The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-23

lost his way during the winter storms
and have fallen into a snow drift
which here would be twenty feet deep"
observed one man.
Upon undoing the ulster they found
that the man was in evening dress, that
he had gold watch and chain, so that
the skeleton was clearly that of no or
dinary night wanderer. Upon with
drawing the hands from the pockets
each was found to be tightly clasped
over a jewel case.
Mrs. Lomax's diamonds" exclaimed
bystander, a doctor. II remember
them; they were lost upon the night
OF the December dance. 1t was a ter
rible night. for I was nearly showed
up myself"
The question which now naturally
| suggested itself was, Who was the
man?
There was a poCket-boo In the coat;
| there was nothing in II to identify the
| owner, but there was distinct evidence
that he was the thief, In the shape of a
plan of Thrudown Hall approaches. and
| q map OF the immediate neighborhood
| upon which the short cut to Crashford
! across the common was strongly
| marked In another pocket was n dance
| programme, the writing on which was
barely decipherablc, although the in
itials II. L. appeared more than once.
| Then the thief was either guest
at the dance or some fellow who had
rigged himself up as a guest and who
had, by virtue of his rig, got into the
house unnoticed" said the doctor.
Just about the time Of this discovery
Colonel Oxenden and his wife returned
to the Grange from Egypt, and the
first people to welcome them home were
! their old friends, the Lomaxes.
Conversation naturally turned upon
the loss and recovery of Mrs. Lomax's
diamonds, and in the course of chat
Hetty recounted what Major Clifford
had said about the figure he had seen
moving in the neghborhood of Mrs.
Lomax's bed room.
Major Clifford! Who's he?" asked
Colonel Oxenden.
why" replied the squire, "your
guest here. who came to our dance as
the representative of your party"
Major Clifford--our guest-reprc-
sentative of our party" exclaimed the
colonel "Why, l don't know anybody
Of the name, and we had nobody stay
ing in the house at the time
Mr. and Mrs. LomaX and Hetty eX-
changed looks of astonishment.
But, dear" said Mrs. Lomax to Mrs.
OXenden, "in your note of regret
which, by the way, remember observ-
ing was not written at all in your
usual hand-you said that as our card
of invitation was marked And party
you hoped we would receive as your
representative an old service friend of
your husbands, Major Clifford"
My dear" replied Mrs. OXenden, Il
could not have done SO, for, as my hus-
band says. we know no one of the
name and there was no one in the
house but ourselves"
We'll" said the colonel. there's a
funny misunderstanding somewher"
Let's send for John. He took the note. -
So John Thompson was rung for and
duly appeared
John" said his master, you re-
member taking note over to Thru.
down Hall on the day when your mis-
tress was first taken ill?"
Yes sir" replied the COachman
"Leastways, IL didn't take the noe
all the way myself"
Didn't take the note all the way
yourself! What do you mean?"
"Why, sir 1t was this way. \ few
'undred yards from the all met Cap,
tain McrCcr-you remember him, sir
what used to be of ours; he were
called the Black Captain"
Mercer, that blackguard I see #
all now" exclaimed the colonel. well
60 on"
We'll, sir, he said as how he we =,
stayin' at Squire LOmaX's and OfferaC
TO take the note i'm himself and as
were in a bit Of 'urry, | didn't see n
arm in saVin' myself a quarter Of