The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-01-26
FINDING THE DIAMONDS

nlUuSu I'LL DllIlVlUIlUU
1t was her system that made Mrs.
Robinson what she was. If ii lie got
Loose anywhere near she was up and aft,
er it with anything she could lay her
hands Ola.
She showed YOU that lying didn't pay
when she was concerned. \ lie turned
into serpent as soon as it got out of
ycur mcuth, and you were glad to get be.
hind another
Mt to say that her system hadn't it's
drawbacks. Every system has. And
the naked truth is sometimes as awful
thing-ten times more awful than any
lie y"u can think of ut the time. -.
When Susan Jones came, however,
Mrs. Robinson had her work cut out.
The girl lied like an eel-there was no
catching hold of her.
At first she just chirpcd out lies as
li:ht-hcarted as IL bird. "Pleas'm, it
were the cat. or anything that came
uppcrmo$t. But the cat had Il way of
proving an alibi that astoniShed Susan.
so Susan got us cautious us charity,
and it would have done your heart good
to see the two at it. For Mrs. Robinson
had no sooner got the ferret of truth
into che hole than Susan was out and in
at another.
Anyone else would have got sick and
disgustcd, but Mrs. Robinson didn't.
Eyes. said she. 1.-THE girl has her good
points. and I'll make Il woman of her.
And she succeeded, for Susan got worn
out by the sheer uSelesSnesS of the thing,
and at last shut down in disgust After
that, the girl did not depart from the
truth for six months: and then she let
off the awf,,leSt lie Mrs Robinson had
ever heard in her born days. At least
Mrs. Robinson thought it was
1t happened like this. One morning
when Susan was in the coal cellar she
found a lady's ring that dazzled your
eyes and took your breath away.
Its one of them 5-cent things as you
can buy, in any tinker's store she said
to herself. lust lot o rubbishy glass.
| don't believe it's worth bothering
about"
She took it to her mistress, however
Mrs. Robinson gave cry when she
saw the ring and started up with her
meath open. 1T looks like one of the
rings mentioned in my grandmother's in
if it belongs to the lost set of diamonds.
Mrs: Robinson was Il widow and lived
with her brother John. Few men could
look wiser than Mr. John when he tried
il. His SpectacleS made him look like
Snl"mcn. When he came home he put
them on and raked ont the inventory.
and placed his forehnger on an exact
DESCRIPTION Of the ring. 1t was valued at
500
After they had all wondered awhile
they. put on last years clothes, got
candles and went into the cellar, but
though they shifted the Goals about for
hours they got nothing but their faces
blacked. Mr. Johns was the BLACKLIST.
W hen she had got herself washed and
and were it till night. but before re-
firing to rest she put it on her toilet
bic i'll case it got lost in bed.
In the morning the ring was gone. |
susan took On a red face as soon as her
mistress came downstairs. Mrs. Robin
son just stood still and looked at her
-or Il moment. and then she said:
Susan. what have you done with the
:ing?" ' @'>
Il never touched it. ma am,' was
SuSan's reply. and the girl sat right
Town on her chest and burst into tears.
lhen what are You crying for?' in
luired her mistress.
But Susan sobbed on and said moth
ing.
I'll give YOU an hour to make ND YOUR
mind about it," said Mrs. Robinson.
YOU'RE not to do any work for that
time
susan sat on the chest the whole sixty
minutes and cried herself ont. Mrs
Robinson came down at the end of that
time and found her still glued to the I'D,
Now. Susan, l want the solemn
TRUTH"
"IeS'm
"Wherr's the rinS:''
Mr.. John took it, ma am
My brcther?'
"IeSm'
Wise as he WAS. Mr.. John was struck
Ill heap when his sister mentioned the
matter. "Nhat-wha-what? he gaSped.
ne girl is stone mad. | never heard
such thing i'll my life. l never did"
Il guessed as MUCH" replied the sis
ter. She is sitting on her chest, look
ing as guilty as red herring
What is to be done?'
1--WE shan't call in the police The
girl has been making progress and the
prison would put an end to all that. I
believe she will give us the ring yet.
But II would be wrong to keep her here.
She shall pack up today and leave tomor-
row morning"
And Susan got notice accordingly.
Il knew YOU wouldn't believe me- said
the girl. gulping down a sob.
!, .'Then why did. you tell me such
A.'VlS
because it's true
'ltn't say any more. | don't want
t. hear it. l don't suppose you will ex-
pett any wages"
Susan turned CHASTITY white. Il must
have Them she gasped My mother
needs the money to pay her rent. If she
doesn't get it they will turn her out into
the street, and she's not strong"
she doesn't intend to- try to sell the
TinS.at least not yet" thought Mrs.
Rob,nson. IF give her her wages she
won't need to do it, and she'll send It
back -
AS the old lady lay awake in the mid
die of the night the door was cautiously
pushed open and Susan came in silently.
Mrs. Robinson. are You awaken
The question came in terrified whis-
her head and her teeth were chatterinc.
"Mhat is the matter, Susan?'
Master has gone up to the garnet with
candle. l think there is something
wrong"
Mrs. Robinson came hastily over her
bed and followed Susan noiselessly along
he passage. \ glimmer of light shone
.hrough the banisters above. Mrs: Rob
nscn saw that her brother was coming
downstairs. staring straight ahead with
lis eyes dilated.
He approached as stately as a wax fig
IRE and almost brushed against them.
me light of the candle fell full on their
white, upturned faces rs he passed, but
le took no notice Of them.
Down the next flight of stairs he went.
lis sister and Susan following. for they
wanted to see what he was going to do.
They lost sight Of him at the foot of the
stairs, but soon heard the door of the
'oal cellar creaking on it's hinges. Steal
ng toward it they peered through. He
was inside working Il stone in the WALL
winch III few moments he disIodged and
;et down on the floor.
He next took an iron box out Of the
1oie ne had made, applied key to It.
:alsed the lid and took some small ar
icle out.
Then he replaced everything as it had
'een before, and carefully obliterating ali |
races Of his operations left the cellar.
AS ne passed his sister and Susan they
aw that he carried the lost ring between
ne forehnger and thumb of his left hand. |
He then mazda hiS y,ny- tn,,,u.1 l. :.'