Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-05-09

4htS. Ifffcihtt buo SChC w z Aitch'D
at No. 10 quite early In the afternoon and
had stayed there chatting with them until
IL was time for her to 90 home and dress
for the dinner ut the deanery to which she
was hidden. when she had Immediately
missed the jewel-box. And the odd part
OF IL was that not one Of the three Miss
Mauleverers had left the room during the
two hours of her visit even for q minute.
During the course Of the next day o
messenger came over to Julia from Mrs.
LOyelace. Would she go over for five
ininutest And of course Julia went and
was shown up to Mrs. Lovelace's room
where she found one or two business-like
men In plain clothes together with the
three Mauleverer spinstcrs and Major aud
Mrs. bovelace.
Mrs. Lovelace a~pologized for having
troubled her. "You know that nave lost
all my jewels" she said.
"Yes-and most ~orry we are for YOU"
said Julia, kindly.
"Well-these gentlemen are detectives.
and one OF them has heard that you said
at dinner Inst night, when You were all
talking OF this affair that you saw one OF
my friends here-Miss Alice Mauleyerer
cross the road and go in at the DIOR be-
low"
Eyes. did, said Julia, "about half
past four"
"But do YOU know that I was in their
drawing-room yesterday afternoon from
four to six o'clock and that the three Miss
Mauleverers were there and never left IL
for one minute during the whole OF that
timer"
For a moment Julia was thunderstruck
she sat and stared at Alice Mauleverer
until the ancient damsel began 10 simper
and then TO blush. II was never so much
mistaken in my life then" she cried
Julia I mean.
And" Mrs. Lovelace went on. CLARK
tells me that about that time he was ON
ing downstairs and that he met Miss
Mauleyerer on the landing-he told her
that I was out aud that he believed i had
gone over to No. 10. Yes she answered.
she Is there now, but I have come over
for a bottle Of throat lozengcs which Mrs.
Lovelace wants He went down to get a
light, having just used his last match,
and when he came back the lady wa at
the door. 'Don'. trouble about a Light,
Clark she said, 4 have got them. They
were on the table, and then she went out
and Clark shut the door behind her"
"Well, that bears out what said" ex-
claimed Julia, in great bewilderment,
thinking wildly that surely the Maulever-
ers could not have suddenly turned klepto-
maniacs.
mo Miss Mauleverer came here-not
one OF them was out OF my sight from
four to six o'clock" Mrs. Loyelace re-
piled. The person Won saw and Clark
here saw, was a made-up Miss Maulever-
err" Here Julia involuntarily CAV "A
glance at the three weird sisters or the
other side OF the room, only a flicker of a
glance and yet a protest in itsel; against
the literal truth Of Mrs. Lovelace's words.
That vas the person who stole my jew
els"
Mrs. Lovelace.' Julia exclaimed.
Eyes. That is why | sent for you. l.
is to know il you can help us-if you really
saw the woman. If you can describe her
or give us the least clue by which we can
trace her"
Julia shook her head. az could only
tell you that thought | saw Miss Alice
Mauleverer-I could not describe the wo-
nan more closely than that" she said.
"Why don't you ask Clark He spoke to
her--and must have seen her better han
l."
"No-Clark had been upstairs and had
tust used his last match. He met her on
n landing. just outside the door here in
fact, which IL never too well lighted even
in the morning aud he, like you, thought
II was Miss Mauleverer and had no suspi-
cion otherwise until | got home and found
that the jewel-case had gone. But what
we want to know from you Is how was
she dressed''
!, Oil 4 can tell you That although the
with a lot of black braidiug on the skirt.
have seen Miss Mauleverer ia just such
a dress" she added. lin fact / think | saw
you in 1t yesterday. and l never noticed
that there was any difference"
Yes. was wearing it yesterday" said
Miss Alice.
Then she had a short seal-skin cloak,
tight fitting, and a tall black hat. For
the rest / can really tell you nothing ex.
cept that she opened the door and went in,
as | have sometimes seen the Miss Maui
everers do"
And she stayed" Mrs. Lovelace said
eagerly.
Il don't know. did not wait to see. ="
said Julia, simply.
And you can tell us nothing more?n
exclaimed Mrs. Lovelace in evident disap-
pointment.
81 am very sorry" Julia answered, but
I am afraid | cannot"
But you would know her if you saw
her-you would be able to swear TO her."
she cried, anxiously.
II don't know said Julia, with n dep.
recating smile, but | think | shall never
dare to swear 10 anything. l believe il I
saw Miss Alice Mauleverer aud that per
son going across the road, that l should
not know which was which. only wish
| could swear to her-i would swear hard,
l promise YOU"
She took leave of them then, shook
hands with Mrs. Lovelace, who was look
ing very anxious and i'll, made a very stir
little bow TO the ancient damsels, and al
lowed Major Lovelace to precede her
downstairs. And then when he had seen
her to the doorstep and she had spoken q
few words OF pity for his wife in her mis-
fortune, she went home TO No. 7, where
she found Stephen.
To the select audience gathered there
she detailed the whole scene, how Mrs.
Lovelace had looked, how the three aris-
tocratic splnsters from No. 10 had looked,
and lastly how Miss Alice had actually
brought herself to speak to the obnoxious
young person from No. Z.
And" said Julia ut last, "then l told
Mrs. Lovelace that il l could see the per-
son and Miss Alice 90 across the road to
gether i was quite sure | should not know
the one from the other, aud then l think
they were satisfied that 1t was no use toll.
Grating my presence any longer, so they
let me come away"
II am quite relieved that you would not
know the woman again." said Stephen
Howard. at this point.
"Yes-why."
Because l have no fancy fer being kept
waiting about for you to give evidence and
perhaps our marriage put OF for it," he
answered.
'Oh! but IL they catch anybody they
think likely. ! shall have 10 give evidence
all the same" Julia cried.
Are you surey" he exclaimed.
Perfectly sure" he answered.
oh! l think You are wrong"
MY dear" said Julia, decidedly, al
think your opinion on the subject is
worth having What csn n mara aavaga