The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-06-30

80
old times with him 90 badly. His pooE
wife ives my greatest friend. Mira
Montanaro. daughter Of the great banker,
you know. It's not possible that that
miserable little PFig d my poor Mira's
girl. The heiress Of all the MontAnaroa
IN black lace gown worth twopencei
When I think Of her mothers beauty
and her toiletsi Does she ever wear
the sapphiresI has any onc ever seen
her In themY Eleven large stones in .
lovely antique setting and the great
Valdez sapphire-worth thousands and
thousands-for the pendant" No one
replied. II wanted to get u rise out Of
the bishop tonight. It used 10 make
him so mad when wore tina
She fumblcd at the laces at her throat
and clawed out pendant that hung to
a velvet around her neck fairly gasped
when she moved her hand. A sapphire
Of irregular shape flashed out Its blre
lightning on Us. Such y stone! A trne,
rich, cOrnhoweT blus even by that
wretched artificial light, with soft. vel
vety depths Of color and dazzling clear.
ness Of tint in its lights and shades--a
stone TO rememberi stretched out my
hand invOluntarily. but lady Carwitchet
drew back with u coquettish squeRl.
"No! no! You mustn't look any closer.
Tell me what you think OF It now. Isn't
itprettyT
''Superb." was all could calculate,
staring at the azure splendor Of that
miraculous jewel In sort Of trance.
She gave shrill. cackling laugh Of
mOckery.
The great Mr.. Acton taken in by q
bit Of PSlais Royal gimcrackeryl What
M advertisement for BOgaerts ct Gle.
They are perfect artists in frauds. Don't
you remember their stand ut the FIRST
Paris exhibition? They had limitations
there of every celebrated stone; but |
never expected anything made by man
conld delude Mr.. Acton, neverl" And
she went of into another mocking
cackle, and all the idiots around her
haw-hawed knowingly. Ne u they had
seen the Joke all along. | was too be-
wilderrd to reply, which was on the
whole lucky. ''Isuppose | mustn't tell
why came to give quite . big sun in
francs for thisy' shs went on. tapping
her closed lips with her closed fan. an,l
cooking her eye ut Us All'like parrol
wanting to Isl eosxed TO tsAlk. ats q
queer story"
didn't want 10 hear her Gneedote, es.
pecially ne ] saw she wanted to tell it.
What did want was TO aee that pendant
again. She had thrust 1t back among
her laces. only the loop which held II
to the velvet being visible. It was sci
with three small sapphires, and even
from distance clearly made them out
to be limitations. and poor ones. felt 4
queer thrill Of self iniStrust Was the
large stone no better? Could 1. even foI
an instant. have been daEzled by sham,
and sham of that quality? The events
Of the evening had Hurried and confused
me. I wished to think them over In
quiet. wOnld go to bed.
My rooms ut the Manor are the best
In the house. Leta will have 1t So
must explain their position for u reason
to be understood later. My bedroom d
In the southeast angle Of the house; Il
opens on one side into u sitting room In
the east corridor, the rest Of which u
taken mp by the suite Of rooms occupied
by Tom and Leta; and on the other side
into my bathroom, the first loom in the
south corridor, where the principal guest
chambers are. to one Of which 1t WA
originally the dressing room. Passing
this room ! noticed n compile Of house.
maids preparing 1t for the night and dis.
covered with u sbiver that Lady Car.
witchet was to he my next door neigh
Dor. It gave me turn.
The bishops strange warning must
have unnerved me. was perfectly safe
from her ladyship. The disused door
into her room WAS locked and the key
safe on the housekeeper's bunch. II
WAS also undiscoverable on her side. the
recess In which Il stood being COM
pletely filed by large wardrobe. On
my side hung thick sOundproof portiere.
Nevertheless. resolved not to use that
room while she inhabited tho next one
removed my possessions, fastened the
door OF communication with my bed.
room and dragged heavy ottoman
across IL.
Then | slowed away my emerald In
my strong boz. It 10 built into the
wall Of my sitting room, and masked BY
the lower part Of an old carved oak
bureau. | put away even the rings !
wore habitually. keeping out only an
inferior catseye for workaday wear.
had lust made all safe when Leta tapped
ut the door and came In to wish me
good night. She looked flushed and
harassel and ready to cry. "Uncle
Paul." she begNn. 81 want you 10 10
mp to town at once and stay away ill !
send for you"
"My dearr'- was too amazed to
expOstulate
We've got IA pestilence among
rs" she declared, her foot tapping the
ground Angrily. land the least we can
do 10 to go into quarantine Oh, I'm 90
sorry and ashamedl The poor bishopi
III take gOol c ire that no one else shall
meet that woman here. You did your
bsst for me, Uncle Paul. and managed
admirably, but u was all no use. I
hoped against hope that what between
the dusk Of the drawing room before din
ner and being put at opposite ends Of the
table. we might get through without a
meeting"
But. my dear. explain Why
ShuuIdnI the bishop and Lady Car
witchet meets Why isit wore for him
than any One elsey'
Why thought everybody had
hearl Of that dreadful wife Of his who
nearly broke his heart. n be married
her for her money 1t served him right,