The Press., 1895-08-29

monds in the same room. Woman1Ike, she thought if she secreted them in some place where they would never be detected they would be safe. Neither the ash barrel nor the ragbag entered into her calculations, but places just as inconsistent did.
 One night there was a crash in the room below. Mabel shook her sleeping husband and whispered in his ear:
 Burglars Get your revolver and go down stairs. The diamonds are 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- mained where she was, Ehivering with fear.
 There was a fearful commotion 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 shriek, but, kneeling beside him, bathed his face 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?''
 II don't know" answered Leander feebly, and, to her credit be it recorded, Mrs. Leander assisted her husband to a 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 branch! And they were the only things stolen.
 If Leander had been surprised at the manner of his wife on receiving the jewels. he was astonished 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; that the gems had been like an evil eye to them, and for her part she never wanted to hear of them again.
 ''I wonder" she said, "that I did not sec it in that light before will never keep anything in my house again to tempt the cupidity of the wicked or unfortunate. To that extent am my brother's 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 he was almost i'll from the effects of his tussle with the burglar. And he could not endure to have the subject men, tioned before him. Not even the success of the "Little Catawba, " in which friend had invested for him, gave him the peace and rest he 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 by a soiled and dilapidated note, which, upon being opened, read:
 HoNoRD MADEM-i gets no sleap sence stoal yure dimons; yurc laidy an i am retch if giv them up pra fur me.
 an unnone frcnd.
 And ill the package Mabel found her diamonds, exactly ;ls shc had last seen them.
 She was pleased-whcro is tho woman who would not have bccn?-and she at once showed her confidence in her hus- band by placing the gems ill his hands for safe keeping ill the bank.
 'I wish had taken your advice car Her," she said gracefully. "It would have saved us so much trouble"
 Leander murmured something about all being we'll that ends well and at noon brought her a certificate of deposit.
 There we leave them on the way to fortune and happiness Tiff Loander's conscience does not upset tie whole scheme. He woull give i. great deal to know, what no clairvoyant could tell him, how much or how little Mabel has discovered. My own opinion is that she saw through it from the first and holds herself equally guilty as accessory after the crime, and with that sweet fickle- ness which even an upright woman em- ploys she will make herself loving ac- complice, for it is a foregone conclusion that Leander Clarke was his own bur glar. Detroit Free Press.