River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-06-18

opening his eyes; II didn't know he
was in town"
''Why, he said as how he'd met your
grace said the butler.
Met me?" demanded the duke.
''Where?-'
On your grace's way to the city"
The duke did not stop to make any
comment on this. hut turned and went
upstairs 10 the drawing-room ~ fast as
his legs could carry him His heart
hammering away against his ribs, he
unlocked the cabinet All, what a RE-
lief There lay the jewel-bOxes safe
and sound, all piled up exactly as he
had left them.
''Georgina is right" he said. throw
ing himself into an armchair; I'm
making fool of myself about those
COMPOUNDED diamonds. hope I haven't
drawn attention to them now. But it
won't signify. Georgina will be want
ing them so shortly. What bore it is,
having To dress 30 early for that tire
some drawing-room, What-the gong
for luncheon already? | won't say q
word about Thornberry's visit to Geor-
gina I wonder what the old fool
meant 10y saying what he did. don't
make out his object"
Well, after luncheon, the duchess
maid requested the dukes valet to ask
his grace for her grace's diamonds. This
was the usual formula
The duke said: Certainly. I'll fetch
'em myself" and, smuggling the boxes
out Of the drawing-room cabinet. he
sneaked them into his dressing-room
and from there emerged with them IN
mis- arms and carried them To the duch-
eSs door and gave them into her maids
own hands.
Ten minutes later, when the duke
was Just beginning to don his lord lieu
tenants uniform, one of the footmen
knocked at his door with the request
from her grace that he 90 up to her at
once. lie found the duchess agitated
almost To the point of Mysteries. The
boxes were all there, but the diamonds
were all gone, as the duchess found on
opening them. The reader can imag-
inc the mental condition of the duke.
Internal old scoundrelr' he shouted;
''Thornberry' bagged EN-, no doubt
ANNA4A a. ~ HtNt- 4 II hdNC hAAA hAAA
his house searched at once"
But, my dear" expostulated the
duchess. how do you know it was
Lord Thornberry2 You didn't see hirn?"
No; but Parkins and Venables aud
two of the fOotmen did"
But are they sure IL was he? Do
they know him? just ring and ask
them"
All the servants were positive it was
Lord ThOrnberry, vet the duchess,
womanlike, refused to be convinced.
One Of the chief inspectors from Scot
land Yard came in response to a mes
sage from the duke. and the whole
thing was put in his hands. lie en-
Joined absolute secresy at once, and
the first thing he did, in obedience to
an urgent suggestion from the duchess,
was To ascertain the whereabouts of
Lord Thornbcrry. He was az Cannes,
had been there a month. and had never
been away since his coming. 80, of
course. the theft was committed by
several confederates, some playing the
parts Of coachmen and footmen for
the most adrOit of the three, who
tAftS>eN up Tor the earn ne TURNOUT
and liveries and coronet We're all
strictly correct. and were no doubt got
mp with the special object of fooling
the dukes servants.
They escaped the police for a time
and went abroad. but We're finally
caught when attempting to dispose Of
the stolen stones to a Paris broker
Three years behind prison bars paid
the debt Of justice.
so this is why the duchess of Lin
colnshire and her daughters. Lady
Muriel aud Lady Constance Willow
beigh. did not go tn the last drawing
room. ] need only add that. for OBJ
vious reasons, I have thought best to
use fictitious names for the parties in
this little incident in San
Francisco Argonaut-