The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-09-04

ooh, he won't object if 1t is my
wish, she said sweetly. 81 am going
into the town early tomorrow. l shall
wire myself to Linklater's to send one
of their people to fetch them.
He quietly ran up to London in the
morning and paid visit to Mr.. Link
later, to whom he explained the cir
cumstances and then requested that the
stones should not be unset until they
heard from the colonel himself.
But, my dear sir, the jeweler
said, II know nothing of these jewels.
No such telegram as you mention has
been received by u.s. "
The September afternoon was waning
when he got back to Broadwater, and
Mrs. Fairholme superb in velvet dim
ner gown, swept across the hall to greet
him.
"You tiresome fellow, " she said play
fully, "where have you been all dayP
The man from Linklater's has been here
since O'Clock waiting for you to come
home with the strongroom keys "
There was moment S pause, wherein
dozen wild ideas flashed through
Dicks brain. 1t was evident that Mrs.
Fairholme had merely used the pretext
of wishing the jewels reset in order to
get them out of the house.
ooh, of course l forgot. He has
come for the jewels, hasn't he? I'll
fetch them. p"
But when he reappeared his hands
were empty.
"I'm awfully sorry, Mrs. Fairholme, "
he said coolly, "but I've mislaid my
keys. I hope haven't dropped them
out Of doors. F"
II don't think it will BIO much use
searching for them," she replied, with
ali unpleasant laugh. ~ shall have
locksmith down from London the first
thing in the morning. And the jewelers.
man shall wait.
Dick wrote out telegram and gave
it to groom with sovereign. "Send
1t off at once, Rogers. And keep still
tongue in your head. "
The message ran rs follows:
To Colonel Fairholme on board tho Australian
| mail steamer 0ratava at Naples:
| Return overland. Imperative business.
| Please don't fail DICK.
If the colonel obeyed, he would be at
| home in three days-that is to say, four
days before he would have arrived un-
der ordinary circumstances-four days
before he was expected by Mrs Fair
| holme.
When the locksmith arrived Dick had
little private conversation with him,
and bank note changed hands. AS the
result, the man told Mrs. Fairholme
that the job was long one, and that he
could not undertake to accomplish 1t
under three days.
The mysterious man, who was not
from Bond street, went away, and ON
| the third afternoon returned, but the
| strongroom door was not opened yet.
/ Tho workman was awaiting instruc
tions.
About p. IN. there was rattle of
wheels in the avenue, and somebody
| rang the front door bell.
The next moment the colonel, in tray
cling cap and ulster, stepped into the
lamplight She shrieked and sprang to
/ he1 feN1, oyolsnrning the bamboo table
with crash,
| Colonel Fairholmel' she gasped
| wildly. "Home alreadyl"
"Mrs. Bellarmine Bless me, what q
remarkable thing Why, thought 1
had left you i'll Melbourne"
"Then sho's not your wifef' cried
Dick aghast-
my wifep' exclaimed his uncle, per-
picked to irritability. "You know very
we'll I have no wife, sir 1 met this
lady and her husband in Melbourne,
and they very kindly nursed mo through
my bout Of influenza. I told you SO in
my letters. "
OF course the imam from Linklater's"
was her husband, and the pair Of i'd
| venturers, knowing the colonel's plans,
had taken advantage Of his illness to in
| tercept his letters, forge substitutes to
| serve their own ends and make this
bold attempt to steal the famous rubies.
The colonel beamed upon his nephew.
"And what shall do for you, Dick,
| for saving my rubies?'
"You can repay me very easily If you
| like, sir Call upon Sir George Warbur-
| ton -
The colonel made grimace. But he
went. And within two months Evelyn's
prophecy was fulfilled. Answers.