The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-02-03
"NQBLESSE OBLIGE."

On the night of the 3D. Of November,
lS9-, James Carlton brought from
Paris two magificent rubies that he
had picked up at a sale, and which,
considering their history, were
dirt cheap at the price he paid for
them.
They had belonged 10 the unfor-
tunate Marie Antoinettc, and had
been sold by IA mistake, Of which
the shrewd dealer had been quick TO
avail himself.
1t was too late when he reached
home to take them TO the city, and he,
therefore, in the presence Of his son
John Carlton, deposited them i'm II
safe that stood i'm the corner Of his
bedroom.
Over the mantelpiece i'm this room
hung two old horse-pistols, and tax
ing them down the father loaded
one, laughingly observing that at all
events the report would alarm the
neighborhood.
About two o'clock i'm the morning
he was awakened by the sound Of fire
AiiiS, ipilOhNu ny lll' Summing W II
door. He reached out for the pistol
that he had placed on the chair beside
him, and found it gone. He heard
someone rush across the hall and try
the front door; then he heard foot
steps on the stairs, and his son rushed
into the room with one OF the pistols
in his hand.
The sons story was that he had n
restless night, and that about two
o'clock he heard some one moving
about very quietly in his fathers
room, which room connected with his
by n swing door. Pushing this door
open he saw, by the light of the night
lamp, n man in the act OF closing the
safe, and before he had recovered
from his surprise the fellow slipped
quietly out Of the room. Catching
up the pistol that lay on the chair by
his fathers bedside, he followed down
stairs, across the hall and towards the
kitchen, the door of which stood
open.
When he challenged, the man whom
he suspected Of having stolen the
rubies turned and presented n pistol,
and young Carlton fired. 1t was n
very clear, moonlight night, and he
distinctly saw the thief staggcr. The
next moment the kitchen door
slammed to, and when he reached it
he found it locked. He then ran to
the front door and found ii also
locked and the key gone. Hurrying
up to his father room, he discovered
him sitting up in bed as already de-
scribed. He threw up the bedroom
window, which looked upon the street,
and called Police" and when an
officer came he found the back door
locked and effected an entrance by a
window.
On examination il was discovered
that the keys of the safe were i'm the
safe door, that the rubies had disap-
peared, and with them n number of
sovereigns.
When old Carlton went TO bed that
night, he remembered perfectly well
that he had put his keys under his
pillow. The most rigorous search
failed to furnish any proof that the
house had been burglariously entered.
One of the pistols was missing, as
also were the keys OF the two doors.
When Carlton senior reported the
loss of the jewels to his two partners,
the younger of them unhesitatingly
declared that John Carlton, the son,
was the thief, and, refusing TO accept
the senior partners offer to make
good the loss, he took out n warrant
at once.
Evidence was adduced TO show that
the young nan was heavily i'm debt.
and when it was further proved that
he and his father were the only per-
sons who knew the secret of the safe.
he was at once committed for trial.
DIR. Castell sat in his snug study.
smoking what ought to have been the
pipe of peace, but the troubled look
on his pale, handsome face betokened
an unquiet mind. He was thinking
of Alma Talbot, who just one month
before had refused him, and that. too.
for Jack Carlton, the man who, on
the morrow, would most assuredly be
branded as n thief. "What would she
do?" was the question he asked him
self, and as he sat there turning it
over i'm his mind, the answer came to
him, as surely as one noble nature
can answer for another. She would
be true to her promise through
good report and evil report, and would
wait faithfully for the man whom she
believed innocent until he came back