The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-10-14

rendered entirely SPECIFICS for mo
ment.
What in the world DO you mean.
young woman ?" she finally gasped out,
irstely.
~I-your fringe-my earring I stsm-
mered, turning scarlet as saw those blue
eyes again looking into mine.
~Did it hurt you, or injure your ear
ring g- be asked, kindly. as if he pitied
my embarrassment
That is not the thing" the old lady
calculated Grossly, before ] had time to
answer. Ny fringe is quite ruined ;
several strands are gone All it is
caught on your miserable earring that
did all the mischief she said, tartly,
Tepping up to me to loosen it.
Then she dropped her hands with a
little shrek, and clutched me tightly by
the arm.
"6ilbert, look ~ she cried, exeitedly.
Ny emeralds, my stolen emeralds 1. Ah,
you wicked cresturep
Hush, aunt :" her nephew said, in a
low tone. THAT girl is not thief and
there is more than one pair Of earrings
in the world"
There is not another pair set like
mine" she said decidedly, Hooking scorn-
fully at me.
il had all taken place so suddenly that
I stood like one dumb but now cried
out, passionately:
@I did not steal them-I bought them
only last night"
The old lady shifted cOntemptuously
and glanced suspiciously at my well-worn
black gown; but her nephew said,
gently
q 1 believe you, and regret that my
aunt is so severe. VIII you not come
with Us to 3 more private place and tell
US all about If ?"
He cOurtoously offered me his arm, but
I proudly declined it, and walked by his
side With head erect and burning cheeks.
/, Mildred Heath, accused of stealing !
We entered a room at the end ofthe long
hall used as an Office, but now quite de-
serted. and without further ado began,
tremuIously-for lump would come in
my throat:
Ny name is Mildred Heath, and l am
a school teacher. 1 saw these emeralds
in pawnbroker's window and, although
it was foolish thing to do, 1 admired
them so much that bought them
handed the jewels TO their owner, but
her nephew interposed.
Keep them Just one moment, Miss
Heath am very glad to hear your ex-
PLANTATION, and beg that you viii pardon
my aunt's hasty words. Now think an
explanation is due you. Ny aunt, Mrs.
Radcliffe, had valuable pair of emerald
earrings taken from her hall table, where
she had carelessly left them. The front
door stood open at the time We have
never been able to trace the jewels these
may or may not be hens. Will you not
kindly look on the rim Of the setting and
see if there is engraved there the letter
'R'?"
looked at the setting closely, and
there. so small that the naked eye could
scarcely see it was the letter.
Yes,' said, g the earrings are most
undoubtedly Mrs. Radcliffe's,' and gave
them to her, when she was as profuse in
her apologies as she had been in her &C
cusations.
have a favor 10 ask Of you, Mis-:
Heath" Gilbert Radcliffe said. Our
carriage is at the door, and I should like
you to take US to the pswnbroker from
whom you purchased these earrings, and
through him We may be able to locate
the thief"
We drove quickly there. On entering
the dingy shop We saw young woman
eagerly displaying something to the pro-
prietor. Seeing US, she concealed the ar
ticle, and, pulling down her veil, was
about to make hasty exit when Gilbert
Radcliffe caught her by the arm, saying,
quietly:
What have you got in your pocket,
Mary ?"
The girl hesitated, then, bursting into
tears, handed him a case containing sew
eral pieces Of jewelry, the property of his
aunt,
Mary" was Mrs Radcliffe's maid.
The pawnbrOker being her brother. she
had no trouble in dispOsing of her stolen
goods. So this explained the disappear
ance of the emerslds.
As I write, the earrings CLEAN brightly
on me from nv toilet table, for am now
Mrs. Gilbert Radcliffe, and they were enc
of Aunt Radcliffe's gifts on my wedding
day-a gift did not want to accept at
first they brought back so vividly that
frst UNHAPPY day. But when Gilbert re-
minded me that but for them we might
never have met, became reconciled to
the possession, and the place of honor
in my jewel case is filled by the emerald
earrings.