The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-14
HERAJAHSHEIRL0OM
BY FLORENCE MARRyAr. Z
Author of "Her Lord,andinIsster." Etas
copyright, 1885, by Bachelor. Johnson ana
Bacheiler.l
PART III.

were "a HUI
drink, but ON second thoughts l dis
missed both ideas-Lady Elesmere
meant what she said, whether she be-
lieved it or not.
II will tell you. the facts, Mr.. Busby,
and you can make OF them what You
like! The present haronet and his
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-his
designations nearly broke his father's
heart-and his ext,ayagances sorely
tried his purse-still, Sir Henry never
spoke of cutting him out OF his Will,
until news reached him, through a nfu-
tual acauaintance, that his SON had
been married for the asst six months,
without giving us the. slightest intima-
ton of the fact. Sir Henry was then
os well as you or L hale, hearty man of
sixty, without M aihnent ct any sort.
He wrote for his son TO como down and
see him, which he did, not knowing
that his father had heard his secret.
and a terrible scene ensued. Sir Henry
rayed, as 1 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 las
he is now) rushed from'the house VOW
ing vengeance-I and several OF the
servants heard him-and when we went
in to Sir Henry, we found HIM laid back
In his chair, speechless. and almost UNI
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-madewidow put
her cambria handkerchief to her eyes
and dabbed them d~elicately.
"You wish me TO understand" ]
said, demurringly.
IL wish neither you nor anyone to
adopt my opinions" she answered,
sharply. "You asked me to tell you
everything, and L nave done so. My
poor husband tried, until he drew his
LAST breath, to make us all understand
mat his son had killed him-thougk
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 that he would rather leave them
TO me Ito whom he was most tenderly
attached) than to his son, who would
only %squander them in dissipation, be-
lieved 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
l found that nothing was to be mine,
except my marriage settlement. But
the Jewels were gone by that time"
"Your idea is" / said, desirous of
leading her on, but / perceived that she
was an acute woman, and quite.capable
Of keeping her w secrets.
II have no ideps, Mr.. Busby, as I
have already told you," she replied,
quickly. "All / know for certain is,
that on the Tuesday 1 saw and handled
the rajah's heirloom-the housemald
Rachel Marks was with meat the time,
and can confirm my statement-that on
the Wednesday, the present baronet
had this stormy interview with his
father from the effects of which my
husband never recovered-that a 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!"
"But-if i understand your insinua-
ton aright-the thief only took his
" property"
"But he didn't know hat it was his
property" she answered. "He had
just been told that it had peer left away
from him."
But n~ow-surely, there could be no
further necessity for concealment?"
mo ~ would care, 1 conclude, to
confess himself to be n thief, even +,
no punishment could follow! 1t was
necessary TO make n fuss about the
loss-but whether il is assumed, or not,
you may be u better judge than my
self.
mo one, you say, saw the Jewels
after you had handled them on Tues
day?"
mo one In this house saw them after
that" she answered, determinedly;
- locked them away in the strong box
in Sir Henry's bedroom, with my own
hands, and the key lay, ms it always
did, in a drawer of his bureau. 1t was
found there after his death"
Pardon mel suppose there were
attendants passing in and out of the
sick room?"
Certainly! but / am sure no servant
in this house would dare TO touch such
a valuable thing and before the baro-
nets own eyes! Besides, Julia Craley
never left Sir Henry's side, day nor
night"
And may / ask who Julia Craley
is?" i demanded.
Julia Craley," replied Lady Elles-
riere, 'is n protege of the late baronet
the daughter of a distant cousin of
his, who was left n penniless orphan
and thrown on his bounty for protec-
a. - CT.