Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1890-09-26
NO.. 81.

night had warning Of winter.
There were sounds Of closing doors, Of
moving footsteps, about the great house
for a half hour or more. On the landing
of the first floor Helen said good night
TO her guest and the women separated
and went to their rooms. The last light
was extinguished after time and every
thing sank into silence.
The creaking of door woke no echo
in the wide hall. A window at the end
of it admitted moonlight cloisteral in its
whiteness. 1t just touched softly step
ping figure dressed in black. In black,
OF course. How could one tell what
trick stray moonbeam falling on white
might playf
Miss Vassar slept behind locked doors.
But between her bedroom and the hall
was a small boudoir. There was moon
light enough here also. Enough, at least, T,
to see ones way to the curious cabinet of
inlaid japanese woods that stood in one
corner. A fragile thing In appearance,
but not fragile in reality, unless you hap
peued to know the mechanism of its Sec
ret drawers.
When you did, what more easy than
to touch a spring and assist the hinge
that noiseles,ly turned, exposing the in
distinct contour of the we'll. known Golfer
behindl The box was light of weight,
despite the value it represented. But
those swift, dexterous fingers had no
thought Of carrying it. Already they
had pressed the secret spring lock that
opened it and lifted the padded tray. Just
then the moon passed urder cloud.
But there was no possibility of mistake in
the touch of those cold chained stones,
slipping, like snake, against the palm.
This was the wonderful Vassar necklace,
enriched, in three successive generations,
by gems scarce anywhere to be matched.
The tray was replaced, the Golfer put
back, the hinge turned. The japanese
cabinet stood in its corner as if no alien
touch had violated it. The dark figure,
in the light of the reappcaring moon,
glded from tie room as noiselessly as il
had glided in.
"That wretched woman has been sen.
fenced to ten years in the penitentiary."
For days Miss vassar had been op.
pressed as with weight. Even the
preparations for her approaching mar
riagc seemed scarcely to arouse her. She
had taken a liking to the neat little
French maid so short a time in her ser
vice before she had been arrested for the
theft Of the Vassar necklace. Even now
with every proof of her guilt, she could
not, apparently, convict her in her owr
mind or appease her regrets.
II think you are morbid" said Leslie
Radetsky, quietly. "What is to prevent
people from getting their deserts in thil
worldm
''How cruel you look when you SAY
that |" exclaimed Miss Vassar with a not
of pain in her voice.
swell, some one who knew something
of phraseology, physiognomy-all thu
rest of told me once that was cruel
Cruel, unscrupulous," added the CIR
with smile. "Unscrupulous when
had an end to gain"
Don't say those things" exclaimed
her friend, as before. "You are Away
saying them latterly. Whyl"
"Ah, why, whyf" cried the girl will
shrug OF her beautiful shoulders.
Was she really changedi she askec
herself little later as she went down il
the wide grounds. She had slipped on
thick jacket and walked with 4 rapit
step over the frozen snow. The winte
day was breathless and clear. The ic.
stiffness seemed to cool her head an
hands. Oh, this feverishness that woul
not 20 out of her vcinsl But, outward
ly, was she not perfectly calmf She ha
grown hard. OF course. Hard, bitter
reckless; all the rest of it. sho gave
low laugh in the silence Of the empty
leafless alleys. How could one help that
1t was either to do that or-to 60 mad
perhapsl
She stopped abruptly with ligt
trembling Of the limbs. She had hear
an approaching step. II was Louis.
He had left his trap at tho gate an
was walking up through the grounds t
the house.
81 thought I should meet you here,
he said. His voice shook aud his pallc
struck through all her bewildermer
with sort OF terror. "Do you kno
that that woman has been sentenced
ton years-ten years-imprisonment"
"Yes, I know"
"God in heaven, and you say that s
quietly3 What are you made of" II
eyes hung upon her with species Of IT
voting curiosity.
~ am made Of stuff that can face tt
consequences Of its actions, she said
low voice. "That does not shrir
and shrivel like poor coward like you.
"If have lost my soul, It's becau
OF you'll" cried tho man as one di
traught.
; 'Did Imake you forge a check to sa'
/ yourself from bankruptcy Did I NAL
you, when the crime was on the eve
} discovery, throw yourself on my mer,
: and ask me to help Youa How was I
, helpi Was not l as poor as you1 I d
, what I could. I committed q crime
| my turn TO save you. To allow yo'
! scott free, to marry rich woman wi
. loved you. To allow you to cast anch
: in safe harbor for the rest OF yo
, days"
! "And the crime you committed CO
demns me as it does you," he cried wi
q shaking voice, "The first wcakenir
, Of my conscience came through you
. well, though you may deny 1t. Who W
. 1t urged me to speculate, urged me
r strain out Of my obscurityi Who was
ffattered my vanity into thinking that
was made, intended for the brilliant d