The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1900-10-19

Gerard-Dnyid Gerard. fed the coun-
try and changed my name because |
was accused OF fearful crime-tho
crime of stealing Lady Brownlow's
jewels-while a tutor in her house."
Enderby heard low, instantly sup
pressed sound like moan break from
Jasmine's lips, but IL the dying man
heard it he gave no sign. He went on
slowly, with closed eyes:
"I was always an unfortunate man
and when my wife died and my sister
took my little Jasmine. l went as
tutor to Sir Francis Brownlow's two
boys. / was public school and Ok
ford man. or all the friends Of my
youth there was one whom had never
ceased to correspond with. That was
Hal Lennox, who had gone in for the
law, and was getting on wonderfully
well,
when young, Hal and had both
loved the same girl. She had promised
ltl NGll W me- DAl WAANAA SAAN AbNAA ONe
that | would never be wealthy man,
she threw me overheard. She was
beautiful beyond the privilege OF wom-
en-; but she was ambitious. eXtraVa-
CANT, unprincipled. Yes, l know all
that now--I knew it then; but still l
loved her.
"She came to the Brownlows on q
visit She was deep in debt, though
l did not know it. One night Lady
Brownlow had showed her the jewels,
and told her the priceless value of her
pearl necklace. There was not one
like it in England.
"a few nights after temptation came
to her. / do not need TO tell you how
my time is short. She took the neck
lace while Lady Brownlow was absent
from her boudoir for a few minutes.
She hid them in my room, though /
did not know of it then. The day after
she came in for them, when l was sup
posed to be in town. but l returned
Unexpectedly. and caught her. She
wildly flung herself on my mercy, say
ing she had come to give them back.
1T was untrue; she sent her brother
her Gccompllce-to Paris to sc them
there. A few days later the loss was
discovered; there was a hue and cry,
and all the rooms were searched In
my room, in a secret drawer of my
writing table, was found one Of the
clasps of the necklace, with a bit of
crushed pearl adhering to it. In her
haste the necklace had caught in the
hasp Of the drawer as Lady Lennox
thrust It in.
OF course, was accused. There was
other evidence against me; but let that
suffice. In mad desperation, Lady Len
nox sent me a letter, beseeching me to
shield her. No one knows l have that
letter-not even her husband.
What could do? l had once loved
her; l loved her husband. l would
say nothing, and was sent to Mon
mouth prison to await my trial. There
heard that Sir Henry Lennox was
| to prosecute.
"He came secretly to see me. and
told him all. told him 1 had con-
vincing proof of her guilt. l do moi
know If he had known Of it before, but
he besought me to spare him this aw-
full blow. He said it would ruin hin
for life. and as for Clarice he dared
not think Of her doom. What could
1 do? l agreed to hide the truth, and
my old friend promised to save me.
THAT was when ! knew Dundas
Lyndon. He certified that l was i'll
and, when l obtained greater liberty.
escaped.
81 came homo because l heard Of
Lady Lennox's Gcath; and / thought
Of my own child, to whom / had moth.
ing to leave but a stainless name.
came, l saw Sir Henry. lie tried tC
persuade me to keep silence; but now
for my Jasmine's sake, l cannot. Their
l became i'll, and Lyndon came. Each
day / wished him to allow me TO gC
out. that l might see a solicitor whC
woGid undertake my case, but h,
would not He kept me back day by
day. And now am dying; but ! leave
this and the proof of my innocence Il
those who will see Justice done to ma
poor little girl"
Go be continued)