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

made her announcement. "Imposslblei
Who could have gone in to steal them?
People have been passing up and down
the stairs about the passages the whole
evening. Harriet must have put them
away"
Harriet has never left the supper
room the whole evening, mother" said
Hetty: Besides, you know she has
strict orders never to touch your jew
elry"
II can't believe it," cried the dis
tracted Mrs. Lomax: they must he
somewhere about. Oh. my beautiful
diamonds which you gave me when
we were married, John! If they are
gone, I Will never we1r diamonds
again" And she burst into hysterical
sobs and cries.
They went upstairs and sought high
and low. The servants were called up
and questioned; so were the hired
walters and the cloak room man. All
in vain. The diamonds were not to be
found, and nobody could throw a ray Of
light upon the fact of their disappear
ance.
What was to be done? 1t was nearly
o'clock in the morning. The snow
was lying in heavy drifts all about the
house and was still falling. SO that 10
traces Of footsteps could be utilize J.
Useless to telegraph, even if tele-
graph office could be found open, and
the only train for anywhere at this
time of morning-the up-London mail
had left Crashford statal an hour
previously.
Hctty Lomax had given her word to
peat what he had told her about Mrs.
Endcrby, but putting two and two to-
geter-the fact that Mrs. Enderby was
already branded as a thief, that she
had left the house suddenly and at an
abnormally early hour and the coinci-
dence that this very night Major Cliff
ford should have seen female figure
in the neghborhood of her mothers
room, created such a feeling of suspic-
ion in the girls mind that she felt alb
solved from her promise and hinted
her opinion. Her father and mother,
of course, laughed at it, but Hetty per-
sisted. and in reply to their questions
upon what ground she suspected a lady
who had been brought by such we'll
known people as the Carnegies. said:
Because she has a past, and | know
it,"
"But, my dear girl" said her father.
"ever if we grant that Mrs. Enderby
is quite capable of committing such
an act, and ! am very far from con-
ceding it, is it at all likely that she
would choose such an occasion for
| committing ito What possible oppor-
tunity could a lady, very much in re-
quest for her dancing and liveliness
generally, have for getting unnoticed
| into bed ROOM"
"The very fact Of it's unlil<elinesS
would protect her" replied Hctty.
| and az for her oppOrtunity-wel.p I'm
not a practical thief, hut would soon
| find an opportunity for doing what I
wanted to if such diamonds as mothers
We're my object"
In due course Mr.. and Mrs. Iomay
went over to call upon Colonel Oxen
| den and to inquire about Mrs. Oven
| den hut the house was closed. aud
they were informed that Mrs. Oxendel
| had been ordered to Egypt for the re-
mainaer Of the winter.
Five months later, that is. i'm the
month Of April, the affair, which had
| heen well-nigh forgotten by all but the
sufferers, was recalled to public notice
| by a strange event
Crashford-th" market town and con-
! ter Of this part of Hopshire-,boasted
! that 1t moved with the times. 1t did
not, by long way. but it persuaded
| itself that 1t did. and that was enough
! for the 'COntentment of all. So, as
| every other town Of any pretcnsi1ns
| had golf club. it was necessary fni
| Crashford to have one. and commit.
tee oC public-spirited men was formed
to select a site for links.
Blue BreezeS Common, \ wild tract
of land, living between Thurdown Hal
and Crashford was finally selected
| a good nine hole course. come VERY
sporting bunkers and easy Of acces,
to the town. At certain point of the
course foot path, known to very few
people. leading from the hall into
! Crashford town, but across. and tust
! here the open eXpanse Of common
was broken by a "spinnery," collec.
| tiOn of trees growing closely togethe,
in a circle out of a deepsh excavation
which had in past times been a grave
pit
or course. the links Rad to be form
ally opened, and the occasion WAS tC
be celebrated by a match between two
well-known professionals, members
handicap and dinner at the tempor
arv club house.
The day fixed was ideally April. Ike
and an ideal April day on an Fnelisl
common Is not easily surpassed. Al
| CrashfOrdshire and neighborhood wor
| thy Of consideration was present, ant
tho bright spring costumes of tn,
ladies. the red coats Of tho PLAYERS
tho olOud-dappled sky, the sunshin,
and the beauty Of the common ant
it's surroundings made up a healthy
CHEEKY picture. which would have i'm,
spired the ver.est misanthrope for tn,
nOnce to think well Of the world ano
Of all I'm II.
The professionals played their ma tel
with a solemn and silert crowd tramp
ing behind them, and cleared the "Cor
ker" with an ease and Indifference
which convinced every amateur duffe
present that nc could do the same. TIL
members handicap followed. and tn
"Corker" received a goodly tribute o
balls. In the cleaning a general ad
iournment to the club house was mad
and there was a grand rush of caddIe
to the "Corker" for the purpose O
picking up the balls !n the spinney
10 be sold Mt cheap rate TO the clur
'pro," who would doctor them M
hit and resel! them 10 members a
eight shillfngs the dozen, Suddenly a
urchin who had penetrated farthc
into the splnney than his fellows cam
rushing up, breathless and SC ared, cry
ing;
There's a skelinton in the Dane
hole!"