The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-09-07

The family had b~reakfasted, but she
thought little about that. Her first
glance at the lounge where she had
left her wraps showed that they were
all picked up and carried away.
"Who carried my things away?" she
asked Matte, /ho was busting the
room.
II did. Wasn't that right?"
"Oh, yes" but she hurried into the
hall and examined her mittens, her
muff, cloak and hood, even her over
shoes and leggings, shook everything,
but to no purpose.
Did you lear anything drop on the
floor when you picked up my things,
Matter she asked, when she returned
to the dining room.
Il don't remember as 1 did" Matte
said. I've swept the floor since.
Have you lost somethiag?"
Jacky said yes" and, getting down
on her hands and knees, peered in the
hollow of the stove legs, examined the
lounge and shook its cushions. Then
she went out at the front door and
carefully examined every inch of the
path to the gate-ali in vain.
Then. and not till then, did she &C.
quaint her mother with her loss. Mrs.
Lawson was ven more disturbed than
Jacky, and she went over all the
things and places that Jacky had
searched, as vainly. Then her sus-
picion fell on Matte. She was too just
to say anything of it to anyone else,
but she watched the girl narrowly
and thought she saw traces of guilt.
Judge Lawson took measures to have
the sleigh searched carefully, and also
sent word to the house where the
party was given, but all as fruitless as
the other efforts.
The next week was Mates time for
q visit home. Her widowed mother
lived in the city, ten miles away, and
it had been stipulated when she came
that she should have a chance to go
home once in two months and spend
the Sabbath, SO she went on the train
Saturday. Truth to tell, it was Il re-
lief to her to get away, for she felt
that Mrs. Lawson was all the time
watching her and suspected that she
knew what had become of the ring.
That evening Kitty Logan, one of
Jacky's many girl friends, came bust
ling in.
II went to the city to-day" she said,
land l sat just opposite your girl,
Matte, in the car. And l want to ask
you 4 question. Does she wear a
ring?'
Il don't remember as 1 ever noticed
her wearing one. Why?"
We'll, it may not mean anything,
but she certainly had on n to-day,
for ] could see the shape of it through
her worstcd glove"
Should you think the shape might
have been like Jacky's?" asked Mrs.
Lawson.
Il should think it might, though l
didn't think about that at the time,
and should never have thought of it
again, but for one circumstance. l
had an errand at Peck & Snyder's-
they're the finest jewelry store in the
city you know-and | mel Matte COM
ing out just as l went in. She must
have gone there direct from the depot
She had on a veil and didn't notice me,
SO many are all the time passing out
and in, but l wondered why a poor
girl like her should visit a fine store
like that"
Mrs. Lawson was more stirred by
this confirmation of her suspicious
than she wa willing to confess. With
out telling anyone she wrote immedi-
ately to Peck Il Snyder, asking if they
Rod ba1 - diamond rin.r pTf,ral tho,n
for sale that day, if SO, what style of a
ring and by whom.
The answer came back Immediately.
They had several clerks, so it wa diff
cult to trace such things, but one
clerk, name given, remembered a
young lady bringing in a diamond ring
about that time, "a not positive as to
the day, and asking its value. She
did not say she wanted to sell it. The
heads of the firm were both out then,
and the clerk told her he did not think
any of the clerks would be competent
Judges of its value, and advised her to
call again.
Mrs. Lawson was not satisfied, and
wrote again, this time to the clerk
himself. asking that he describe to her
as nearly as he could the lady and the
ring.
The clerk replied that he did not re-
member at all particularly about the
lady, and could not well describe her
face. as she had on a veil, but his i'm
preston was that she was young;
should not say hat she was richly
dressed, or very poorly, and there was
nothing suspicious in her manner;
should say the diamonds were a mod
est cluster, but did not examine the
ring and could not tell positively its
style.
The modest cluster" described
Jacky's ring SO exactly that Mrs. Law
son now took her husband into her
confidence, told him what Kitty had
said, and showed him the letters.
Its Il ease of circumstantial evil
dence." he said, after they had talked
over the particulars. NO n should
ever be condemned on that. III think
of it over night, and give you my ad,
vice in the morning"
$50 yourself and talk to Matte kind
" and in private" was the advice he
gave. ''If she is guilty you may get