," she said, 81
wish you would come up for few min
utes. want to ask you about some
thingr'
So together they went upstairs, and as
soon as the door was shut Julia seized his
hand eagerly. "Oh, Stevie, " she exclaim-
ed, "such thought has come into my
mind"
"Yes-and about what my bird?" he
asked, sitting down in the big easy chair
by the bow window and looking up at her
with interest.
about the Little Street Hall robbery"
''Really, and what of it?" still in an
awaiting tone.
''Stevie," said Julia, impressively, and
dropping down on her knees before him.
'Stevie, that was the man who did it!'
He gave such a start at her words that
he nearly threw her backwards. ooh, my
dear, you made me jump nearly out of my
skim" he said, drawing her towards him.
what man do you mean dear"
''That Colonel Adeane. Depend upon it
he is the mani Miss Theodosia called him
Frank said they had always called him
Frank, and that he and Miss Lavinia had
been in love with each other for years. So
you can understand how she would call
out to him when she discovered him in
her bedroom, oh, Frank! Frank! to think
YOU should have come to this! Oh, my
God! | think it will break my heart.
Did you not see how confused he was at
the sight of Miss Theodosia, and how cold
ly and cOnventionally he received her in
vitatiOn to dinner. I did, and am sure he
was the man who did it, perfectly sure.
What do you think about it, Stephen?
Tell me-"
WELL" he said at last, eff you want to
know exactly what think, Juey-I think
you are going out of your mind. You
must be mad to suggest such thing"
She took as joke what he was meaning
in sober earnest. eyes, | know" she an
swered rather incOnsequently, ''but Stevie,
did you look at the man? Why, he had
guilt and confusion stamped upon him.
He was so confused he scarcely knew how
think she ought to be told about it, be-
cause if it is true that Miss Lavinia wish
ed to shield him because of what had gone
before, she is not here now to be VeXed
about it and it does seem a shame that
those Jewels, those lovely rubies, should
be spirited away and any effort spared
which might possibly restore them.
really think ought to tell Miss TheOdosia
what | suspect"
'And l." said Stephen, in an icy tone
'insist upon it that YOU do nothing of the
kind"
'Stephen!" cried Julia, looking at him
in amazement.
He answered the look straight into her
eyes. eyes" he said, coldly, II don't ask
you; simply insist that you never breathe
this ridiculous idea of yours to q living
soul. Do you think that | am going to
allow you, my wife, to make such fool
of yourself as to carelessly 4ast foul sus-
picion, one that has absolutely no grounds
whatever but the coincidence of name2
Why, you must be mad to dream of such
a thingr'
Julia rose to her feet. 81 am not mad
at all, Stephen" she said, with dignity,
"and it is not right Of you to speak to me
in that way if / were. l have something
more than mere suspicion. Why, if it
was all right, was an old friend of forty
years standing SO confused when he met
Miss TheOdOsia? | ask you was his man
ner all right? Was his way of accepting
the invitation for tonight that of an old
friend? Was he not confused, strained,
uncomfortable looking? Did he not give
you the impression of man who would
gladly get out of it if he cOuld?"
Eyes, he did, and so / dare say he would
have DONE" answered Stephen, promptly.
Remember this man was spOOny on Miss
IAvinia years and years ago-probably as
far back as five and thirty years since.
And it is very likely that he got over all
that nearly as many years ago and that as
a matter of fact he would rather walk up
to a lannon's mouth than come and talk
over the past with an old lady who would
be likely to rake up just what he most
wanted to forget And apart from that
you have got great many people to con-
slider besides him. Probably, if it was
true that he had taken the jewels and you
could clearly prove it. Miss Theodosia
would rather lose twenty times as much
than convict an old friend of his position.
Not for moment that | wish to imply
that 1 have any belief in, or sympathy
with, your absurd fancies The whole
thing is preposterous on the very face of
it, Why, you might as well accuse me of
it-better, for l should do nothing and he
would certainly at once enter an action
against you, and very properly, too"
81 believe he did it," said Julia, obsti-
nately.
''Well, whether you believe it or not it
is not your place to give an opinion. You
have absolutely nothing to gain by it, - he
went on, land it can make no real differ
ence to you whether Laura ever wears
those rubies or not. Anyway, must beg
that you will be silent on the subject"
''Well, think ought to tell Miss Theo-
dosia and then she can do as she likes
about following it up," said Julia. The
Traffords were all alike in one respect,
they possessed a wonderful tenacity of
purpose; and Julia in particular when once
firmly possessed of an idea did not easily
give it up.
Stephen Howard uttered an exclamation
of impatience and disgust. ''You must
do nothing of the Sort" he cried. Cant
Won see how unWlse and impolitic such an