Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-02-27
PART III.

PART III.
| stared at ACKNOWLEDGING IL sho
were u little insane-or excited ~
drink, but ON second thoughts l dis
missed both ideas-Lady Ellesmere
meant what she said, whether she be-
lieved it or not.
Il will tell you the facts, Mr.. Busby,
and YOU can make of them what you
like! The present bnronet and hi,
father have always been on bad terms
with each other. He was furious with
Sir Henry for marrying me-furious
with us both for loving each other-hi,
designations nearly broke his fathers
heart-and his eXtravagapces sorely
tried his purse-still, Sir Henry never
spoke of cutting him out OF his will,
until news reached him, through mu-
tual acquaintance, that his son had
been married for the last six months,
without giving us the slightest intimu-
ton of the fuct. Sir Henry was thea
as we'll as you or L hale, hearty man of
sixty, without IN ailment Ct any sort.
Re wrote for his son to come down and
see him, which he did, not knowing
that his father had heard his secret.
and terrible scene cnsucd. Sir Henry
raved, as / consider he had good right
to do, and the young man cursed and
swore, and it ended by his father dis
owning him, and saying that he had
cut him out Of his will and left him de-
pendent upon himself Sir Charles (as
he is now rushed from the house VOW
ing vengeance-I and several of the
servants heard him-nnd when we went
| in to Sir Henry, we found him laid back
| in his chair, speechless, and almost un-
! conscious from the fearful excitement
he had passed through. We got him up
to his bed, which he never left again.
dying within the week.
And here, the newly-made widow put
her cambria handkerchief to her eyes
and dabbed them delcately.
"You wish me to understand" ]
said, dcmurringly.
II wish neither you nor anyone 10
adopt my opinions" she answered,
sharply. "You asked me to tell you
everything, and l have done so. My
poor husband tried, until he drew his
last breath, to make us all understand
that his son had killed him-though
paralyzed and unable to speak, he
pointed necessarily to the strong box
in his room, where the jewels were
kept, but /, having heard him say SO
often TINT he would rather leave them
to me ito whom he was most tendcrly
uttached) than to his son, who would
| Il hat in, ri 80 no ha
ieved that he merely wished to init
mate that they were to be my own. {,
thought he spoke the truth when he
told me that he had altered his will,
and was quite taken by surprise when
| found chat nothing was to be mine,
except my marriage settlement. But
the jewels were gone by that time"
"Your idea is l said, DESTROYS OF
leading her on, but perceived that she
was an acute woman, and quite capable
Of keeping her own secrets.
Il have no ideas, Mr.. Busby, rs
have already told you," she replied,
quickly. "All l know for certain is,
that on the Tuesday saw and handled
the rajah's hcirloom-the housemaid
Rachel Marks was with Iue at the time,
and can confirm my statement-that OIL.
tho Wednesday, the present baronet
had this stormy interview with his
father from the effects of which my
husband never rccovered--thnt week
after, he was dead, and the jewels were
already gone. When they went, and
who took them, it is for you to find
out!"
Bluff l understand your insinua-
ton aright-the thief only took his
own property"
But he didn't know that it was his
property" she answered. "lIe had
just been told that it had been left away
from him."
But now-surely, there could be no
further necessity for concealment?"
mo one would care, conclude, to
confess himself to be thief, even (,
no punishment could followl 1t was
necessary to make fuss about the
loss-but whether it is assumed, or not,
you may be better judge than my
self"
mo one, you say, saw the Jewels
after you had handled them OH Tues.
day."
"No one in this house saw them after
that" she answered, determinedly;
81 locked them away in the strong boy
in Sir Henry's bedroom, with my own
hands, and the key lay, as it always
did, in drawer of his bureau. 1t was
found there after his death"
Pardon mel suppose there were
attendants passing in and out Of tn,