The Afro-American advance. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1899-19??, 1899-12-09
Traced Through a Paper
HIALmIrwoRrn. may l borrow

eng up the current number of a certain
popular weekly journal from my lit
tered table.
"Wlth pleasure" returned, readily.
81 commend you on your discrimina-
tion. For enjoyably passing away a
leisure space, the paper you have Sc
cured Is all that could be wished.
You'll return II. won't your"
''Certainiy,. he replied; and for a
moment there was silence between us,
the while regarded him wonderingiy.
Concerning that little matter be-
tween us" he drawled. with his nasal
Yankee twang--and ! couldn't help
but notice the Aupcrcillous curl on his
thin lips.-''it's thoroughly understood.
Ell? The lady TO the man who can win
herr"
My answer was an aequiescent In.
clinatlon OF the head.
"Ah. we'll" he went on. sneeringiy.
81 guess you'll survive the disappoint-
ment, sonny. I'm OFT TO see her now"
l laughed proyoklnRly. for though
ahe betrothal ring had not been OBJ
taIned by me. May and myself, Inn
agined, thoroughly understood each
other.
Sherman turned at the door. an ugly
seowl on bis awarthy face, and request
ed 10 know the cause OF my hilaritSi
but. with mn expressive shrug, | signi-
fed that explanation was unnecessary.
Crushing the paper savagoly In his
hand. he departed. We were fellow
curatora, Abe sherman aud ], In the
h art gallery. and our duty osnsISt-
ed In safeguarding the various treas
ures which were daily exhibited TO the
public.
Al the time tell Of we curators were
amarting under a sense of stigma, for,
despite all precnution, about three
weeks previously some costly speci-
mems OF uncut gems belonging to the
permanent collection had unaccount
ably disappeared from their ease. The
affair saVored Of the miraculous, for.
though the stones had vanished, the
case had been left absolutely Intact.
ttnng with the taunts OF negligence,
ell had protested that their vigilance
had never been relaxed and that the
theft could not possibly have been com
mliied IN their respective duties.
After the stir had Quleted some
what and the vituperatiye energy of
the local newspaper correspondents
had been duly worked Oft. the affair
looked like being releRated to the long
list Of un&olyable mysteries, Hus the
stigma was not 40 readily eifaceahle.
and, aH for myself. confess II certainly
rankled. filling me with determine
ton TO keep myself fully alive In the
future. sherman was the latest add
tion to the guardian staff, From the
very frat day he had entered the gal
tery-~two months previously had
performed his duties In an exemplary
manner thatIe no room for complaint.
Ills credentials from the other slide had
been exceptional and the chief was con-
WINGED OF his integrity.
Not 80 myself, however. for, some
days after the robbery, I had been
somewhat astonished, when we had
been on duty together. 10 observe what
seemed to me like prearranged signal
pass between him and suspicious.
looking visitor whom had been keep.
ing under close observation. Probably
Al Siguincd nothing, was mistrustful.
for was be not my rivals Aud yet
The very morning after the CONVEX.
sRtlon between us set forth at the com.
mencement of this relation. however,
the whole place was thrown into con
sternation by the startling announce
ment made hy JnkeS. the guardian on
duty, that the Rajah'S sword-hilt had
disappeared during the night
This eurio--a costly specimen OF In.
erusted jewel work had been spirited
away In a like mysterious manner.
Exritedly. we clustered round the case,
which. az far IA the eye could discern,
was intact. and hoarSely whispered
eonjectures as 20 the perpetrator Jew
from lip 10 lip the white Ne waited the
arrival Of the chief and the local de-
aectiyrn.
''it's gang for fver." vas the die.
tum Of the officer, as he rapidly CLEANED
the facts. sWho was on duty last night
In this rooms"
II was 80. ofieerl- sherman en-.
claimed, promptly,
sDid you note anything suspielous7s 80
ssNothings" he returned. emphatic
ally. Between four and ak the place
was practically deserted. but I was
right here all the time. and. after the
hate affair. Cell you fiy couidn't have
annexed 4 spark OF dust without NE
spottlnr him. II beats mel"
"Umphlr exclaimed the oficer. scan.
ning the case closely through bis iens.