The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-04-28

81 vas TO return as soon as posi-
bic, ma'am," said little Rachel, rather
embarrassed by all this extra atten-
ton. eff Miss Madison was suited
Adrisnne caught up the bandbox,
which Rachel had held oil this time,
and whirling around on her heel ran
upstairs into the reception apa-tn ent,
where Miss Madison herself stood, sur.
rounded by group OF people.
Miss Madison was tall, blonde,
complexioned young lady, with clear
hazel eyes, well-rounded chin, and
the air OF one who definitely compre.
hended her rights and meant to assert
them.
| Her mother-nn irresolute. elderly
lady-looked feebly from her daugh.
ter to the policeman in plain clothes
who stood de!erentially before them,
and then back again.
"Well, il the house is to be searched,
1t had best be done promptly, | sup.
pose, said Miss Madison. "Tell your
men to proceed at once, Mr. Jones'"
"But, my dear Cor!sande, do con-
slider twittered Mrs. Madison. "5ome
OF our maids are so very superior
The idea of ransacking their trunks,
as II they were common burglars !"
eff they are innocent OF stealing
my diamond ring, they won't care, u
said Corisande, indifTerently. "Ii
they are guilty, they deserve all the
obloquy which can descend upon
them"
Just here the French maid glided
up close to her mistress.
Pardon, mademoiselle !" she wills
perel, her half-closed gray eyes fur.
lively observing the detective Us she
spoke-'but it occurs to me that
have new clue to this mystery. The
little lnilliner girl is below stairs she
has Just brought home this bonnet.
Perhaps mademo;selle has forgotten
that she waited in mademoiselle's
dressing room half an hour last Wed.
ncsday. Mademoiselle has no. seen
her ring since"
Corisande knitted her brows.
"ro-he-sure" said size. "But you
don't suppose that she has taken it?"
Adrienne dropped her eyelashes.
81 would venture to mako no nc
cusstioD, mademoiselle," said she,
"but perhaps, in a moment of temp
tation--"
"Phe matter is easily settled" said
the detective. eve eau have the
young person up here a. once and
search her"
Little Rachel came up, much won.
dering. SLe was startled when
Adrjenne volublY explained to her the
business upon which sac was sum
monel, but consented at once to the
search.
"Why shouldn't II" snid she, sim.
ply. 81 have nothing to be afraid Of"
She turned her dress pocket inside
out. little, much-worn leather purse
appeared-an elevated railway ticket
"a scrap of poetry, cut from some
newspaper, fell out-and then a dia-
moni ring, with one glittering facet
OF fire. set IN its plain circlet of gold,
flashed suddenly upon their eyes
cha ~ said Adrienne, bouncing up
on it, as some raven might pounce on
its prey. "Mademoiselle can see for
herself! All, wretch perfdious thief -
And she shook Rachel by the shout
der with one hand, as she held up tie
ring with the other.
Rachel had turned as pale as ashes.
81 think | must be dreaming" said
she. 81 never saw the ring before in
all my Iifel'
Come, come" said the detective,
"that sort OF thing won't go down.
I'm afraid you're an old hand at the
business, sissy, for all you look SO
young and Innocent.
OF course Rachel was arraigned be
fore the court, but Corisande Madison
refused 20 appear for the prosecution.
"The matter has gone for enough, "
she said. "The girl is not hardened
thief. She stole tho ring in a mo.
mcnt OF temptation. She has suffered
sufficiently. / don't believe she will
ever offend in this way again"
SO little Rachel was discharged with
q reprimand from the magistrate.
But it was like clipping the wings
of a wild bird and then bidding it Ay
away into freedom once more.
The fashionable milliner who had
employed the girl would have moth.
ing more to say to her. No one
wanted her services. And IN the few
occasions when there seemed pros.
pect OF getting remuneratiye work,
the horizon was overloaded at once
when the question Of references came
up.
No ono wanted thief about their
premises
| One persou, however, believed in
little Rachel sliIl-her stepmother, a
bard-working woman, who let lodg.
ings, and did up fuo laces and old
! ladies' caps, for livelihood.
"lhere is some jugglery about this
business" said she "My husbands
daughter never was thief"
1t WINS in tho bleak winter time
when Adrieune Moucoutour engaged
the one attic bedroom that Mrs. Hol.
| ley still had TO lot.
Adricnuo had left Miss ATadison's
service some weeks before. She could
not agree with tho new housekeepcr,
who loudly declared that tho French
| maid bad once been employed rs wait.
rcss IN n gambling saloon in Paris.
Perhaps there was some truth in
THE, for certain 10 was that Adrieupe