Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-05-29

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given him.
That evening when the store was
closed l set myself to examining the
books, which Harold had kept. Of course
did not expect to find anything wrong
in them, but it always seems to be the
correct thing when anything unexpected
occurs in commercial life to examine the
books. AS l expected, they were all
right-not cent out of the way. While
was just nearing that comforting con-
clusion there came a gentle tapping at
the door, a'd when l opened it there, to
my surprise, stood Annie Bunker. She
was flushed and almost breathless from
the haste she made in coming, no doubt,
but l Thought she never looked prettier
than then, and Annie always was apret-
ty girl. AS opened the door she glided
in quickly and laid on the counter lit
tie bundle she had been carrying.
"Oh, Mr.. Merrivale!' she exclaimed.
"What is the truth about it? Papa has
been saying such dreadful things. you've
no idea! And I'm sure poor Harold never
did anything Of the sort, but he won't
listen to reason at all and says he will
hunt him down and put him in states
prison if it costs him S20.0 900. and surely
something must have happened to him.
don't you think so?"
simply replied Yes
Long. intimate and happy association
with my dear Celia had familiarized me
with the way excited young women talk.
and taught me what is sufficient in re-
spending to them at such times. All one
needs to do is to agree with them, or at
least seem to do so. in order to get along
admirably That affirmative word was
all Annie wanted. for to her it seemed
perfect assent to all that was affirmation
in her mind. and, as she imagined, COM
mitted me to looking with her eyes upon
her lovers delinquency.
i want you," she went on. unwrap-
ping the bundle and exposing an old
fashioned jewel box. Ito do something
for me don't know enough about busi-
ness to say how it is to be done. but you
can fix all that if | provide the means,
as will. Papa is furious: says he is go
ing to lose q whole lot of money by Har-
old's going away. and it is for that, | un-
derstand, he is going to have him put in
prison Now. | rely on you to stop that.
don't care how appearances may be
against him. I'm sure Harold has never
done anything wrong. He never intend
ed to rob anybody, did heT
Of course ! said mo" Catch me argu-
ing with her!
Il have here the diamonds my mother
left me. They have been handed down
from mother to daughter in our family
for hundreds Of years, and no doubt
Providence intended them to be pre-
served until now to save an innocent
man from undeserved shame. Papa said
he was going to the city to 'catch'-that
was his very word, Mr.. Merrivale, to
.catch'-Harold and would take you with
him. | want you to carry these dla'
monds along, sell them and have imita-
ton stones put in the settings. lnever
wear them, you know, and papa will
never stop to see whether the real ones
are there if he just sees something in the
case when he looks, as he sometimes does.
And want you to use the money they
bring to somehow deprive my father OF
an excuse for sending Harold Linden to
prison
From the Jewels when she opened the
case flashed such a flood Of scintillant
light as almost dazzled me. do notpro-
fess to bp an expert on diamonds, but
something of their value is known to me.
and am sure those little white stones
Annie was so willing to give to save her
lover were worth more money than he
carried away with him.
You must think a good deal Of
Harold said banteringly. Ito make a
sacrifice like this for him.
She colored deeply. but raising her
eyes with courage to mine replied firmly
Yes Why should | not admit itr !
love him and was to have been his wife.
but that dream is past. Papa swears
shall never marry him. and he can pre-
vent me- But he also swears to ruin
Harold, and | can prevent him Will
you take the diamondsT
Yes" replied. There was big diff
ference between taking them in charge
and disposing of them as she wanted me
to- When she had gone away, after
warmly expressing her gratitude to me,
carefully locked those diamonds up in
my safe to wait until | could deposit
them in the bank vault the next morn
ing, there to be kept in security until the
present storm should have blown over.
If that good, true little girl ever lost her
diamonds, it would not be through any
connivance of mine. that was resolved
upon
And so. reflected, Mr.. Bunker was
going to take me to New York. He had
settled it without botheriug himself to
consult mel was just to be taken. like
a valise perhaps-but doubted it.
Just then another knock called me to
the door.
My dear Celia, with a most distressful
countenance. had sought me to share her
anxieties. Again she had telegraphed to
the hotel clerk, and his reply, just re-
ceived, was that nothing had yet been
learned of Mr.. Linden.
And now" she said, 81 feel sure
something awful has happened to Har-