The Delta independent., 1899-09-29
HER DIAMONDS.


business Waiting in the libEaEy--s
Nine. Otterburn."
Ny knife and fork were down in IN
instant-a fatal. never forgotten In
slant Perhaps alone knew that it Was
madsme's unexpected deposit Of $780,
900 which not so long before had saved
the collapse Of our private concern By
the most thrilling margin. And madame
harssif was-well. the most impressive
and fascinating woman that had ever
swept through, the bank doorway.
"Closs the dooTi'' she whispered
quickly, then leaned sc1oaA "Desr Mr.
Henry. bad srch . vital reason tor h.
trudinR 70 late. There. take tbso r.
She whisked . battered morocco cas-
from her seal muH spd sAnk hack with
an indeScribabls relief.
''Thauk heaven. now car daee -
breatbei ! trust you, apd-well you
may have guessed BY this that sm nos
% sure Of my husband. Dssdsi No:
they're part Of the family 3ewslA Ny
aunt 10 dead, you know. and tbsy oaly
came isto my hands today. ! came bsss
like the wind. Look for youfss1l Lock
them away, and-mind-givs tbsm Up
70 NO one savs myself In psrsoo- Ths
key-here. Mr.. Henry. aren't sAsy
maddeningly superb?"
Ny lips parted simultausoasly with
the lid. stared down with . soes of
sick feeling that had csrtainly nsves
experienced ut sight Of treble tho valUe
Of coin. There were few opals and .
little packet Of seed psasls-bat Il was
the diamonds. q peckles and . tiara ol
them. I snapped the lid and looked
across st madame incssduloasly 0t4
she mean is!
mot hers-Wby. soi' she sxclaiDsA.
guessing. ITO b lodged ss the bask.
in the safe. you understand. Mf. Hen
y, u my husband had the hassss tdsA
bs would come nying back fsoo he
shooting in Scotland as oucs. % ] penee
them With zoe in oass Of asythiaG.
Poor Ottsrbpsnr" sbs sishsd- "ls b ~
tempsranens, bot ~ would ssaliss upco
himsslf. u bs cosIdr'
ITO b gives .pp 70 % oos nve yene.
ssifl Very GOOD, yoa wtll Docs - -
sssnin sbs by, plsosa TIN nosnlse-
yss, Tor ths si1e belag sbsV eaohs -
- ME sDough - ~ ssb1oo3 OUe
Domsut. madame. Yoa 0ose bavoo ~
csipt"
iwas cousoious all the evening q .
vague uneasiness-II O'Clock Ny wife
had retired--she servants also. ls was
the quccreat coincidence that decided
to smoke another cigar In soiitsde. and
that the weed burned for nearly an
hour, for junt ss the end Of that time
the stranRess thing happened.
Tho hall bell gave an uncertsip tinki'
30 down vent. turned on the electric
switch thers. opened tbs dons-and
there stood
mime Ossesbssnr' said juss above
my breath.
"Mer' Looking past me. shs aid II
In . dull, mumbIins voice. II bsv
come for my jewels. Lss me have them.
pleare.
Her carriage-wbsre was II! And
madsms herself. - sbs stepped past me
into the hall. seemed somehow = differ
ept person. How! could not som II
up till afterwssd. bat the richness was
missiug from her voice, shs wss strange
" white mud bakgard. and she stared
alcad no u some namsleas trouble had
bvertnken her in thss six hour interval
Could 10 be-no. II was madame hsrselG
"My Jewels, pIesssr' she repeated.
Just . break In her doll voice. HE
says-he says am to beisg them back.
or something will happen. ! must"
She followed me into the library.
'Thers. madame. just ~ you lsfs them
and handed her the casa.
"Thank you. thank you" AZ she
aid is I noticed striking fact: Her
- 4
hsd often admired. False, then That
explained the alteration In her voice.
Bot she was moving % without an
other word.
"Mad.mc-" saspsd. Hss hand was
actually upon sbs door cssch Really.
I must ipsii: spun seeing yoo safely
hous in shs cirrumseapces. II 200 will
wait one sgcnud"-
ran up che ssairs fos hat and boota.
Bus I had barely rsacbed ny room
wbsn heard the doos below click aud
elosa
Asd 10 wss rot uusil I hsd got bsck
70 tho smoking room that recollocted
hsd scsssiIy omitted 70 ask ~ foe
the sstusn a thse recstpG
4 wssk pssssd- bed hsssd sotbtsg
uf msdsms or bef 3swsla Asosbes
week Whsu as last sbe Wss susosocsd
one mornins. I felt positively nssvoss
Ior the moment Thsa 10 she sWspe
her tsssh - wbtss. bss sssp % stately,
her sa,ils - fsscinasisQ - svss. Dear
NJ. Hsssyi Aboas sboss ssosbIsspos
n:niue shases-abooId sbs ssjI % bejAl
Hold. by al DessA" . ~ bssk.
With . snsiDs q seltsl. ''Es-l - I
peed rot ssk - - Wbssbs 20 s1Dste1
ksos als1y VIII ysas BunsssA D.
- hsp0sD - ~ ~ sssDeUe ~
-, ns1s0A - ~ - 6ng1DV 10
~ ~ 1sWsAA I -"