The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-01-29
MY LOVER. EUSTACE.

tace. He never did him justice from
the beginning, and when he heard that
| was actually engaged to him he spoke
in such way that | declared | would
not endure it.
Pm old enough, hope. to choose
for myself" said |.
Il don't know about that, Patty
said my uncle, Struggling his shoulders.
But | remained to hear no more. |
bounced back into the house, slam
ming the door in Uncle Meriwether's
honest, specialized face, and bursting
into tears as soon as | reached the sit
ting room.
"lt's q shame said my sister Els
peth. Don't cry, Patty. I'm sure
the whole matter is transparent enough.
Uncle Meriwether wouldn't be so domi-
neering about it if he did not want you
to marry Paul"
81 wouldn't marry Paul Meriwether
if there wasn't another man in the
world,n said | viciously. "And I'll
marry Eustaee Dalzell, anyhow, now.
Uncle Meriwether says we don't know
anything about him, but Pm sure we
know enough
That was false assertion on any
part. | only knew of my handsome
fiance what he himself had chosen to
tell me-Damely, that ne was New
York engineer, staying down at Wrays-
geld few weeks for his health. And
his friend, Mr.. Belfield, was a stock
broker. Oh, how | wished Mr.. Belfeld
might take fancy to Elspeth! 1t
would be so nice to be married at the
same time-to go together and live in
New York
We lived together in the lonely old
brick house on the edge of the moor,
so that | was very glad when Olive
Oatley came down from Chichester to
visit us and brought her wedding set
of diamonds to show.
Elspeth and l looked with awe and
admiration at the sparkling gems
necklace, earrings and brooch.
" Are they very valuable p | asked.
"Three thousand dollars, I believe
replied Olive complacently. "They
belonged to Herbert's mother, and are
to be reset before | wear them.'
But just then Elspeth gave start
and turned scarlet, and following the
direction of her eye | turned and be-
held Eustace Dalzell standing smiling
in THE doorway with his hat in his
hand.
Somehow the diamonds made me
nervous, and | could not help. in the
course of the evening, contiding my
vague terrors to Eustace. But he
laughed at me and made light Of my
fears.
Eustace Dalzell went home earlier
than usual that night. In my pertur-
baton | had almost resolved to ask
him to remain all night, self consti
tuted guardian of our treasures, but |
did not venture to do so, and so at 10
o'clock we three girls, with Dinah in
the kitchen, were left to ourselves.
/ had intended to lie awake all night,
but | must have fallen into light
dose without being aware of it, for
the clock was striking IL when ! start
ed up at the loud peal of the doorbell
below. Olive was at my side in an
instant. Elspeth had her arm around
me, and even Dinah hobbled in with
faring lamp in her hand.
$50 to the door, do some of your
l cried Historically. Ask who it is.
Ask what they want"
And while Olive, Elspeth, and the
old attendant obeyed my behest hur-
riedly threw on my white dressing
gown and went to the head of the stairs
to listen, for l felt in an emergency
like this some one ought to keep close
to the diamonds.
"There is no one here" | heard
Elspeth say, after the bolts and bars
of the front door had been withdrawn.
eyes, there is. / heard some one
grooming at the other end of the YER
anda, persisted Dinah. "Oh, dear,
the draught had blown out my candle.
This way, Miss Oatley, please-I'm
afraid there's has been an accident or
something"
The next minute the heavy oaken
door blew to with a bang. 1t was self
fastening on the inside. / was all
alone in the house.
A rustic under the vines that draped
the north side of the house-a low
whistle, and could hear voice say
ing in suppressed accents:
"They're safe enough outside-all
three of them. Now's your time
quick p
1t all flashed upon my mind in mo-
ment; the sturdy boughs Of the vista
ria, which afforded so easy ladder for
an aspiring burglar to reach Olives
window--the open casement-the dia
monds lying under her pillow.
My worst fears had come true, and,
selling the little six barreled pistol, !
rushed into the room just in time to
see tall figure with mask over his
face spring through the window and
steal with catlike motion across the
room.
AS he laid his hand upon the tiny
ha0 containing the ss,reciods