The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-15
%THERAJAH'S HEIRLOOM
nv FLORENCE MAREYAr.
Author of .uer Lord and Master" Etc.
f~copyright, 1896, by Bachelor. johnson ana
Bacheller.l
PART ~.

ing in his interests"
"Why, certainly; but things seem n
bit mixed to me. Well, sir, you see,
servants amt all deaf and dumb like
that pore creeter that is kept here out
of charity. We has our senses, sir,
and our feelin's, and we ant always
shut our e. yes to what is agoin'on. Well,
it was about n month ago when / fust
see one evening as l was putting up
the shutters in the library, n dark fig
ger lurking along the strawberries
L couldn't see hins very plainly, but
he looked like u loafer or a tramp to
mel didn't like the looks of him az
all, and i called James, the footman,to
90 out into the garden and see who IL
might be! But James, being but q led
and t~imorous-like, was such a time
about obeying my orders, that when
he went the man was gone though
I'm as cerIaln 4 saw .iIn as 4 am tn.t,
/ see you at this present moment!"
swell! Well! but what OF it? You
must often have beggars and tramps
round a large house like this!"
This wasn't no ~beggar," resumed
Goddard. mysteriously. well, sir. the
Tuesday before my old master was
taken with his last illness, her ladyship
had out the jewels in the forenoon, rub.
bling them up and showing them to Sir
Henry and Miss Craley that's the
pore deformed lady, you know. Rachel
Marks was passing in and out of the
Dol ut the time, and can bear
witness to the fact. My lady, she held
49, - L.. ..- AAI ah. anxva
to Rachel: They'll be mine, some day,
Rachel!' and Miss Craley she screamed
ia her queer way and Sir Henry smiled,
AS if it was all right, though, mind you,
j don't believe nothing would have
made him leave them there jewels
away from Sir Charles, not If he'd been
In his right senses, not for ever SOL"
You were present at the interview
between Sir Henry and his son on the
following day, / believe, Goddard?"
"Yes, sir, l was, and 1 hope never to
be present at such another, for treaty.
thought they would nave flown at one
another's throats. Sir Henry he was
IN a terrible state, and the young 'un
was as bad, and as 1 heard the old mas
ter say that Sir Charles was no son OF
his, and that he'd cut his name out of
his will, and hat he'd be left a pauper
on the bounty of the Dowager Lady
Ellesmere, though i, for one, never be-
lieved it, N knew it was only said in
a passion like, and thatin his heart the
old master loved his son better than
anyone else. Well, sir, you've heard
how 1t ended and we had to carry poor
SIR Henry up TO his bed, where he lay
ill be died, unable to speak or to swal-
low. That evening, as l was watching
his bed, with little Miss Cralcy
crouched down by his side, moaning
just like an animal in distress, my eyes
kept turning to the window just to
divert my thoughts, and presently I see
the same figger I've spoke of, loating
round the strawberries and keeping
well in the shadder. And while | was
looking, there comes out a second fig
ure and joins him-and l could have
sworn that it was my lady-but for
Gods sake, sir, you won't betray lne, for
/ couldn't be sure, but Mrs. Nelson.
who v been here almost as long as
1 have, will tell you the same, that is,
that my lady did go out that evening
in the dusk, and she see her pass into
the strawberries, and come back alone!
And that's all / know about the miss
ing of the jewels, sir!"
THANK you, Mr.. Goddard. Your
confidence shall be respected. Will you
send Mrs. Nelson to me?"
When the old man had gone, / rose
from my chair and began to pace the
library. An accomplice-probably a
lover-on the scene. That put an en-
tirely fresh complexion on the matter.
i seem 10 see it all as clear as day!
An old man with a young and beauti-
ful wife who was jealous Of his son,
and tried to set him in every way
against him, in order that she might
inherit the property. She believed her
self to have gained her object, and then
the old mans sudden illness prevents
the accomplishment of her pian--sh,
determines at all risks to secure the
Jewels for herself-calls in an accom-
plicc, or, as / surmise, her lover-givcs
them into his charge-perhaps to take
them out of the country until she can
join him-and so they might be gone
beyond recall. But i would get TO the
bottom of the mystery if mortal man
could do it! 1t was a more intricate
ease than L had expected - SO much
the more kudos might gain from un.
ravcling it. My blood rose at the pros
pect. 4 felt quite excited by the time
the prim, old-fashioned housekeepcr ~
the Cables had entered my presence.
She was n quaint-looking old woman,
The very picture of n servant of trust,
in her respectable black silk gown and
her white quilted cap. She curtsied
"a =