The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-01-07
s elect Sturp.
HER DIAMONDS.


uu>lHt>> " dttt- li ti' i'o'"'
Nine Otterburn
Nv knife and fork were down in an in
staut--a fatal never forgotten instant.
Perhaps alone knew that it was madame ;
unexpected deposit Of $500. GOO which not
50 long before had saved the collapse Of
our private concern by the most thrilling
margin. And madame herself was--well.
the most impressive aud fascinating woman
that had ever swept through the bank
doorway
Close the door she whispered
quickly. then leaned acrpss Dear Mr
Henry. had such a vital reason for in
truding - late There take them
She whisked battered morocco case frnn,
her seal muf and sank back with an in
describable relief
Thank heaven. now | can dare To
breathe | trust YOU. and--well. YOU
nav have guessed by this that am not 50
sure Of my husband Deeds , No.
they " part OF the family jewels. Ny
aunt i dead. yuu know, and they only
came into my hands today. | came here
ike the Wind Look for yourself Lock
them away, nd-mind give them up 10
no one save myself in per-ou. The key
here. Mr. Henry. aren't they madden
insly superb
Nv bps parted simultaneously with the
hd | stared down with sort OF sics
feeling THAI | had certainly never experi-
encei ai sigh; of treble the value of e1in-
There were few opais and lissle packet
Of seed pearl---bus il was the Diamonds, =
necklet aud tiara o. then snapped
the ia and Iuoked acroes at madame in
creduIotisiv Did she mean j,
Nos here-vby ~ she exclaimed,
guessing. To be- lodged a, ,he bank, Ia
the safe. YOU understand. Mr. Henry if
my husband had the baress idea he would
come iyiug back from his shooting
in scotland at onCe, 80 | place them
with yua in case og anything Poor Otter
burn she sighed 1T Is hi teraPerA-
meut. bot he wosld realite upon himself
if he could 2
To be gtveu ap to no one save your
solfg Very good, you wih loek II and
retain the kew please TIL morning
ycs, for the time being thcy oagh, Ia h.
safe euoagh in shis cabinet One Hosnent,
madame. Yuu mus, have a r,ceip,
was CONSCIOUS al the evening Il =
vague uneasins~s-l2 8 cloek Ny wife
had re,irC,i--thc servants also |, vas
the queeress coincidence thAi decided to
smoke another cigar in solitude, and Ihst
the weed burned fur nearly an hour. fer
jus; at the end Il that time The s'anscss
thing happened
The hall bell gave an uncertain iiukle.
- down went, turned on the electric
switch there opened the door--aud there
stood
Nine os,erburn = ! saia Just above
nv breath
Me e. Looking past the, she said 1t
in a dull. mumhling yoiuc 4 have come
for my jewels Let me have them.
please
Her carriage-whcre vas IL And
madame herself. As she stepped past me
into the hall, seemed somehow a different
person. How 2 could not .am il up
iill af,erwar,i. but the richness was mis-
iag from her voice, she Was strsngriy
white aud haggard and she stared ahead
A. II some uanieles. trouble had oyeFtaken
her in that six hour interval Could j, be
no. il was madame herself
Ny jewels, please she repeated,
Jus, break in her dull voice He saws
he says am to bring them back, or
something will happen | must
She followed me into the library
There. madame, just a. you left them,
aud handed her she ease.
Thank YOU thank YOU A. she
said it noticed striking fact Her
teeth were gone-,he two white ruws |
had often admired False, then That
explained the alteration in her voice Bat
she was moving of without another word
Madame | easped Her hand was
actually upon the door catch, Really.
| must insist upon seeing you safely home
in the circumstances II YOU will wait
one second -
ran up the stairs for hat and boots.
But | had barely reached my room when
| heard the door below click and close.
And il was not until had got back to
the smoking room that | recollected | had
actually omitted to ask her for the return
Of that receipt
\ week passed | had heard nothing
of madame or her jewels Another week
When at last she was announced one
morning, | felt positively nervous for the
moment. Then in she swept, her teeth
as white, her step as stately, her smile as
fascinating as ever Dear Mr. Henry
About those troublesome mining shares
should she sell or hold
Hold, by all means. | sat back
with a smile of relief 'Er- | see need
not ask as to whether you reached home
safely with your treasure. Do you happen
TO have that receipt with you, madame, or
did you destroy it? For the jewels, l
mean
.Jewels? Destroy it p Not in dozen
years shall forget my sensations as mad
anne repeated that, her smile fading into a
fixed stare Mr. Henry Whatever
do-why, you have my jewels in the bank
here =
ssW-what - Was she really mad
How long we sat gazing at each other |
do not know Indeed 2 | got out at
length You surely-Mme Otterburn,
cannot appreciate jokes of this order 7
"Jokes ?" She had swayed to her feet.
Jokes 2 she whispered again. Mr.
Henry put them into your own hands
in your own house