Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-05-29
HER

llII1C DlAMONDD.
"Sir! Lady to see you on most urgent
business. Waiting in the library-a
Nine. OtterLurn."
My knife and fork were down in an
instant-a fatal, never forgotten in
slant. Perhaps l alone knew that it was
madame's unexpected deposit Of $780,
900 which not SO long before had saved
the collapse Of u private concern by
the most thrilling margin. And madame
herself was-well, the most impressive
and fascinating woman that had ever
swept through the bank doorway.
"Close the door!'' she whispered
quickly, then leaned across. "Dear Mr..
Henry, I had such a vital reason for in
truding so late. There, take them"
She whisked a battered morocco case
from her seal muff and sank back with
IN understandable relief.
"Thank heaven, now I can dare to
breathe! I trust you, and-well, you
may have guessed by this that I am not
SO sure of my husband. Deeds? No;
they're part Of the family jewels. My
aunt is dead, you know, and they only
came into my hands today. I came here
like the wind. Look for yourself. Lock
them away, and-mind-give them up
to no n save myself in person. The
key-here. Mr.. Henry, aren't they
m%addeningly superb?"
My lips parted simultaneously with
the lid. I stared down with a sort Of
sick feeling that I had certainly never
experienced at sight Of treble the value
Of coin. There were a few opals and a
little packet of seed pearls-but it was
the diamonds, a necklet and a tiara Of
them. I snapped the lid and looked
across at madame inoredulously. Did
she mean it?
"Not here-why, mol" she exclaimed,
guessing. "To be lodged at the bank,
in the safe, you understand. Mr.. Hem
ry, if my husband had the barest idea,
he would come flying back from his
shooting in Scotland at once, so I place
them with you in case of anything.
Poor O%tterburnl' she sighed. "It is his
temperament, but he would realize upon
himself, if he couldp
"To be given up to no n ave your
self? Very good, you will lock it and
retain the key, please. Till morning
yes, for the time being they ought to
be safe enough in this cabinet. One
moment, madame. You must have a re.
ceipt."
I was conscious all the evening of a
vague uneasiness-12 O'Clock. My wife
had retired-the servants also. It was
the queerest coincidence that I decided
to smoke another cigar in solitude, and
that the weed burned for nearly IN
hour, for just at the end Of that time
the strangest thing happened.
The hall bell gave an uncertain tinkle.
So down I went, turned on the electric
switch there, opened the door-and
there stood
"Mme. Otterburn!" I said just above
my breath.
"Me!" Looking past me, she said it
in a dull, mumbling voice. II have
come for my jewels. Let me have them,
please"
Her carriage-where was it? And
madame herself, as she stepped past me
into the hall. seemed somehow a differ
emit person. Howl l could not sun it
up till afterward, but the richness was
missing from her voice, she was strange
ly white and haggard, and she stared
ahead as If some nameless trouble had
overtaken her in that six hour interval.
Gould it be-no, it was madame herself.
"My jewels, pleasev' she repeated,
just a break in her dull voice. "He
says-he says 7 am to bring them back.
or something will happen. l must"
She followed me into the library.
"There, madame, just as you left them,"
and I handed her the case.
"Thank you, thank you" As she
said it I noticed a striking fact: Her
teeth were gone-the two white rows I
had often admired. False, then. That
explained the alteration in her voice.
But she was moving of without an
other word.
"Madame!" I gasped. Her hand was
actually upon the door catch. "Really,
I 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 I heard the door below click and
close.
And it was not until I had got back
to the smoking room that I recollected
! had actually omitted to ask her for
the return Of that receipt.
A week passed. I had heard nothing
Of madame o. her jewels. Another
week. When at last she was announced
one morning, ! felt positively nervous
fqD the moment. Then in she swept,
~ teeth as white. her step al stately,
her smile as fascinating a. ever. Dear
Mr.. Henry! About those troublesome
mining shares-should she sell or hold?
"Hold, by all means" / rat back,
with a smile Of relief. "Er-I 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, I mean"
"JewelsP DsAlFoy itr' Not In dozen
years shall I forget my sensations 81
madame repeated that, her smile fading