Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-17

have farthing from me, 1 CRIED on which
he bowed and left the room without an
| other word.
when ne was goneI unlocked my bu'
reau, made sure that my treasure was safe,
| and locked it again. Then started to. GO
| round the house to see that all was secure,
duty which 1 usually leave to Mary, but
which L thought it we'll to perform myself
| that night. - AS 1 came down the stairs
saw Mary herself at the side window of the
hall, which she closed and fastened as ]
| approached.
"Tell me- dad said she, looking i
thought little disturbed, did you give
Lucy, the maid, leave to go out to-night?'
Certainly not
| "'She came in Just now by the back door.
I have no doubt that she has only been to
the side gate to see some one, but think
that it is hardly safe and should be stop
ped
"'You must speak to her in the morning,
or will if you prefer it. Are you sure
that everything is fastened?'
"Quite sure, dad
| "'Then, good night?' kissed her, and
went up to my bedroom again, where was
soon asleep.
"T am endeavoring to tell you every
thing, Mr.. Holmes, which may have any
bearing upon the case, but 1 beg that you
will question me upon any point which do
| not make clear"
"on the contrary, your statement is sin
| gularlv lucid"
81 come to part of. my story now in
| which should wish to be particularly 60 I
am not very heavy sleeper, and the an
1iety in my mind tended, mo doubt, to
make me even less so than usual About 2
in the morning, then, l was awakened by
some sound In the house. It had ceased
ere was wide awake, but it had left an
impression behind it as though window
had gently closed somewhere. I lay listen
ing with all my ears Suddenly, to my
horror, there was distinct sound of footsteps
moving softly in the next room. I slipped
out of bed, all palpitating with fear, and
| peeped round the corner of my dressing
room door.
"tArthurv I screamed. You villain!
You thief! How dare you touch that coro-
net?'
''The gas was half up, as had left 1t,
| and my unhappy boy, dressed only in his
| shirt and trousers, was standing beside the
| light, holding the coronet in his hands. He
appeared to be wrenching at it or bending
it with all his strength. At my cry he
dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale
as death. snatched it up and examined
| it. One of the geld corners with three of
the beryls in it, was missing.
"'You blackguardr 1 shouted, beside
| myself with rage. You have destroyed it!
You have dishonored me foreverl Where
are the jewels which you have stolen?
Stolen ! he cried.
Yes, You thief 7 rosred, shaking him
by the shoulder.
"'There are none missing. There cannot
be any missing, said he.
"'There are three missing And YOU
know where they are. Must call you
liar as well as thief? Did I not see you
trying to tear off another piece?'
"'You have called me names enough
said he. L will not stand it any longer. I
shall not say another word about this bust
ness, since you have chosen to insult me- I
will leave your house in the morning, and
| make my own way in the world
| "'You shall leave it in the hands of the
| police, cried, half mad with grief and
rage. shall have this matter probed to
| the bottom
"You will learn nothing from me- said
he, with passion such as should not have
thought was in his nature. IF you choose
to call the police, let the police find what
they can.
"By this time the whole house was astir,
for had raised my voice in anger. Mary
was the first to rush into my room, and at
the sight of the coronet and of Arthur's face
she read the whole story. and, with o scream,
fell down senseless on the ground I sent
the housemaid for the police and put the
Investigation into their hands at once
When the Inspector and constable entered
the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly