Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-25

pidlQ 10 every eve-OftTCdinc Hiiu. LAG
looked down. OF course there was moth
ing to be seen; he might have known it,
for he felt the hot clasp of the horrible
thing burning his arm inches higher. But
when he looked up again-heeting as had
been his glance-he found that something
dreadful had happened to him. He falt-
cred, and the chair dropped from his
hands. He had never met looks like those
before. He read in every face save one
suspicion or condemnation. Thief and
liar! He read the words in their eyes
the eyes of his quondam friends.s Yet he
would, he must, brazen it out; and though
he could not utter word he looked from
them Johanna.
The girls face was pale and scared. But
her eves-they answered his right eagerly
were ablaze with Indignation. They
held no doubt; no suspicion. The mo-
ment his look fell on her she spoke. SHOW
them your armw she cried, impulsively.
"Show them you have not got ii, Ernest9'
with such scorD, such generous passion IN
her voice, that it did not need the tell
tale name which fell toe glibly from her
lips to betray her secret-at least to every
woman in the room.
''Show them your arm p All, but that
was Just what he could not do; as he COM
pretended he guashed his teeth. He saw
himself Melted and entrapped, and his
rage and misery were so written IN his
face that the best and most merciful of
those about him turned from him in shame
and pity. Even the girl who loved him
shrank back, clutching the mantel-piece
in the first spasm of doubt and fear and
anguish. Her words, her suggestion, had
taken from him his last chance. He saw
it was so; he felt the Nemesis more bit
terly ON that account; and, with wild
gesture and some wilder word, he turned
abruptly and hurried from the room,
blindly seized his hat and went down into
the street.
His feelings, when he found himself out
side, were such as it is impossible to de-
scribe in smooth, passionless sentences.
He had wrecked his honor and happiness
in an hour He had lost his place among |
men through chance word. We talk |
and read of thunderbolt from the blue; |
but still the thing is to US unnatural. |
Some law-abiding citizen whom moments |
passion has made murderer, some strong |
man whom a stunning blow has left |
crushed and writhing on the ground, a
twisted cripple-only these could fifty de-
scribe the misery and despair as he trav
ersed the streets. 1t was misery he had
brought on himself; and yet how far the
punishment exceeded the ofiense
How immensely the shame and ex-
posture exceeded the guilt He had
lied, and the lie had made him thief
He went up to his rooms like one in
dream, and, scarcely knowing what he did,
tore the bauble from his arm and flung it
on the mantel shelf. By his last act Of
bringing it away he had made his position
a hundred times more serious, but he did
not at once remember this. After he had
sat awhile, however, with his head between
his hands, wondering if this really were
himself-if this really had happened to
himself, this dreadful thing he began to
see things more clearly. Still, he could
not at once make up his mind what to do.
Beyond some hazy idea of returning the
bracelet by the first post and going to the
course he must resign his |
employment-he had settled nothing, when |
a step outside made him start to his feet. |
Some one knocked at the door of his |
chambers. He stood pallid and listening, |
struck by sudden fear.
'The police w he said to himself.
But moments thought satisfied him |
that it was improbable, if not impossible,
that this summons should be theirs, and |
he went to the door listlessly and threw it |
open. On the mat stood Burton Smith, in
a soft slouched hat, his hands thrust into
the pockets of his overcoat. Wibberley
Just glanced at him, and saw that he was
alone; and then, leaving him to shut the
door, returned to his chair and sat down
in his old attitude, with his head between
his hands. He looked already a broken
man.
Barton Smith followed him in, aud stood
a moment looking down at him uncom-
fortably enough. 1t is bad to have had
such a scene as has been described at your
house, but it is worse, if man be man,
to face fellow creature in his time of
shame. At any rate, Barton Smith felt it
so. Look here, Wibberley," he said, at
length, as much embarrassed as if he had
been a thief. "Look here, it will be better
to hush this up. Give me this confounded
bracelet to hand back to Lady Linacre,
and the thing shall go DO farther"
His tone was curiously suggestive both
of old friendship and present contempt and
pity. But when he had to repeat his ques-
ton, when Wibberley gave him no an
swer, his voice grew harsher. Even then
speak but pointed with an impatient gest
ure to the mantel-shelf.
Barton Smith stepped briskly to the
place indicated and looked. He was anx-
ious to spare the culprit as far as possible.
Yes, there was the bracelet! He seized it,
anxious, if the truth be known, to escape
from the place with all speed. But he
laid it down the next instant as quickly as
he had taken it up, and his brows came to-
gether as he turned sternly upon his COM
panion.
This is not the bracelet he said.
There was no smack of old affection in his
tone now; it was wholly hostile. His
patience was exhausted Lady Linacres
was diamond bracelet of great value, as
you know. This is plain gold thing
worth two or three pounds. For heavens
sake, man p he added, with sudden vehe
mence, ''for your own sake, do not play the
fool now Where is the bracelet %
Nodoubt despair had partially benumbed
Wibberley's mind, for still he did not
speak, and Burton Smith had to put his
question more than once before he got an
an answer. When Wibberley did at last
look up it was with dazed face. "What
is it?' he muttered, avoiding the others
eyes.
This is not Lady Linacre's bracelet"
as it not?"
'No; certainly not"
Still confused, still avoiding the others
grave look, Wibberley rose and took the
bracelet in his hand, and glanced askance
at it. And then Burton Smith saw him
start violently.
at is of the same shape" repeated the
barrister ice in his voice-he thought The
exchange foolish, transparent article.
"But Lady Lipacre's has a large brilliant