Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-09-28

Suddenly all was darkness-the gas
had gone out!
'T'emberton and his partner capsized
the pianist, who, in turn, upset poor
Martin, coffee and all. Guests ran to
the door, to find it locked on the out
side! Has no one match?' shouted
some timid lady.
Thus adjured, the startled gentle
men recollected they were in the habit
of carrying such useful articles. Half
a-dozen were offered at once, and the
gas, which was discovered to be still in
full force, was relighted.
"'It is evident from the two facts of
the locked door and the gas being still
in supply that the cause must be sought
outside, said pemberton.
"The turning Of the key in the lock,
the sound Of retreating scampering on
the stairs, and burst of explosive
laughter confirmed his theory. The
two lads had tasted revenge by remov-
ing the burner from the gas-bracket in
their bedroom, and blowing down the
pipe with all their lung-power till the
other lights in the house went out.
"Muriels laughter at the boys monk
cry turned to wall as .he caught sight
of herself in the mirror. Horace, dear
she said. Look! Ny diamonds are
gone!'
"'Gone!' he cried, 1mpossible You
must have dropped them. They are in
the room somewhere-they must bel
saw them myself as we were dancing!
"a quarter of an hours search re-
vealed nothing. The carpet was turned
back, the piano dissected, every article
of furniture removed from its place, and
yet all in vain.
Gus Darrell whispered some query
to Martin, who nodded emphatically in
response.
Mrs. Ross, NIuriel, ladies and gen
tlemen,' he said, i am sure we are all
deeply sorry for the untoward incident
of which we are unwilling spectators.
A lovely diamond pendant has been lost
in this room within the last 20 minutes.
No one has entered&no one has left the
room. The windows are closed - the
fire is burning in the CRATE; therefore,
the pendant has not left the room either
by door, window or fire CRATE, and
there are no cupboards in the room. On
behalf of the guests and the one serv-
ant present propose that Mr.. Pember-
ton search the gentlemen and Mrs. Ross
the ladies. l am, myself, willing to be
the first searched
"a murmur of assent went round the
room. All were searched. Nothing was
found that threw any light on the fate
of the missing pendant.
I am deeply obliged to you alas
am sure Mrs. Ross and her daughter are
also-for the readiness with which you
have submitted to this unpleasant or
deal, said Pemberton. we must smile
1T the whole affair now and write it
down as an inscrutable mystery. Dia-
monds are easily replaced, and, now
that every one of the company can feel
that no suspicion can possibly attach il
self to them, I think the matter had
better rest there
"Now, my boys, I am getting dry.
Another whisky and soda, please, be-
fore 1 finish the yarn" said Neale, as
ne relit his cigar.
Douglas Clipped in with: "I'll finish
it for you, if you are dry. l sec it all;
Pemberton took the pendant himself,
after bribing the lads to blow the gas
out. lie was not searched, you will OBJ
serve, gentlemen 1 suppose he did It
to pretend he had money enough to re
place it with ease. Faugh! 1 hate sucl
snobbish ways"
douglas, my lad, am glad to be
forced to tell you this story tonight.
If l had heard such a story when l was
your age l should never have earned my
vile of cynic Now I'll finish, please.
'Pembcrton stayed the right at the
homestead lie had his reasons, he
said. Darrell begged hard to be allowed
to keep him company, but Mrs, Ross
listened to Pcmberton and gently re-
fused him.
'The plan that her future aOn-in-law
propounded seemed to her very feast
BILE. The only person we can now sus-
pect is Martini said he, and l shall not
allow him out of my sight till morning.
If he has planted the jewels anywhere,
some confederate will be here for them
SOON
at was arranged that the two men
should sleep on the ground floor, Penn.
berton loaded his revolver, and lay
down on q bed where he could watch
Martin. Now, have told you that the
house was really an old-fashioned one,
and the cellar underneath the roadway,
which have mentioned as used by the
boys as a play room and workshop, is
a proof of it. This could be entered
either by the cellar flap or from the
door, which was easily reached by drop
ping over from the ratings above. This
was the point which Pemberton mag
ined would-be intruder would choose.
HE was not mistaken. About four in
the morning he was startled from a
light doze by a loud report, which shook
the foundations of the house and broke
dozen windows. Rushing to the spot,
he saw that the cellar was wrecked.
"When the gas had been blown out
in the house the two jets in the cellar
had been cxtinguished also. They were
overlooked in the relighting-the place
had been filing for six hours with gas
some one had entered the cellar had
struck a match and wrecked the place.
"By the light of a lantern Pember-
ton saw the burned and bruised and
senseless body of a man, with small
black mask over his eyes-and by his
side the diamond pendant.
81 live but 100 yards away from the
Homestead" continued Neale. 81 heard
the explosion, and, hurriedly dressing,
rushed down stairs. Opening the front
! don. opd nrnroariuo TO rush Off | met