The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-02-25


Then arose the question, What should !
do next? Should 90 straight to the man
who had tempered with the vinnirlcttc:
a moments thought showed me that that
would be worse tlan useless. | had nc
proof Of anything. The situation must he
allowed to develcp Itself before | inter
fered.
After some little reflection decided &C.
go back to the drawing room, where ]
could sec what was going on, Under any
circumstance | must not lose sight Of the
girl to whtm the vinnigrottc belonged.
For nearly half an hour | waited IN
vain. She danced with two or three differ.
ent men, but did not seem to have missed
it,
At last, after one of the dances, she ap-
rearcd to be looking for something. With
what was, ! presume, an apology to he's
partner, she skipped across the room to n
group of girls. Evidently she was asking
if any of them had seen her vinaigrettu.
For some time she got no information,
but presently girl who was passing, lear.
ing on Il mans arm, turned round and
mudo some remark, pointing with her fan
TO the conservatory door. Tho owner Of
the yiuaiarCtte gave y li,tlc nod of thanks
and hurried across the room.
All this time | observed that the men
WHO had drugccd the scent bottle, and
WHO was chatting with some Of the rCorl,
standing about. watched the girl closely.
As soon as slu had lett the drawing
room he broke of his conversation nEd
strolled quietly toward the conservatory
As he passed throuphthc curtains l no.
ticcd that he glanced round to see If he
were beiug followed.
That settled it, had found my man
and must act promptly. Lady BHrnoutE
was standing near the piano. Remember
ing her injunction that there was net, un.
der any circumstances, 80 lie an expose oy
a scene, it was necessary to rrorecd with
caution. l caught hcr eye without much
difficulty. She understood to once that
had something to say and diSengugod her
self from her friends.
"Will you come with mo to the conserv.
atury?" l said quietly. 81 Lolieve ! have
solved the Mystery
Size turned pale. Every we'll, she said.
"Giyo me your arm. BE careful what You
do, Mir. Lowe" she added in a troubled
voice. at must he husheG TAP.
When we reached the conservatory, we
found, just as l expected, the young lady
lying back in Il chair unconscous. Hc1
eardrOps were missing.
miss Dainton has tainted, said Lady
BGrmouth
cone moment" ! said There Ia Nc
cause for alarm. Do you sec what has hap.
renod? Her diamond eardrops have disap
peared"
"Do you know who it isg" she whisper
ed.
Yes. Her vinaigrctte has been drugged
not sufficiently to do her any harm. !
saw it done. "
what shall I dof Fetch Lord Bar.
mouth, will you? He must advise me-"
(Which is Lord Barmouth?"
She came to the curtains and pointed
him out to me.
VERY we'll )" l said "Chafe Miss Duin.
TOMS hands and try to bring her round,
but don't send for any help at present"
don't think l ever felt so reluctant to
/ proceed with Il case as | did at that min
ute. The man whom Lady yarmouth la,
pointed out as her husband was the mar
who had drugged the vinaigrette--wh c
had followed Miss Dainton into the con
servatory. In word, Lord Barmout.
was a kleptomaniac.
"Will you cone with me into the con
servatory, Lord Barmouth!" said. AS
| spoke / looked him sternly in tine face. He
neryously about the room.
whats the NATTER" he said huskily
as anything wrongg"
"Miss Dainton has faintod'
ooh" he murmured with relief
"And her eardrops have disappeared, "
! added. For Il moment l thought he wa'
/ going to drop down. | put my arm
through his and led him toward the con
servatory He was trembling like u leaf
When we got well into the shadow of TIA,
curtains, l stopped "I.ord yarmouth, ;
l said quietly, take my advice and Civ,
them up to me ut once.
"What do you mean" he said hoarsely
"The eardrops twill prevent II scene. ;
He put trembling hand into the breas
pocket of his dress coat and gave me thu
eardrops. He did it like II nan in II dream
and really believe that for the time being
he was unconscious. Then he turned ava,
and left the drawing room hurriedly.
will he not Gomez" said Lady Bar
mouth, with an awful look of terror in lie
eyes.
Lord yarmouth is not well, replied
Here are tho eardrops"
The poor woman went scarlet She knew
what l meant, and l was deeply grieye,
for her. From tho first she must have hat
a faint suspicion of tho truth and wa
anxious to save him from public Disgrace
and scandal.
she was thoroughly unnerved Mis-
Dainton showed signs CT returning con
seriousness
Now, said, put the eardrors bacl
into her ears. She won't know what hai
happened
Lady yarmouth replaced them will
trembling fingers
"Send some one to look after this girl
I'll stop with her till help comes. But yol
must go and find your husband. Max,
haste, added significantly, "or you viii
be too late -
My work was not quite over When La
dy yarmouth found her husband in hi,
dressing room, he was, as feared, on tn,
point of committing suicide. She saved
him. A number of trinkets, some of great
value, were found in his safe. There is, OF
course, only one explanation. On that ont
point Lord yarmouth was mad. There
was no object in his stealing ladies' orna
Ments, as he is IA very Wealthy man and