Telegram-herald., 1891-05-29

- A4 HSfS&8s2Iy A1& s-~-|@s ~ 40
night OF the sDacbe.s' fete they were
engaged 10 dine with brother peer.
who was still waiting for the rising II
Parliament; and while Mrs Sykes was
basxing IN the sunshine Of the German
Kaiser and bis English reistsves, Lady
Pail Mall was reaplng her reward Ia
the con temptation Of her gnstertng
necklace II brilliantS For week her
ladysAip had kept the present from
the knowledge OF her lord and master,
having, indeed, her own reasons for 50
doing. To night however, temptation
was too strong for her, and after mach
doubt and hesitation she came down To
dinner with Mrs syk es' diamonds round
her neck
IL was astonishing how quickly the
glitter OF the stones caught Lord Pal
Malls often unobseryant eyes
"Why. where on earth did you get
that?" he asked
1T Is little present that I have
had" answered his wife.
"A present. Who the dickens from"
"Don't be alarmed" said her lady
ship. My adplirer wasno one more dan
gerous than Mrs Sykes-Sykes' Soap
Substitute, you know"
.-Oh. obi And what have you been
doing for her?'
Lady Pan Mall responded in q whis-
per.
what fools these people must bei"
exclaimed the peer. why. the stones
must be worth a couple of thousand.
<.ft varlsaA 4 Iu
Pail Mall. turning away rather hastily
from her lords scrutiny and changing
the subject His lordship returned TO
IL. however, when they came back
from the reception that evening.
1.-THE fact Is. Alice" he explained.
that things have been going confound-
eddy crooked in the city the last day or
two. and at this moment | am at my
wits end for"
why Will you speculate?" inter
rupted his wife, impatiently. Things
always GO crookedly when you have
any thing TO do with them"
1T Is only a temporary difficulty.
assure you l can't explain the posi-
tion-you wouldn't understand 1t If l
did: but must have 81 600 within the
next few days. and. If you would lend
it to me. that necklace of yours would
just save US from ruin"
How can you ask such . thing~
cried Lady Pail Mall. the tears starting
To her eyes 1T is the only decent or
nament | have. WIN you leave me
nothing?"
"Oh. Of course, II you refuse. there's
an end of it." replied her husband,
coldly. Keep your necklace, by all
means. and much pleasure may 1t give
you"
Lady Pail Mall. with all her clever
ness and knowledge of the world had
one very soft place in her heart, as his
lordship well knew. She stood for mo-
ment looking at her husbands care
worn and not over intellectual features;
then with an impulsive movement she
unclasped the necklace and held 1t out
To him
take 1t and get the most you can for
IL" she said, but with rather husky
voice. Il hope it may prove as valua-
BILE as you think"
With many protestations of graft
Iuuc, anu q eOlCblo oSSu4 ohCC tuat
the stones should be returned in a
weeks time at the very farthest. Lord
Pail Mall took Mrs Sykes offering and
locked it up In his desk.
Next morning he was absent from
home for an hour or two. On his re-
turn he dashed up at once to his wife's
room and confronted her with face
expressive of the deepest indignation
and disgust
"Alicer' he exclaimed. "are you re-
sponsible for this trickery?"
"Trickery2 don't understand you'll"
replied his wife.
"Did you not know when you gave
me these COMPOUNDED diamonds that
they were paste?"
If he had for a moment thought that
she did. the increduhty and amazement
which his.wife betrayed at the question
would have convinced him to the con-
trary. That the stones were paste was
proved beyond all question. The young
man a. Mr. Melchisedek's. to whom
Lord Pail Mall had rendered them as
security for an advance of one thousand
pounds, had detected their true charac-
ter in half moment The question
now was, with whom had the imposturc
originated? As soon as Lady Pail Malls
first outburst of anger and disappoint-
ment had subsidized. she and her hus-
band debated this question between
them very eagerly.
81 think" said Lord Pail Mall pres
emily. THAT see way of solving the
mystery, and. what is more, of getting
you your diamonds, with something
handsome beside"
"You dor exclaimed her lsdyship.
81 think that do. The Sykeses are
back in town on their way North. met
him in the city yesterday. Ask them to
dinner tomorrow. and then do as 1 tell
you"
The same evening Mrs. Sykes was en-
chanted by the receipt OF an invitation
20 dine with Lady Pall Mall on the fol-
lowing night--Dot formal invitation.
bu. q friendly note which might have
come. as Ms Sykes observed 10 her
husband. from an old schoolfellow.
This YEAS n return. indeed. for the
e. oo0t OF course the Sykes went. and
of course Lady Pail Mall put on her
diamond necklace for the occasion-a
compliment which the worthy proprie-
tor Of Sykes Soap Substitute fully APP
preciated. and which. coupled with the
remarkable affsbiiity of his host and
hostess. helped 70 quickly put him at
his case. Indeed. before the dinner
was over Mr.. Sykes grew quite conf
Dental and entertained his noble