San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-17

morrow, when he goes out, I'll get him
to leave them with me for safety!' and
then they both laughed. My darling,
this house is den of thievesV
"Were the persons you heard-who
were they?"
christina and that creature she calls
her father Hush! There she comes.
She must not see us together" and in
moment Kate had glided away, | went
on up the stairs with heavy heart. |
would almost rather not have heard this
last revelation. My confidence in my
penetration had received a humiliating
shock. To think that Christmas inno-
cent face and modest, maidenly air con-
cealed the heart of a thief, or, worse
still, of a decoy duck, was blow to my
vanity as we'll as to my faith in human
| nature. How artful she had been when
fancied her most ingenious and kind!
And then it all at once flashed upon
me-what if Heinrich Rudolph himself
were in the plot? What if he had written
them to be on the outlook for me, and
what if Slurk, being secretly in league
with him, had contrived to get the
Birchmores and me along with them
into this house, intending to divide the
spoil with Herr Rudolph and Christina?
Many signs seemed to point to this as a
true deduction from the circumstances,
and even as was rather grimly consid-
ering the matter a new confirmation of
Hates discovery awaited me. Christina
was standing at my room door, and as |
came up she courtesied and said
81 was wishing to speak moment to
Herr Gainsborough, if he would per-
NIT me"
"What do you want?" l asked some
what roughly.
"Does the honored Herr remember
what | said yesterday"
That you wished me to give you my
diamonds for safe keeping? Yes: and !
have to answer that ! am not quite so
trustful as you seem to Think
The scornful and severe tone in which
spoke evidently startled her; but she
still affected not to understand.
st was for Herr Gainsborough's own
sake she began, but interrupted her.
''Do you remember what said yester-
day?-that | went armed; well, | am
armed today, and whoever tries to teach
me how to take care of my DIAMONDS
may happen to get bullet instead; so
let him beware. If Herr Rudolph is
anxious about me, you can tell him THAR
'Herr Gainsborough will be sorry to
have spoken so" said Christina, coloring
deeply, and with tremulous lip,
n am sorry to nave to say it, Chris
tina. But can you tell me how the bolt
of this door came to be in this condi-
tion?" and pulled out the loose socket
as spoke and the screws fell to the floor
"lndeed L did not know thisr exclaimed
she; but the disnay and confusion which
were but too plainly visible on her face
belied her words.
''You will understand, however, that
house whose fastenings are so much
out of order would not be proper place
to keep treasures in. Well, goodby, Chris
tina. am going to Kohlstein, and
probably sha'n't spend another night
here. When you write to your brother
in Paris you may tell him that the dia-
monds are quite safe, though they may
have been in danger"
will Herr Gainsborough let me say
one world"
Its too late-I have no time" re-
turned |, with an emphasis all the more
coldly contemptuous because of the Sc
cret inclination | felt-in view of her
youth and prettiness-to be compassion
ate and forgiving; and perhaps | was
half sorry that she attempted no further
self vindication, but, obeying my ges-
ture of dismissal, passed out of the door
and down the passage, with her bare
feet, and her blue eyes downcast and no
packard glance. When she was gone
shut the door in no enviable mood and
walked to and fro about my room like
surly bull in pound For the first
though not for the last time | heartily
cursed the diamonds; they seemed to
raise the devil wherever | carried them
In the midst of my anathemas Mr. Birch
more knocked at the door and told ME
that everything was ready down stairs
for the start.
And, by the by, Gainsborough," he
added, with one of his point blank, icy
glances, Il have arranged that our lug
gage shall be removed today, and if you
J leave yours here advise you to seal it
up in my presence. found the lock OF
my door in rather strange condition
this morning. have my own opinion
| of what our landlord may be-"
who recommended you to this place,
Mr.. Birchmore| demanded CURLY, for
| was getting to feel something like con-
tempt for my intended father-in-law,
II L. not easy reSnnl.t q man WIN