The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-07

some romantic some pathetic. The |
one that am about 10 relate may l
think. be said TO come under the first
heading; at all events 1t excited me |
very considerably at the time II hap
pened.
This is the story OF the Dangerfield |
diamonds.
In the autumn OF the year-well,
never mind the date. IL was not so
very long ago. anyway 1 had run
down 10 Oakdene Manor for weeks
shooting with my old friend, DE Mo-
Ieyns, and the great discovery was
made on the very day that l arrieved.
We dined quietly that evening, partie
carree. Several people had left In the
morning, and several were expected to
arrive the next day; but for the time
being the house party consisted only OF
DE Moleyns, his wife, his wife's cousin
and myself.
Oddly enough, was the cause or the
discovery being made. Somehow or
other after dinner the conversation
came round to diamonds in general,
and Lady Maud DE Moleyns diamonds
in particular, and that made me say to
my hostess:
''By the by, Lady Maud, have you
decided anything about the Danger
field diamonds yet? DE Moleyns Was
talking Of having them reset the last
time | was here"
Lady Maud looked at me ianguidly.
and-by the way haven't described
Lady Maud yet. or her cousin, Jr DE
Noleyns, so perhaps / had better do 50.
Well. DE Moleyns was man of about
my own age. typical specimen of the
English country squire. His wife takes
Ia no "a
youngest daughter of an impecunious
Irish peer. very young, very pretty,
very modern: and when DE Moleyns
married her. two years before, he had.
In the opinion OF his friends, made
fool OF himself However. De Mo-
leyns was simply devoted to Lady
Maud and she seemed fond enough OF
him-or OF her position as his wife,
which, after all. Is about the same
thing. Then as TO Lady Maud's cotis-
in. Capt, Digby. he was a fairly good
looking chap, a good shot. and "A pleas
ant companion: nothing more or less.
Well as / said before. Lady Maud
looked at me languidly when 7 asked
about the Dangerfield diamonds.
No" she answered. I'm rather a
bored tone, II haven't decided any
thing yet. haven't had time to think
since you were here"
Then she turned TO her cousin and
asked MN some tfiNldl uuestfOD, out
DE Moleyns struck i'm from the ether
end of the table.
we haven't decided anything" he
said because I'd forgotten all about
IL. Glad you reminded me. Maitland.
Well settle the question now. Per
haps my dear, you wouldn't mind
fetching the Dangerfield diamonds
down and then we can all look at
them and see what we think"
Lady Muad shrugged her shoulders,
and made little grimacc
But / should mind very much. she
said. TIN awfully tired. Don't bother
me about those silly old diamonds to-
night, Edward. Surely any time will
do for them"
But DE Moleyns could be very obst-
nate when he chose, very worrying, too.
and he chose on this occasion: and he
worried Lady Maud so successfully
thatin the end she had no choice but
To give -4n- to his wishes-very reluct-
antly. as we could all see.
Five minutes passed. ten, twenty.
and still she did not come back. De
Moleyns began to f,dset.
why on earth doesn't Maud re-
turn?" he caid. 81 shouldn't wonder IL
she has struck, after all. and doesn't
mean coming. She didn't seem keen
about IL. | think I'll go and see"
He pushed back his chair, but even
as he did so hurried step sounded in
the hall, and Lady Maud appeared in
the doorway looking very white and
nervous Instictively felt that some
thing had happened.
THE Dangerfieli diamonds are
gone" said Lady Maud again.
There was a breathless pause and we |
oil looked at one another In silent con-
etenation. Then De Moleyns jumped |
mp from his chair.
Whats that, Maud?" he said What |
did you say?'
The Dangerfield diamonds are
gone" said Lady aMud again.
DE Moleyns said no more, but dashed |
out Of the room. and. after moment's
hesitation, Digby and | followed him. |
Upstairs we all rushed and into Lady |
Maud's dressing-rOom where her jew
els were kept in a small safe let unto |
the wall The safe was open. and that |
the family heirlooms consisting OF |
necklace. bracelets and hair ornaments, |
Valued at ten Thousand pounds, were
gone. was plain enough: but nothing |
else I'm the safe had been touched and !
mat struck ms as being odd. After
thorough and piotracted search, We all |
returned TO the dining room. where we
found Lady Maud shivering over tho |
fire with such pIteous frightened look |
on her face that IL went TO ones heart |
to see her. She got up when she saw |
us. |
We'll" she said; "wen?'
De Moleyn shrugged his shouldyrs.
THE diamonds are gone. sure |
enough" he said: these things viii |
happen sometimes. you know, but they |
often come right i'm the end Don't |
worry dear. TN get smart detective |
down, and l hope you'll soon sec your |
diamonds again"
Lady Maud looked at him wildly.
A detective," she cried: n detect |
iveI' And then she suddenly burst into |
tears.
IL really was a most cmbarras ssing |
situation. and I wished myself any |
where. | looked ar Digby. but his eyes |
were fixed intently on Lady Maud and |
he did not notice me. DE Moleyns put !
his arm around his wife and soothed |
her as n she had been child-and. |
indeed. she was little more. Presently =
she grew puicter and then he led her [
out OF the room, leaving me alone with |
Disby.
queer. business. this" said I.