The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-09-06

wishes by the amount l take. l wish
you all the happiness that life can
give, but / can not drink as you men
do; to me it is simply a medicine
Soon after that | began to grow
sleepy, and as my companion did not
seem inclined to talk, l made myself
as comfortab BILE as circumstances would
permit. l turned my head towards
the window, through which the sur
rounding country could be seen dimly
in the moonlight as we rushed along.
put roll of rug under my head and
resigned myself TO night of discom-
fort The next thing it was broad
daylight. / awolxe with dull pain in
my head, and a sense of WEAKNESS
that my sleep had rather increased
than diminished.
MY companion was sitting by the
window reading the book had given
her the night before. On perceiving
that l was awake she put down her
book and remarked that l was evil
IDENTIFY a sound sleeper, and that she
envied me. She had passed a wretch
ed night, and was glad that we would
whom | should now see so soon, and
then of the surprise | had in store for
her.
81 hoped that the necklace would
please her, and then for the first time
it occurred to me that perhaps it
would have been better If l had con-.
suited some woman of taste before
buying it. A brilliant idea struck me
my companion was just the one to
decide. ! would ask her opinion. 1t
was not too late to change the neck
lace for something else if she thought
it not suitable. | was sure she would
tell me candidly just what she thought.
"Crbuttoning my coat | drew the
package from my pocket and laid it on
my lap. Removing the wrappings |
opened the little blue case. For mo-
ment l could not believe my eyes-it
was empty.
II turned quickly to my companion.
She was leaning forward motionless,
breathless, her face pale and in her
eyes look that l shall never forget.
One hand was pressed convulsively
over her heart She had removed her
gloves worn the night before, and on
one finger blaZed a diamond-the one |
had seen the day before at the jewell
er's In an instant saw it all. sprang
forward and grasped her wrist-rough-
ly I'm afraid.
"'Give me back the necklace, you
thief" l cried i know you. You stood
by my side yesterday in the jewelers.
cbor ON tho Wanna do 1'nnaro va
member that ring, and your voice.
You heard me say that | was going to
Nice by this train. The liquor you
gave me was drugged, and you thought
to escape before your theft was dis
covered. 1t was very clever scheme,
but it failed. Give me the necklace, or
| shall turn you over to the police
II stretched out my hand, thinking
that, seeing the folly of further Gprl-
cealment and the uselessness of de-
NAL, she would return the stolen prop
erty. l was wrong. She drew herself
up haughtily and looked me fully in
the face. When she spoke it was in
voice that showed no traces of the
sweetness which had at first attracted
me.
"'You have brought serious charge
against me-, she said, and one of which
am innocent. | am alone. and
woman'-this with momentary
tremOr in her voice that somehow
made me ashamed of the way | had
spoken to her. If as you say. YOU
have lost necklace, your only reason
for accusing me of having stolen it is
that we have been the only occupants
of this compartment The instant you
opened the box and found it empty |
saw the awful position that | was
placed in. Fortunately, however, |
can prove my innocence.
" Perhaps you may hesitate before
again attempting to blacl1mail an I'M
protected woman. As soon as we ar
rive at Nice | shall insist on going at
once to the police station, where a
thorough search of my baggage and
person shall be made ! shall then
ask you to prove that You ever had
necklace This remark was accom-
panied by a smile that was not pleas
ant to see. Until we reach Nice you
shall not address me again.
'Sne leaned Ddck IN ner seat ana
turned her face toward the window.
! felt rather than saw that she was
crying.
Il began to feel uncomfortable
What if, after all. had been too ready
to jump at conclusions and had been
mistaken. Was it not possible that
the box might have been empty when
] received it from the jewelers.? l
had not seen the necklace after it was
left to be repaired, as the box was
wrapped up when | called for it. My
companion has insisted on an investi-
cation that might prove her innocence
an investigation that guilty wom-
an would never have proposed. Be
sides, this, she had expressed doubt
as to the existence of the necklace and
had accused me of an attempt at black
mail. The more | thought of it the
more unpleasant my position became.
suddenly my eyes fell on something
bright on the floor of the carriage.
stopped to pick it up. 1t proved to be
the little heart-shaped paddock l had
noticed the night before on the
poodle's collar. Like flash thought
came to me: here might be a solution
IT. hn 30 I 4