Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1894-02-02

ing puzzle.
Within week had found a man
who knew a man who knew Lawrence,
who lived in Terrace Pars. A Sc
ries Of progressive introductions"
made me acquainted with him. When
his family came home he invited me to
dinner. accepted, went had thor
oughly enjoyable time. and found Miss
Adele Vinton, Mrs. L1wrcnces sister,
the most charming woman 1 had ever
met.
1t took longer to get acquainted
With Mr.. Kingdom There we're more
men in the chair, consisting of the
man who knew the man who knew
the man, Sc, in his case. On the
whole, however, | liked him better.
He was genial, openhearted, witty,
quick at repartee. I became almost
as frequent caller at his house as at
Jack Atbertons / entertain him fre-
quently at my club OF at some hotel.
Strangely enough. 1 never invited
Lawrence So my boarding house.
Possibly was becoming dissatisfied
with boarding house litc-since | met
Adele Vinton.
Yes, 1 was at Lawrences more fre-
quently than at Kingdoms s. But
Lawrence was not the chief attraction.
He was a gentleman, to be sure, but
reseryed-almost naughty, very pre-
else and matter of fact in his lam
guage and Of great gravity and un-
bending dignity | didn't like him
though got into frame of mind
such that the dearest wish of my heart
was to have him for a brother-in-law
Kingdom took me to his place Of
business in the citX-~a cosy little
office in which he loaned money,
bought and sold real estate. dc. Law
renee was evidently a gentleman Of
leisure
found ont nothing about the dia-
monds nothing. Kingdoms wife
came home from her summer absence.
| made her acquaintance. Indeed, /
became one Of her most intimate
friends. She went away south for the
winter. The Lawrences we're talking
Of gong, wmting 50 dared think
on Adele vistag's Teccou4- So sai,la.
until SLOW fellow should make up
his mind to speak. And not word
had been spoken, in either fam Y,
that gave me hint at any possible
solution OF my dreadful problem. And
you know ! couldn't very Well ask
outright-or even hint very strongly.
Wen, one night in early winter
when the double Difficult ties Of my
position had kept me awake until very
late, I was awakened from my first
midnight si,rmber 10y hearing some
body in the room.
The man turned 10 NV buretn Ny
heart seemed pressed almost to burst.
ing. | grew hot and cold bv turns.
Aud still, coerced by some power
could not resist. waited -waital
He opened drawer after drawer,
tossing my belongings about in e rlau-
= ner that was offensive ana exaspsrat-
ing. Then suddenly he caught sight
Of the box of diamonds. He caught
I at it frlntieallv. H opened it frou-
, ziedlv He gloata.l over tile wealth It
contained.
t s.The Forte,cue diamonds again p
. he said. "They are mine again, I'll
take care they don't get into the hands
= Of some other of the midnight frater-
. nitv after this. I'll quite as soon the
h Fortescue woman should have them
b back again as to have to admit there
l are thieves more skilful than am.
' He spoke gunrdedlv, he spoke low
4 he muttered his words rather than ar
ticulnted them. But knew his voice.
o I shut nv ewes entirely. Ilet the rms.
+ cal go unharmel and unchallengel.
k But in the morning wrote a line or
st two on my typewriter. addressed il
s.; bv means of the sans machine TO tn.
= chief Of police ! mailed it myself Il
a letter-box, far from my own place o.
IS abode or any otner Ioc"'''F connected
f. with the altar. II was an ANONYMOUS
.e letter' and Afforded no clue to 'h'
9 sender bu' u to.o "n're 'ne / 'r'2S
ie cue diamonds e'"'' P''"H'.l '' e
covered ne ponce '''''' ~ ~
1t mnt'
Inc man g lrole79'o''' y Y ~
at was 'aAeh AT " "iS'''' ''''"3,' =, 'l'