The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-03-31
THE GREAT RESPER.
TALE OF A BIG DIAMOND.
How an Immense Gem Was Lost,
Recovered. and Lost Again.
CHAPTER ".

4
est,-for indeed these were the hap.
piest days / had ever spent-but be-
cause the lengthy description would
unduly retard the progress of the
history | have set myself to mar
rate.
On the morning of the 18th, search
was made for Lola. She was not in
the house. A little after mid day, one
of the keepers sent out to explore the
Abbey woods and park, reported that
he had seen the fugitive in the frplan-
tation, about a mile from the Abbey.
At sight of him she had 'scuttled"
away like a young deer, but he, obedi-
ent to orders had not pursued her.
''It's the smell Of the pines as draw
ed her there" said the Judge; "she
was born amongst 'em, end she
loves 'em more than laces and
satins and picters, and sicn like; and
it's more nat'ral for the little cuss to
sleep on the brown needles than in
feathers. Theirs no tamin' her. It's
instinc', end like. foul weeds IN q fair
pasture, durn her, there's no gettin'
it out of her. Leave her alone, sir
and she'll come in when she's hungry,
and then will larn her the inquity of
ongratituder'
In the afternoon we went IN brake
to Southampton, driving slowly
through the woods, with the posi-
hlity of being seen by Lola, who
would certainly then have followed
us; but we saw nothing of her. At
Southampton we bought decent
clothes, and spent some time in the
hairdresser' s.. / had my beard shaved
off; and we,returned to the Abbey, very
much altered for the better in appear
ance. r.
Miss Lascelles was much distressed
about Lola, who was still absent.
Braces explanation of her leaving the
Abbey seemed a reasonable one; but
her antipathy to Miss Lascelles, which
led her to destroy the things she had
given her, was to me mystery,-to
Miss Lascelles also, | believe, and a
very painful one. She seemed to feel
herself in some inscrutable way re-
sponsible for the girls action.
Sir Edmund returned in the evening
| from London,
"Now, indeed; you look yourself
a gentleman,P he said, shaking my
hand cordially. He had made in
| quiries respecting a lapidary, and
learned that the most expert known
to the trade, was a man
named Cafvalho, then occupied at
Madrid. With our sanction he wrote
at once Offering this man his own
terms to come to the Abbey and cut
the Great Hesper.
At night the door by which Lola
was supposed to haye escaped from the
Abbey was lett open, and a night light
was placed in her bedroom.
The next morning the dairymaid
said that some one had been at her
milk pans in the night; there was no
other evidence of Lola having entered
the house. After breakfast, | deter
mined to go through the woods my
self in search of her. Miss Lascelles
wished to accompany me. ought to
havepointed out to her that her COM
panT lessened the chances of Lola
suffering me to approach her, but |
could not deprive myself the pleasure
of having such sweet companion.
We saw Lola at the edge of clearing
on the hillside. She watched us as we
| drew near. / called to her; but she
shook her head, and, turning her back
upon us, quickly disappeared amongst
| the pines. The forlorn condition of
| the girl; her gesture, which seemed full
OF sadness; the silent fall of leaves;
the tristness of the autumn woods
overcame Miss Lascelles; and, as she
walked silently beside me, with her
head bent, saw that she was crying.
This episode made deep impression
upon me; yet, while my heart ached
with sympathy for the poor little saw
age wandering alone in those silent,
still woods, an indescribable happi-
ness stole over my senses. 1t was the
awakening of love.
Sir Edmund had a basket of food
placed in the dairy, and the doors
again lett open.
On the 18th we learned that some
bread and fruit had been taken from
the dairy in the night. Sir Edmund
and / walked through the woods: we
saw nothing of Lola. Our conversa-
tion turned upon his daughter, and he
! told me how she had consoled him for
| the loss of his wife. He spoke with
natural pride of her sweet and loyal
disposition. Later on, falling upon
| the subject Of the great diamond, he
| asked how came to be a miner.
| told him of my loss by the failure of
| the Imperial, of the impossibility OF
my getting my living as a clerk, etc.
incidentally | referred to my mothers s
family, and, the name leading him
! to make further inquiries, he discover
| ed the curio1g fact that my mother
must have Eeen his wife s cousin. How
| often do we find wide circles of friends
linked together in this way! |
| thought that Miss LasceIles was
greatly pleased with the discovery of
the distant relationship existing be-
tween us; we seemed less remote from
each other.
During our absence Miss Lascelles
| had devoted herself entirely to Van
Hoeck; her sympathy had remark
able effect upon this strange man.
When took him up to his room to
dress for dinner, he asked me to open
| the windows, and place him where he
! might feel the air. He sat before the
| open window; the setting sun was
/ reflected upon his sightless eyes.
believe he became unconscious OF my
presence, and / stood there watch
ing the play OF his features. His nos
trils dilated, his brows creased to-
gether, his lips parted, showing his
teeth closely set, the whole expression
of the face indicating extreme dread;
then the muscles relaxed, for mo-
ment his eadaverous cheeks were
tinged with color, the eyes closed, and
the lips trembled as if in ecstasy.
Again his lids rose and the look OF
dread returned to his face. He shrank
back in his chair, and blinked his eyes
as though to give them light; then
suddenly he flung out his arms wildly,
and, with smothered cry of inn
potent rage, buried his face in his
hands, his long, thin fingers pressing
the throbbing veins which stood out
knotted and hard upon his temples.
| "What is the matter, old man2W
aal,ad ,,t1ftino nv hand an his ShOul.