Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-02-26
TOW. But the rubies seemed especially

"Tbev are magnificent" she said
and her eyes were almost as bright win
excitement as the gems themselves =
never saw anything like them. ana
the diamonds are fine too. But those
old fashioned settings are horrible
shall have them all reset at once. Do
Won know the address of a good Jew
eler?"
"Lipklater of Bond street is one OF
the best, l believe. But, if you VIII
excuse me saying SO, don't you thinh
the matter will keep till the colonel's
return? I'm not sure that he would
care to have them altered.
"Oh, he won't object if it is my
WISH" she said sweetly. Il am gong
into the town early tomorrow. shall
wire myself to Linklater's to send one
Of their people to fetch them. y
He quietly ran up to London IN the
morning and paid visit to Mr. LINK
later, to whom he explained the cir
cumstances and then requested that the
stones should not be unset until they
heard from the colonel himself.
"But, my dear SIR" the Jeweler
said, ~ know nothing of these jewels.
No such telegram as you mention has
been received by u.s.
The September afternoon was waning
when he got back to Broadwater, and
Mrs. Fairholme, superb in velvet din
ner gown, swept across the hall to greet
him.
"You tiresome fellow" she said play
fully, "where have you been all day!
The man from Linklater' S has been here
since 8 o'clock waiting for you to come
home with the strongroom keys.
There was moment IS pause, wherein
dozen wild ideas flashed through
Dicks brain. 1t was evident that Mrs
Fairholme had merely used the pretext
of wishing the jewels reset in order to
get them out of the house.
ooh, of course. forgot. He has
come for the jewels, hasn't he? I'll
fetch them.
But when he reappeared his hands
were empty.
"I'm awfully sorry, Mrs. Fairholme, ="
he said coolly, "but I've mislaid my
keys. I hope haven't dropped them
out of doors. F"
II don't think it will be much use
searching for them," she replied, with
an unpleasant laugh. 81 shall have
locksmith down from London the first
thing in the morning. And the jeweler &
| man shall wait. "
| Dick wrote out q telegram and gave
it to groom with sovereign. "Send
it off at once, Rogers. And keep still!
tongue in your head. !"
The message ran as follows:
To Colonel Fairholme, on board the Australian
mail steamer Oratava at Naples:
Return overland. Imperative business
Please don't fail. DICK.
II the colonel obeyed, he would be al
home in three days-that is to say, foul
days before he would have arrived un
der ordinary circumstances-four days
before he was expected by Mrs. Fair
holme.
When the locksmith arrived, Dick hat
a little private conversation with him
and bank note changed hands. AS th'
result, the man told Mrs. Fairholm'
that the job was long one, and that hi
could not undertake to accomplish i
under three days.
Tho mysterious man, who was no
from Bond street, went away, and OF
the third afternoon returned, but thu
strongroom door was not opened yet
The workman was awaiting instruc
tions.
About p. N. there was rattle O
wheels in the avenue, and somebod,
rang the front door bell
The next moment the colonel, in trav
cling cap and ulster, stepped into thu
lamplight. She shrieked and sprang tt
her feet, overturning the bamboo tabl,
with crash.
Colonel Fairholmep' she gaspet
wildly Home alreadyl"
MRS Bellarminel Bless me, what 9
remarkable thingl Why, I thought
had left you in Melbournel"
"Then she's not your wifeP' CRIED
Dick aghast.
my wife % exclaimed his uncle, per
picked to irritability. "You know very
we'll have no wife, sir! met THU
lady and her husband in Melbourne
and they very kindly nursed me through
my bout of influenza. told you SO il
my letters.
Of course the imam from Linklater 8
was her husband, and the pair of ad
venturers, knowing the colonel's plans
had taken advantage of his illness to in
tercept his letters, forge substitutes t,
serve their own ends and make thi
bold attempt to steal the famous rubies
The colonel beamed upon his nephew
"And what shall I do for you, Dick
for saving my rubies?"
"You can repay me very easily if yol
like, sir. Call upon Sir George Warbur
ton.
The colonel made grimace. But h
went And within two months Evelyn
prophecy was fulfilled. -Answers