The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-14

When she returned. Lady Lesson had been
subpoenaed as a witness, and was in mortal
dread of what might come out
But nothing did, as far as Dorothy was
concerned. The inspector had a sufficient
case against the prisoner without going into
any extraneous matter, and Markham had
given him plainly to understand that he had
changed his practice if not his principles,
and even when he knew the truth to be the
truth he meant to keep it to himself
Ihey may commit me for contempt of
court IT they like" he declared; ''but I'll be
hanged if 1 starve my wife and children to
please all the inspectors in England"
But you saw Miss Lesson that night" the
Inspector reminded him.
Il saw nothing it was pitch dark"
You said there was moon, Markham"
AND the almanac says there wasn't, so
one of US was worng, and L expect it was
me-"
He looked the inspector defiantly in the
face as he spoke, and the other began now to
understand that he should gain no assistance
from his W1fe's cousin, and. lose him as
friend If he brought Dorothy's name into the
case. and so, to Lady Lessons intense relief,
there was only a vague reference to some
female accomplish" which was not taken
UP by the prosecution
Lady Lessons heart seemed to have stopped
beating, and the Duke who had hitherto
looked quietly inSolent and impasSable grew
suddenly pale, She noticed and, like herself,
drew a quick breath of relief when the dan
ger had passed
| She had examined the man at the begin
ming he stepped into the dock, anxious to
see what justification there might be for poor
DorothyS enSlaVement, and she was fain to
admit that he was uncommonly handsome,
and OF an appearance to account for the
SobriQuet he bore.
He had a fine, military carriage which had
often served him in good stead, as he had
been taken for an officer in some of the big
hotels where he had put up on the scent of
plumber
!
army two years, but had deserted after rob-
bling some of his comrades, and from that
hour to this had led vrey chequered career.
| There was only one conviction to prove
against him, because he had been too clever
for the police; but there no real doubt
that he had been the instgator and chief &C
tor in good many others of a particularly
bold and successful character.
The police had often recognized his hand"
but he had taken good care they hadn't the
chance of recognizing anything else.
1t was probably excess of self-confidence
that had ruined him, and a profound con-
tempt for the provincial police. If he had
lodged their London confrereS successfully
for years, there seemed nothing to fear from
| Them he thought forgetting that there is
such thing as burglars luck
! But if his capture had been a surprise to
| him, it had been a still greater surprise TO
| the rest and Inspector Brown found himself
| looked upon rs quite hero. To have cap
| tured such a desperate ruffian the Duke
| single handed was a feat to be commended
and proud and happy man was the inSpec-
| tor that day, knowing that promotion would
| follow speedily, as matter Of course, on the
| distinction he had achieved.
| There was someone else who found herself
more popular than she either deserved or de-
sired, and that was Lady Lesson. She had
given q very simple and natural account Of
her adventures on the night of the ROBBERY
She did not want to provoke the Duke, as
his retaliation might have been so terrible
and therefore she made light of her own
proves the OCCASION.
For this reason, perhaps, it made all the
more impression on the judge, and the
crowded court, who applauded when the for
me7 congratulated her on the courage she
had shown.
This must needs help him with the jury,
and he did not care to have it contradicted
but she saw him smile, and the color leapt up
into her face. How she had fallen from her
high estate, when she actually had secret
understanding with a notorious thief!
But it had to be, and she gulped down her
scruples resoutely. She remained on the
bench by the judges side, until sentence had
been pronounced of five years penal servi-
tude, and heard the Duke say, with a
courtly bow. Thank you, my lord" Then
she shook hands with the judge and two or
three barristers whom she knew, and slipped
out, unrecognized, with the crowd.
She could have sung fer very joy and tri-
umph as she. drove homeward in the dusk
through the quiet lanes. The Duke" would
be off her mind for five years, and nothing
had come out that could throw any dscredit
upon Dorothy. The RoXbury diamonds had
been referred to at the trial, but not in a
way to alarm her. No one doubted that the
Duke had stolen them but as those who
knew refused to tell, there had been no in
vestigation.
Lord Rothbury had refused to prosecute
under any circumstances, and had gone
abroad at once, as we know, to be out of the
way of any intrusive visits or questions by