Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-10-17
9.-Thc Mother,

Mrs. Bellbridge eyed her husband, pre-.
pared for furious outbreak of rage. He
stood silent, staring stupidity straight before
him. The shock that had fallen on his dull
brain had stunned il. For the time he was
. big idiot; speeches. harmless, helpless.
She put back the rubbish, and replaced the
plank, and picked up the chisel. Come,
James," she said, pull yourself together"
1t was useless to speak to him. She took his
arm, and led him out to the cab that was
waiting at the door.
The driver, helping him to get in, noticed
o piece Of paper lying on the from. seat Ad-
vertisements, seeking publicity under all
possible circumstances, are occasionally sent
flying into the open windows Of vehicles.
The driver was about to throw the paper
away, when Mrs. Bellbridge (seeing it on
theother side) took it out Of his hand. 1T
isn't print" she said; Its writing" A
closer examination showed that the writing
was addressed to herself. Her correspon-
dent must have followed her to the church,
as well as to the house in St Johns Wood.
He distinguished her by the name which she
had changed that morning, under the sane
ton of the clergy and the law.
This is what she read: Don't trouble
yourself, madam, about the diamonds. You
have made mistake-you, have employed
the wrong man."
Those words-and no more. Enough,
surely, to justify the conclusion that he had
stolen the diamonds. Was it worth while to
drive to his lodgings? They tried the expert.
ment The expert had gone away on bust
ness-nobody knew where.
The newspapers came as usual on Friday
morning. To Mrs. Bellbridge's amazement
it set the question of the theft at rest, on the
highest authority. An article appeared, in q
conspicuous position, thus expressed:
Another Of the many proofs that truth Is
stranger than fiction has Just occurred al
Liverpool. A highly respected firm of ship.
owners in that city received a strange letter
at the beginning of the present week. Pre-.
missing that he had some remarkable circum.
stances to communicate, the writer of the let.
ter entered abruptly on the narrative which
follows. A friend of his connected with lit.
erature had, it appeared, noticed a lady's
visiting-card left on his desk, and had been
reminded by it Tin what way it was not
necessary to explain) of a criminal case
which had excited considerable public inter
est at the time, viz. the trial of Capt. West.
erfield for willfully casting away ship I'M
der his command. Never having heard OF
the trial, the writer, at his friends sugges-
ton, consulted a file Of newspapers discov-
cred the report-and became aware for the
first time that a collection of Brazilian dia-
monds, consigned to the Liverpool firm, was
missing from the wrecked vessel when she
had been boarded by the salvage party, and
had not been found since. Events which il
was impossible for him to mention (seeing
that doing so would involve breach of con-
fidence placed in him in his professional ca
pacity) had revealed to his knowledge hid
ing-place in which these same diamonds, in
all probability, were concealed. This cir
cumstance had left him no alternative, as an
honest man, but 10 be beforehand with the
persons who, as h. believed, contemplated
stealing the preciou; stones He had accord
ingly taken them under his protection until
they were identified and claimed by the
rightful owners. In now appealing to these
gentlemen he stipulated that the claim should
be set forth in writing. addressed to him un.
der initials at a poStoffice in London. If the
lost property was identified to his satisfac.
ton he would meet-at specified place, and
on a certain day and hOur-a person accred.
tied by the firm, and would personally re.
store the diamonds, without claiming (or
consenting to receive) reward. The con-
ditions being complied with, this remarkable
interview took place; the writer of the letter,
described as an infirm old man very poorly
dressed, fulfilled his engagement, took his
receipt, and walked away without even wait
ing to be thanked. 1t is only all act of Justice
to add that the diamonds were afterwards
counted, and not one of them was missing. -
Miserable, deservedly miserable, married
pair! The stolen fortune, on which they
had counted, had slipped through their fin
gers. The berths In the steamer for New
York had been taken and paid for. James