Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-07-23


the lamp shade, wondering wonder
ing how Aunt Jacque could ever have
been young and pretty eaough TO
dance with the first president of the
brilliant Partisan court; wondering
where the famous Rozelle diamonds
were kept wondering why Aunt
Jaeque had not shown them to her
when she displayed the quaint con-
tents of the fiat jewel drawer in the
japanese cabinet thin old gold
chains, fantastic brooches, more or
less broken, ,saucer-shaped lockets and
bracelets of curious make, but never a
precious stone in the lot
The dead-gold eardrops, like min
iature globes, were among the most
modern thing among the articles, but
the whole collection, Mary jeeringly
told herself, was not worth five dol
lars.
IL wish she would show me the dia-
mondsp' thought Mary.
And at that very instant Aunt Jacque
awoke, with little start
81 was dreaming about the Rozelle
diamonds" said she, sharply peering
toward the bandy-legged Japanese cab
met. "Ma-yw
Yes, Aunt Jacquep'
Perhaps the time was come at last.
Look in the tall blue vase on the
right-hand corner of the mantel. Is
there key there?"
Yes, Aunt Jacque."
"Oh, then it's safel But the dream
was so very, very vivid. Ring for
Polly. feel like going TO bed"
Aunt Jacque went to bed as usual.
The next morning she did not get up.
She was not sick, she said-only
tired.
But the doctor shook his head and
gave orders that the house should be
kept very quiet.
Miss Emily will have to go home, 4"
said Polly "And Miss Kate and
Miss Margery mustn't come here any
more at present"
Emily succumbed TO circumstances
and went to stay with Kate Godfrey
for few days before she returned to
the city Kate was going to have a
party.
"Oh, if l could only have something
nice to wear!" sail Emily. "Those
gold earrings of madam'sl For one
night, Mary! She's lying quite drow-
sy and unconscious; she never would
know. And am SO shabby and poor
looking among all Kate's friendsl'
And Mary, over-persua1ed, crept
into Aunt jacques room, took the
gey from the blue vase, unlocked the
drawer, and distracted the deadg gold
knobs with velvet fingers.
Emily uttered a cry of Joy.
"Oh, you are SO sweet, so goodl"
said she.
BE sure you bring them back to-
morrow" adjured Mary.
"I'll be quite sure" said Emily.
The next morning Aunt Jacque sud-
denly reused herself out of her dream
like torpidity.
''Who is thcre?" said she.
And Mary answered:
81 an, Aunt Jacquep
81 dreamel, said the old woman,
chat some one was tampering with
my jewel drawer. Go, Mary, and see
if the key is all safe.
And Mary, pale and trembling.
obeyed
'Bring it here" said Mrs Rozelle
"Let me see it. Aye, that's right
Take good care of the key, child, Let
i. never go out of your sight. The
diamonds are there-the diamonds that
l mean to give to you"
aunt Jacquel" gasped Mary.
eyes" nodded the old dame-''yes
You never suspected it, did you? The
dead-gold drops are hollow-the great
sparkling stones are inclosed inside
them. The diamonds that | wore that
night when l danced Mt Versailles,
with Eugenie de Montiio opposite me
in the set. This old house and the
diamonds are all that is left of the
great Rozelle fortune, and they are to
be yours"
The dew of perspiration broke out
on Mary's forehead as she listened,
and no sooner had Mrs. Roze!le fallen
asleep again than she called Polly to
take her place, and hurried across the
meadows to the Godfrey house.
Everything was in the wild disorder
incident to the morning after party.
Kate, just dressed, came yawning to
greet her.
where's Emily? My, didn't you
know? Gone back to New York in
the five o'clock morning train. Re
ceived telegram that her mother was
sick. Didn't even go to bed after the
party"
"Did she leave no message for me?''
"None that | know of = except, of
course, her love and all that sort OF
thing. Isn't it too bad that she should
be hurried away like this?"
Mary wrung her hands. What was
to be done? Suppose Aunt Jacque
should insist ON seeing the jewels? She
hurried to the railway station and tele-
graphed to Emily to send the earrings
at once, and then returned to Rozelle
Croft with feelings that can better be
imagined than described.
''[t was my own fault, she kept re-
peating to herself-''my own fault
And | alone must bear the punish
mantm
The day passed slowly on, and no
message came. Aunt Jacque walked
and slept by turns, talked about the
first president and beautiful Eugenie
de Montiio, called Mary by some low
ing name, and then drifted back into
the darkness that borders ON the un-
seen land
But presently, as Mary sat by the
fire in the saloon, drinking her tea,
while Polly kept watch and ward up