Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-01-13
She turns almost detiantly upon Massa-
reene, who I'D to this has been silent.

She turns almost detiantly upon Massa-
reene, who up to this has been silent.
''Do you think she has?n
"A thousand times no!'' declares he
| gently. Miss Roche and deceit of any
kind seem to me as far apart as the poles.
1t stands to reason, too, that if she had
+ known anything of the lost diamonds, she
would hardly have worn them here"
He is SO earnest, SO eager in his speech,
that NIillicent with her eyes full of tears,
lays her hand on his This act repays
him for many things, and makes him
trebly Madness friend And his argu-
ment, too goes home to Lady Va1worth,
so that two causes are gained. If the
latter had ever permitted herself to have
any doubts, they now vanish into moth
ingness, and only Madness pale, pure face
rises before her. On such face no guilt
could lie!
''My dear, meant nothing-nothing
so far as Nadine is concernedr' she cries
in agitation; ''but, of course, it is only
natural that I should desire the return of
my diamonds-Sir Thomas diamonds. If
Nadine can help me to Il solution of this
difficulty, shall forever hold her in my
debt.
"Who gave this cross to her?' asks
Eilliccnt suddenly, if little coldly.
''Thc man to whom she is engaged.
Paul Annerley she called him. The man
she is going to marry"
''YOu present him to me in the light of
either a dupe or a swindler.''
"a dupe, most probably. He may,
however, be of use to us in the discovery
of the missing stones"
cit will distress Nadine very much to
have her lover accused of being an out
slider in this affair."
Il do not see that" says Massareene,
quickly, who is as honest as he is fulfilled
of love. IF he can lead justice to its ends,
why should he not be used? Miss Roche,
| am sure, would be the very last to pre-
vent that; and SO, when you come to think
of Unlocking at would
you
s'Well-perhaps But Nadine must not
be leased now. Not tonight. To-mor-
row night perhaps, when the ball is over
but not BEFORE
GAS you will" says Lady valworth,
with q sigh.
she would have liked to speak with
Nadine now at once. ''Is it a cOnspiracy?''
asks Duran, coming up at this moment
and touching Lady Valworth lightly on
the arm. You all look SO solemn-even
Miss Grey who, as a rule, is gay as spring
time
''Ohr' eXclaims Millicent; sit is this
curious affair." she goes on; ''auntie
imagines she has seen tonight some of
her lost diamonds. And where do you
think?'
''In the servants hall?'' suggests he,
laughing.
ono Here In this very room, worn
Dy one of her guests
''Impossiblen Something in her tone
'emoves the smile from Duran's lips. He
nrns to Lady Valworth. GA guest?'' he
says.
''Millicent is indiscreet, hesitates Lady
ValwOrth casting a reproachful glance at
Ter niece.
''Not that; only a little angry, - returns
Millicent, with a rather tremulous smile.
''And why should what you have told us
be hidden? Why, after all, are we to
whisper of it in corners? We almost con-
denim her in SO doing"
''Condemnl Who?' exclaims Duran
sharply.
Instinct, love, what you will, has led
him to knowledge of the truth
Nadine replies Lady Valworth in
low tone, her eyes lowered.
''Who has dared''- He checks him
self abruptly by an effort that renders his
face as white and cold as marble. ''You
can scarcely allude to Miss Roche when
speaking of this matter, - he goes on, with
a labored attempt to appear calm.
''Of Nadine? Yes. But it is all mis-
take SAYS Millicent. Lady Valworth
has seen a diamond cross around her
neck. But one cross of that sort is so like
another / for my part feel sure it is
mere coincidence" ''It is q point on
which no doubt should be allowed to rest
even for a moment" declares Duran, his
brow darkening. He looks round him.
''N1iSs Roche is at the other end of the
room. VIII you permit me to bring her
here, Lady Valworth, and let you have
closer examination Of this cross? You,
too, Miss Grey? You know the cross in
question:" Il have seen it-yes," says
Millicent, slowly. ''If you think it bet
ter to lift this doubt from Lady Val
worth's mind so-bring Nadine here. But
upon one thing 1 insist''-fiXing her eyes
first on him and then on her aunt with an
mperious glance-"that no thought of
our suspicion is betrayed to Nadine. /
will not have her hurt-offended'' -
-afler anu her eyes tre troubled. Could
she know it, her agitation, kindly,
wOmanly as it is-has made Duran her
friend for life.
Certainly no allusion should be made
to-er-anything awkward, puts in Mas
sareene hurriedly.
Duran has already gone in quest of Ma
dine; and presently returns, bringing
her to where Lady Valworth, MilIicent
and Gerald Massareene are standing.
The girl, flushed and lovely, forgetful
for the moment of all her cruel future
and mindful only of the happy present
that has given her Duran, advances
toward the anxious, eXpectant group
with smiling lips and wide, glad eyes.
Upon her neck the fatal cross is rising,
falling, glttering, as only the pureSt
diamonds can. Millicent, her gaze fixed
upon them, feels her heart contract. If
not Lady Nalworth's cross, it is unfortu-
nately horribly like it.
Some few words pass between her and
Nadine The latter is too full of the
hours passionate Joy to heed the grief
within her friends eyes. But Duran
reads it Lady Valworth, after one
swift glance at the girls neck, lets her
gaze sink to her fan, with which she per-
sistently trifes until Nadine has gone by
them.
''Wen?'' she says then, addressing Mil
licent.
Il acknowledge it is like your cross
so like that it may be yours; and, if so,
no doubt this Paul Annerley bought it
for her from wherever the thief sold it."
GA city clerk!-to buy that jewelr'
There is unbelief, keen and strong in
Lady ValwOrth's low tone.
Chow else could he have obtained it?
Who is this Paul Annerley? How should |
he have had access to your jewel case?"
MISS OIeS > Tome Is somewhat 1npa- |
tient.
"That is what I cannot say. l only |
know the cross is mine" replies her aunt |
doggedly.
'1t resembles it. That l admit But |
think time will prove to you that you |
are mistaken. 1t is probably only paste"
''Paste of that sort is expensive for
city clerk"
Her obstinacy Anglers Millicent.
''Then in all probability, as l said be-
fore, it is mere glass-Spanish crystal
what you will, :" she says, Struggling her
shoulders. II can well believe it is |
bit of French iewelry. What | cannot
believe is, that Nadine has had any inter-
course with a thief
GAS you have said, time will tell" re-
plies Lady Valworth, modify.
CONTINUED
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Then called upon To nrescribe couph or cold |