Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-11-01


three months rs he would in a year by
his ciarzship Mabel wonld not listen to
the suggestion that the bank would i'd
vance enough on the diamonds to enable
him 70 mako the investment.
Then Lender discovered that his wife
could be- n very Obstinate woman. It
was in vain that no laid before her the
benefit that would result from q tram
sient disposal Of the goms. She replied,
not withoat logic Ga Yer side, that the
Little Catawba ~ Ne be o failure, and
then her p%rocious securities woulC be
forfeited. Leander, nav fashion, grew
angry, and after some hot words reachtd
tho penultimato Of passion.
81 wish, he said in tones Of invec-
tive, THAT burglars would get tho hate
full stones. They might at least be Of
some use'to theml"
II is said that cures, like chickens,
come home TO roost. After Leander bad
asked forgiveness for his rudoness and
Mabel had swcetly extended the olive
branch Of Cancellation he suggested that
she be doubly careful Of her cherished
possessions.
"Tho town is fin Of burglars, and
they know the people who have fine dia-
monds, and if they once set out to get
them they'll succeed.
Mabel did not sleep with tho dia-
monds in the same room. Womanlike,
she thought If she seoreted them in
some place where they would never be
detected they would be safe. Neither
the ash barrel nor tho ragbag entered
into her calculations, but places just as
inconsistent did.
One night there was n crash in the
room below. Mabel shook her sleeping
husband and whispered in his ears:
"Burglarsi Get your revolver and go
down stairs. The diamonds arc in the
bottom Of the clock"
Leander was startled and confused,
but as the noise continued he hurried
ON his clothes, and taking his revolver
ran softly down the stairs. Mabel re-
manned where she was, shivering with
fear.
There was a fearful connection be-
low, the noise Of falling furniture, open
ing and closing Of windows and the
rapid firing Of the revolver after some
flying robber. Then regard for her hus-
bands life compelled Mabel to hurry
to his assistance. She found him lying
ON the floor, grasping his revolver.
She did not faint nor shrek, but,
T-lm1gv- I--sIl H. F.N1.l Ia. Co.,
and besought him to speak to her.
"Where am I?'' he asked feebly as
he tried to raise himself. "Are the dia-
monds safe?''
"Never mind the diamonds, " said his
wife. "Are you mortally wounded any
where?"
81 don't know" answered Leander
feNbly, and, to her credit be it recorded,
Mrs.. Leander assisted her husband to q
couch and sent off, or rather called for,
assistance before she even thought Of
her diamonds.
Then the open door of the clock told
the whole story. The diamonds were
gone, root and branchl And they were
the only things stolen.
If Leander had been surprised at the
manner of his wife ON receiving the
jewels, he wassastonished at the calm
indifference with which she parted from
them. She allowed the usual course to
be taken to recover the thief or thieves
to justice, but when no results followed
she said she was glad Of it; hat the
gems had been like an evil eye TO them,
and for her part she never wanted to
hear Of them again.
81 wonder, " she said, ''that I did
not sec it in that light before. Twill
never keep anything in my house again
to tempt the cupidity Of the wicked or
unfortunate. To that extent am 1 my
brothers keeper"
But the effect upon her husband was
entirely different. Either he caught cold
ON that night Of the burglary or his
nervous system received a shock, for 10
was almost i'll from the effects of his
tussle with the burglar. And he could
not endure to have the subject men
toned before him. Not oven the success
Of the Little Catawba, " in which a
friend had invested for him, gave him
the peace and rest no craved.
A little incident that happened at
that time did, however, help to restore
him to his normal condition. His wife
received a small package, accompanied
bya soiled and dilapidated note, which,
upon being opened, read;
HoEoBD MADEM-i gets no sleap sonco 1 stoal
yuro dimons; no yure lady an / am a reich II
/ Civ them up pra fur me.
an unnonO friend.
And in tho package Mabel found her
diamonds, exactly as she had last seen
them.
She was pleased-where is the woman
who would not have been?-and she at
once showed her confidence in her hus-
band by placing the gems in his hands
for safe keeping in the bank.
II wish ' had taken your advice ear
. lier, " she said gracefully. 1T would
; have saved us so much trouble"
B Leander murmured something about
all being well that elds we'll and at
noon brought her certificate Of deposit.
There we leave them on tho way ia
l fortune and happiness Tiff Loander's
! conscience does not upset the Who'll,
scheme. He would give s great deal tC