The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-07-18
NJ RS. BOB.
By JOHN STRANGE WINTER.
CHAPTER x@x1v.-ruE rRurn AT LAST

AS soou as luncheon was over, however.
julia rose and said she was going to her
room, that she wanted to write Il letter if
Miss Theodosia did not happen to want
her. The old ladg said that She did not.
and begged her to do exactly us she
liked. you have not come to Boscombe
to be my slave, my DEAR she said, kindly.
"You are very kind" said Julia, then
looked at Stephen. ''sStevie," she said, II
wish you would come up for n few miu-
utes. ! want to ask you about some
thingr'
So together they went upstairs, and MS
soon as the door was shut Julia seized his
hand eagerly. 'Oh, Stevie,r she eNclaim-
ed, "such a thought has come into my
mind"
"Ycs-and about what, my bird?" he
asked, sitting down in the big easy chair
by the bow window and looking up at her
with interest.
about the Little Street Hall robbery"
Greatly, and what of itf' still in an
awaiting tone.
"Stevie," said Julia, impressively, and
dropping down on her knees before him.
"Stevie, that was the man who did It'll"
He gave such n start at her words TINT
he nearly threw her backwards. "Oh, my
dear, you made me jump nearly ont of my
skin" he said, drawing her towards him.
"What man do you mean, dearg"
THAT Colonel Adeane. Depend upon it
he is the mani! Miss Theodosia calledhim
Frank said they had always called him
Frank, and that he and Miss Lavinia had
been in love with cach other for years. So
you car understand how She would call
ont to him when she discovered him in
her bedroom, oh, Frank Frank! to think
you should have come TO this! Oh, my
God! think IL will break my heart
Did you not see how confused he was at
the sight of Miss T~heodosia, and how cold.
ly and conventionally he received her in
vitation to dinner. / did, aud l am sure h,
was the mai who did it, perfectly sure.
What do you think about it, Stephen
Tell me-"
well" he said at last, "if you wan tc
know exactly what l think, Juey-I think
you are going out of your mind. You
must be mad to suggest sach Il thing"
She took as a joke what he was meaning
in sober earnest. Yes, l Know she an,
swered rutherinconsequently, but Stevic,
did you look at the man2 Why, he had
Eailt III tOitiSlOll Sbstili DGNt aupoi hlill
He was so confused he scarcely knew how
to speak to Miss Tleo.losia. Really, l
think she ought to he told about it, be
cause if it is true that Miss Laviuia wish
ed to shield him because of wi at had gone
before, she is not here now to be veXed
about it and it does seem II shame that
those jewels, those lovely rubies, should
be spirited away and any effort spared
which might possibly restore them.
really think ought to tell Miss Tlicodosia
what l suspect
"And l." said Stephen, in an icy tone
Insist upon it that YOU do nothing OF the
kind"
Stephen cried Julia, looking ut him
In amazemcnt.
He answered the look straight into her
eyes. "Yes,'' he said, coldly, II don't ask
you: l simply insist that YOU never breathe
this ridiculous idea of yours to n living
soul. Do you think that ! am going to
allow you, my Wife, 10 make such n fool
of yourself rs to carclcssly cast a foul sns.
picion. that has absolutely no grounds
| whatever but the coincidence of Il namep
Why, you must be mad to dream of such
Il thing!'
Julia rose to her feet. 81 am not mad
at all, Stephen" she said, with dignity,
"and it is not right of you to speak to me
In that way if were. have something
more thar mere suspicion. Why, If il
was all right, was an old friend of forty
years. standing so confused when ne met
Miss T%heodosia? l ask you was his man
ner all right? Was his way of accepting
the invitation for tonight that of an old
frto,NlO NNnr I'm mot ,n,,Tt,.al 81 =, I 80
uncomfortable looking? lid he not give
you the impression of IL man who would
gladly get out of it if he coulds"
eyes, he did, aud so l dare say he would
have DONE" answered Stephen, promptly.
"Remember this man was spoony on Miss
Lnvinia years and years ago-probably MS
far back rs five and thirty years since
And it is very likely that he got over al
that nearly as many years . aud that Il.
a matter of fact he would rather walk III
to a %caunon's mouth thnn come and talk
over the past with an old lady who woult
be likely to rake up just whit he most
wanted to forget. Aud apart from that
you have got Il great many people to con
slider besides him. Probably, If. it was
true that he had taken the jewels and yor
could clearly prove it. Miss Theodosi;
would rather lose twenty times rs mrcl
than convict an old friend of his position
Not for a moment that ! wish to imply
that / have m belief in, or sympathy
with, your absurd faucies. The Who'll,
thing is preposterous on The very face o
1t. Why, you might us well accuse me o
it-better, for | should do nothing and Ii,
would certainly at once enter nn actor
against you, and very properly, too"
81 believe he did it, said Julia, obs.i
natcly.
well, whether you believe it or not i
is not your place to give an opinion. Yo,
have absolutely nothing to gain by it, Ii,
went on, land it can make no real differ
ence to you whether Laura ever wear!
those rubies or not. Anyway, Unjust be,
that you will be si!ant on the subject"
well, | think | ought to tell Miss Theo
dosiu and then she can do as she like!
about following it up" said Julia. TIL,
Tra1fords were all alike in one respect
they possessed IL wonderful tenacity o
purpose; and Julia in particular when ono
firmly possessed of an idea did not casil,
give it up.
Stephen Howard uttered an exclamation
of Impotence and disgust. You mus
do nothing of the sort" he cried. Can
you sec how unwlse and impolitic such Al
idea is. Just think of the consequence
If you prove to be wrong-aud just thin
of the consequences if you prove to b
right. Julia. my dear child. ] beg, l i'm
plore of you to give up this foolisI
scheme"
He was so terribly in earnest that h
caught her hands in his and Julia fcl
that they were trembling with excite
mcnt. For a moment or so they stood fat
ing one another, then she drew her hand
away and moved n step ortwo back. "Yo
have put n new idea into my head" sh
said. shortly.
THANK God" said he, in a tone of re
lief.
~ don't know about that" she returnc
In a frozen sort OF tone, but | will nc
mention this idea of mine to Miss Thee
dosia, or any of the others, not withou
letting you know it, that is"
Stephen walked to the window an
looked out-his wife followed him wit
her eyes and saw that he was shaking vi!
IDLY, saw that he drew his hand acros
his eyes and then passed his hnndkerchie
across his forehead.
II wish You would go away n little an
leave me Alone" she said, after few mil
rytao hol rn,n Nv ttT ,,-,,,t ~ thj,,ly III;