The Irish standard., 1892-11-12

to me; he believes he can trust me. To-
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 Il den of thieves!"
"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 a
moment Kate had glided away. | went
on up the stairs with a heavy heart.
would almost rather not have heard this
last revelation. My confidence in my
penetration had received humiliating
shock 70 think that Christmas limo.
cent face and modest, maidenly air con.
cealed the heart Of a thief, or, worse
still, Of a decoy duck, was a blow to my
vanity as well as to my faith in human
nature. How artful she had been when
And then il 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 gri1nly consid
ering the matter, new confirmation OF
Kate's discovery awaited me. Christina
was standing at my room door, and ais ]
came up she courtesied and said
- was wishing to speak a moment to
init me"
"What do YOU want?" I asked some
what roughly.
docs the honored Herr remember
what said yesterday?
THAT you wished me to give you my
diamonds for safe keeping! Yes: and J
have to answer that am not quite &c
trustful as you seem to Think
The scornful and severe tone in which
spoke evidently startled her: but she
still affected not TO understand.
'.It was for Herr Gainsborough's own
sake she began, but interrupted her
'tDo 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 Il bullet instead: SO
let him beware. Ii Herr Rudolph is
anxious about me, You can tell him thatl'
Herr Gsinsborough will be sorry tC
have spoken 50" said Christina. coloring
deeply, and with tremulous lip.
81 am sorry to have to say it, Chris
tina. But cam you tell me how the bolt
Of this door came to be in this condi'
toni and pulled ont the loose socket
as spoke and the screws fell to the floor.
"Intleed, i did not know this exclaimed
she; but the disznay. and confusion which
were but too pl;liEly visible on her facs
belied her words.
:'You will understand. however, that
a house whose fastenings. are SO much
out of order would not be a proper place
to keep treasures in. Well, goodby, Chris
tina, | am going TO kohlstein. and
probably slla'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 ta5.
with Herr Gainsborough let me say
one word?"
Its too late--l have no time, re-
turned |, with an emphasis all the more
coldly contenptuous because Of the Sc
cret inclination felt--in view OF her
youth and prettlness--to be compassion
ate and forgiving: and perhaps | was
half sorry that she attempted nc 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 nc
packard glance. When she was gone !
shut the door in no enviable mood and
walked to and fro about my room like a
surly bull in pound. For the first
though not for the last time 1 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.
s'1And, by the by, Gainsborough," he
added, with one Of bis point blank, icy
glances, Il have arranged that our lug
gage shall be removed today, and if you
leave yours hsre advise you to seal it
up in my presence, found the lock of
my door in rather a strange condition
this morning. Ihave my own opinion
of what our landlord may be-
.sWho recommended you to this place,
Mr.. Rirchmore?" l demanded CURLY. for
was getting to feel something like con-
tempt for my intended father-in-law.
It is not easy to respect man who.
under whatever stress of circumstances,
allows another man to make a slave OF
him.
sit was that fellow Slurk, and he de-
serves a good horsewhipping for it!' re-
piled Birch1nore, thrusting bis hands
resolutely into his pockets.
.sI think he deserves at least that.
rejoined, with significant laugh. and
whenever you're inclined to operate on
him I'll stand by you.
Mr.. Birchmore said no more. and we