Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30

mind has made YOU hate the lot! Ant
taking Of your jewel affair, | find while
You lose"
How do you mean?"
"Why. yesterday | found such Lowell!
button on the path just outside here. l
was sparkling in the sun and picked i
uD and brought It in. went into ole
Mrs. Browns to ask Mr.. Martin Che
Iodger) if he knew anything about it, bu
he was away for two days, she told me
| coming back tonight. Auntie says II
have TO make it known, perhaps advertise
1t 1t no one claims it, for this morning
showed it TO Mr.. Frazier, the jeweler a
| Stonelay, and lie said it was a very gooC
button and uncommon, as the stones are
beryls."
"What!"
Dear me! beryls! Are they as extra
ordinary as all that?'
That depends. Show US the button
Nellie"
Here it is she said, taking it from
the mantel shelf.
Twelve gold-fligree buttons, jeweleC
with beryls. Blayne murmured to him
self. 81 should like to see your neighb0r
Nellie. and his sister, the lady's maid
why, Jem, you don't think-oh, | re
member now, that dascri ption you SEN
me OF the lost jewels. But this can't be
She is such a dear little thing and 81
pretty"
eyes; what sort?"
"Oh, middle height, dark hair, prett,
| eyes, nice figure"
'That'll do, Nellie. 1t would fit almos
any one. say, who's that coming up thu
| path to the house nOW?h
Why, that's Mr.. Martin" said Nellie
as Blayne instinctively got behind the
muslin window curtain, from which pos
| OF vantage he could easily see Without be
my seen; ''he's good-looking, isn't ne
Jem. Looks like gentleman, rather"
"Ye-es, lust that last. think I've GO
his measure"
And, oh, there's his sister just behind
hlm-see? Now, that's not your lady's
maid Is it?"
"1hat!' exclaimed Blayne, with eyes
nearly starting through the lace of the
curtain; lis that your lady maid and that
man SISTER"
Yes, answered Nellie, as her neighbol
and his sister, nodding and smiling to
her. entered the next house.
docs she stay at night there?' inquir,
ed Blayne.
ION, no; never more than an hour
| Her lady couldn't spare her. But what Is
the matter with you, Jem, laughing in
jerks like that?"
! '.On, nothing. say, Nellie is there a
| visitors list in the paper here?"
Yes; but Jem-now that wasn't your
lady's maid, was it?"
mo, dear; now the paper"
PIay,nn Il,
the list of fashionable VISITORS till be
came to Victoria Hotel, Sir Robert and
Lady Merton" Then he folded up the
paper saying: "Well, Nellie, I'll go into
otonelay with you tomorrow morning to
have a look at the fashions. Here is
Aunt Sarah coming to see after u.s." as
that respectable lady entered the room.
And there goes Mr.. Martin s visitor, y
SAID Nellie. as a woman hastily closed
the door of the next house and hurried
away.
She must be late"
, Rather said Blayne.
The next day the detective and his in
tended walked into Stonelay, and after a
few minutes private conversation with
the manager of the Victoria be astonished
Nellie by insisting on buying her different
tcttsn IN all the shops that commanded a
view IF the hotel. At length on his offer
ing her pink glass mug decorated with
| the legend, In atfectiOnate remembrance
IN forget me- nots, she began protesting.
Albright, dear, we, take it to Aunt
Sarah, he sad, with his eyes fixed on 4
gentleman who was mounting horse that
a groom had been leading up and down in
| front of the hotel.
las soon as the object of his attention
had ridden out of sight Blayne said to his
companion:
Do you mind walking on home, Nellie
| have httie business in the Victoria
winch must see to at once; then I'll come
on alter you with the"
"JeNelry?'
Yes, and the mug.
| "Blayne walked INTO the hotel and sent
a written message to Lady Merton, asking
if she would see him at that somewhat
early hour, as he had to catch the ne Xt
! train TO town. He WAS shown into sit
ting-room where pretty woman in a sof
morning wrapper was laying on the sofa
reading the paper. She rose as he came
in, and he thought of the lady's mait
whose description would fit almost an,
| che
well, Mr.. Blayne," she said with
smile. you come about the jewels, O
course!"
Yes, my lady did
| There is no news supposed"
Your lady ship viii! be pleased to heal
that there Is news"
Ahn' she exclaimed, starting, what
what news?"
"A small. very small portion of you
| jewelry Is III my hands"
''Indeed!' said Lady Merton NOR,
calmly. Are you sure it is mine?'
Il think, my lady, that beryl button
such as yours" pau ing to note her pallor
are extremely rare.
"Ahl and"
And this button that l hold in m,
hand he showed it as he spoke, IVA
found in a small semi detached villa a
some little distance from this town durin.
the absence of the thief.
He watched the blood rush to her face
her throat, her brow, and throughtfull,
| looking elsewhere said:
The rest of your jewels, my lady, mus
be recovered by me or by-you.'
Really" she stammerpd, II don
see
Il beg your pardon, my lady, but W
waste time | know that III a case of TIKI
sort my instructions would be to avoid tn
chance of scandal, and look to you to bel
me with this for your own sake. Yo
must return to that house this mornin
with me-"
Il can't, can't" she gasped, clingin
to the side of the sofa.
My lady, you must!'' answered the de
tective. 'If you go with NE shall fin
only the jewels, but if | go alone | mus
recover your property, or shall l dis
f cover"
Il Ill