San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-07

1
keep 1T from mis- clutches? That she had
some plot of her own, of which the
bishop would eventually be the victim,
did not doubt, or why had she not
made her bargain with him long ago?
But supposing she took fright. lost her
| head, allowed her son to wrest the Jewel
| from her or gave consent to its being
mutilated, divided. lay in a cold per-
| spiration till morning.
| My terrors haunted me all day. They
| were with me at breakfast time. when
| Lady Carwitchet, tripping in smiling
| made last attempt to induce me to ao-
company her and keep her "Bad, bad
boy!'' from getting among ''those horrid
betting men"
They haunted me through the long
peaceful day with Leta and the tete-a-
tete dinner, but they swarmed around
and beset me sorest when, sitting alone
over my sitting room fire, listened for
the return of the drag party. l read my
newspaper and brewed myself some hot
strong drink, but there comes time of
| night when no fire can warm and no
drink can cheer. The bishops despair
ing face kept me company, and his
troubles and the wrongs of the future
heir took possession of me. Then the
uncanny noises that make all old houses
| ghostly during the small hours began to
make themselves heard. Muffied foot
steps trod the corridor, stopping to listen
at every door, door latches gently clicked,
/ hos -al al, de <,f
stealthy movements came from the
locked up bathroom.
| The welcome crash of wheels at last
and the sound of the front door bell. I
could hear Lady Carwitchet making her
shrin adieu to her friends and her steps
| in the corridor. She was softly hum
ming little song as she approached. /
fore entering-an odd thing to do. Tom
came sleepily stumbling to his room
later. put my head out. "Where is
| Lord Carwitchet?"
Haven't you seen him? He left us
: hours ago. Not come home, Ell? Well,
he's welcome to stay away. | don't want
to see more of him." Toms brow was
dark and his voice surly. 81 gave him
| to understand as much" Whatever had
happened Tom was evidently too dis
| gusted to explain just then.
went back to my fire unaccountably
| relieved, and brewed myself another and
| a stronger brew. 1t warmed me this
time, but excited me foolishly. There
must be some way out of the difficulty.
| / felt now as if could almost see it if
| gave my mind to it. Why-suppose-
! there might be no difficulty after all!
| The bishop was nervous old gentleman.
l He might have been mistaken all
| through, Bogaerts might have been mis-
| taken, might No. Icould not have
been mistaken-or / thought not. /
| fidgeted and fumed and argued with
| myself till / found | should have no
| peace of mind without look at the
stone in my possession, and | actually
went to the safe and took the case out
The sapphire certainly looked different
by lamplight. / sat and stared and all
but overpersuaded by better judgment
into giving it verdict. Bogaert's mark
Il suddenly remembered it. | took
my magni6er and held the pendant to
| the light. There, scratched upon the
stone, was the Greek Beta!
There came a tap on my door, and
| before could answer the handle turned
softly and Lord Carwitchet stood be-
fore me. / whipped the case into my
dressing gown pocket and stared at
him He was not pleasant to look at,
especially at that time of night. He
had disheveled, desperate air, his
voice was hoarse, his red trimmed eyes
wild
81 beg your pardon" he began civil
ly enough. 81 saw your light burning,
and thought, as we go by the early
train tomorrow, you might allow me
to consult you now on little business
of my mothers" His eyes roved about
the room. Was he trying to find the
whereabouts of my safe? "You know
lot about precious stones, don't your"
80 my friends are kind enough to
say. Won't you sit down? l have I'M
luckily little chance of indulging the
taste on my own account, was my eau
tious reply
"But you've written a book about
them, and know them when you see
them, don't you2" Now, my mother has
given me something, and would like you
to give a guess at its value. Perhaps you
can put me in the way of disposing of
it?"
81 certainly can do so if it is worth
ANYTHING. Is that itY' | was in a fever
of excitement, for l guessed what was
clutched in his palm. He held out TO
me the Valdez sapphire.