Evening star., 1896-02-22

dard mysteriously "weu, sir, the Tues
day before my old master was taken with
his last illness her Iadyship had out the
Jewels In the forenoon, rubbing them up and
showing them to Sir Henry and Miss Craley
.thats the pore deformed lady, you know.
Rachel Marks was passing in and out of the
room at the time, and can bear witness to
the fact. My lady, she held them against
her goWnd, and she says to Rachel: They'll
be mine, some day, Rachel? and Miss Craley
she screamed in her queer way, and Sir
Henry smiled, as if it was all right, though,
mind You. I don't believe nothing would
nave made him leave them there jewels
away from Sir Charles, not If he'd been in
mis- right senses, not for ever SOP
ou were present at the interview be-
tween Sir Henry and his son on the follow
Ing day, believe, Goddard?'
y es, sir, was and hope never to be
present at such another, for really thought
they would have flown at one another's
throats Sir Henry he was in terrible
state, and the young 'un was as bad, and,
as I heard the old master say that Sir
Charles was no son of his, and that he'd cut
his name out Of his WILL and that he'd be
Ie1t pauper on the bounty of the dowager
Lady Eliesmere. though 1, for one, never be-
lieved 1t, and knew it was only said in pas-
sion.hke. and that in his heart the old mas
ter loved his SON better than any one else.
Wen. SIR, you've heard how 1t ended, and we
had to carry poor Sir Henry up to his bed,
where he lay till he died, unable to speak or
to swallow. That evening, as was watch
Ing his bed, with little Miss Craley crouched
oown by his side, moaning just like an ami
mai In distress, my eyes kept turning to the
WINDOW. just to divert my thoughts, and
presently l see the same figger I've spoke of,
loaflng round the strawberries and keepine
Wen IN the shadder And while was looking
tnere comes out second figger and joins
him-and could have sworn that 1t was nv
lady-but. for Gods sake sir you won't be-
tray me, for couldn't be sure. but Mrs
W N hoy h1ov,
as l have, will tell you the same that Ia
that my lady did go out that evening in the
DUSK, and she sees her pass into the shrub
berries. and come back alone! And that's all
Thank you. Mr.. Goddard Your conf
denee shall be respected. VIII you send
AirS. Nelson to ae?''
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 entirely fresh complexion on
thc matter. ! seem 10 see it ali as clear as
Day. An oil nlen wi;h / y0.:ns: and l,eauti-
fui Wife who v:2s ;sAi1;s o. his SON. and
tried TO set h.:ll II (Err, ;;rg- "."a.nst fr..
in order that She IL Il :: h.t.- t:;n prarerty
She believed hersef5 to ia%t. .:s:r FL he. Oh
Ject, and then the Cid man ; sudden illness
prevents the accomplishment of her plan
she determines at all risks to secure the
jewels for herself-calls in an accomplice
or. as 1 surmise, her lover-glves them into
his charge-perhapS to take them out of
the country until she can join hin-and so
they might be gone beyond recall. But 1
would get to the bottom of the mystery if
mortal man could do it! 1t was a more in
tricate case than l had expeCted--So much
the more kudos might / gain from unravel-
ing 1t. My blood rose at the prospect. felt
quite excited by the time the prinl, old
fashioned housekeeper of The Gables had
entered my presence. She was quaint
looking old woman, the very picture of
servant of trust, in her respectable black
silk gown and her white quilted cap She
curtsied low as she encountered me. and
stood like statue with her mttened hands
crossed over her apron, to hear what /
might have to say to her
your name is Mrs. Nelson, 1 believer" /
commenced.
Yes, sri''
II suppose. as you have been for so long in
the family, that you have often seen the
missing jewels!"
II have seen them several times. sir"
And VIXEN did you them last, Mrs.
Nelson?"
Not for long time, sir; my business not
lying in the upper stories of the house"
can you tell ME when you heard of them
last."ha you can remember happening on
the Tuesday and Wednesday preceding your
late masters death?"
Il don't know much about the Tuesday,
sir. excepting that Rachel Marks came
down to my room, all of fiutter, to tell me
that my lady had shown her the rajah's
Jewels. She said she had never seen any
thing so beautiful in her life before-that
Gle if she could only have some like them"
''Ah. Rachel Marks said that, did she?"
Yes, sir! foolish and girl-like. 1 told
! er for what use would such vaiuables he to
her. specially if she was dead. BIT I feel
sure she had seen them, for she was quite
excited over it. My lady was rubbing then:
with piece of chamois leather, she said
till they looked like q rainbow of colors
But that's all know about the Tuesday"
.And the Wednesday. Mrs. Nelson?'
'Ah. that was terrible day for us all.
sir. Master Charles Gas he was them came
down from London by the IL O'Clock train.
and saw Sir Henry in the library. There
was high words between them-we SER
wants could hear them plainly down in the
kitchen, and it frightened US to deatf-and
my lady was listening outside in the hall,
too. with a face like a sheet. We heard
Sir Henry say: That's right strike your
to your record" and Master Charles replied:
III l was to kill you, it would be scarcely
worse crime than that woman (meaning
her ladyship, if you please. sir) has in
duced You to commit against mel We was
all listening in the passage sir, and our
dard, he was for breaking in the door to
prevent bloodshed, but presently Master
Charles came out, looking very white, and
he says: Goodbye to you all. I shall never
darken these doors again" and he rushed
away into the grounds. and we saw no
more of him till he came down for the fu-
neral There was no sound from the IL
brary, and after a while my lady went in,
and gave a scream. and then we all fol-
lowed her and there was my boor old mas
ter, sitting in his chair. with his mouth
drawed to one side. Goddard and me- We
saw it was a stroke at once. and when we'd
carried him up to his bed, we sent for the
doctor Mr.. Goddard, he was told off to see