The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1900-11-24
SO SO SO SO SO SO 90 go SO go go SO SO
DO 90 90 90 90 90 90
ss AN]=
ss 0[P[PO[R7T(y[NIE
sS 7LRIyjLD[E!Rs
&c
go BY HOWARD Fielding.
SO COPYRIGHT, 1900,
ny CHARLES W. ITOOKE.
BY HOWARD Fielding.
!, COPYRIGHT, 1900,
ny CHARLES W. ITOOEE.
g go 90 90 90 GO go 60 60

Mr.. and Mrs Albert Hammond din
cd together in their luxurious apart
ncntS on the evening of Dec. % and
were served by the lady's maid, as the
butler had deserted them a few days
before. They had been married in
October, and therefore a tctc-a-tete din
ner in their own home had not ceased
to be pleasure worth mentioning.
The absence of the butler was impor-
tant chiefly because of their prepare
lions for Christmas day, when they eX-
pectcd to entertain in very handsome
style.
In Mr., IIammond's pocket was a
pretty little box containing Il diamond
bracelet of beauty and price. A cor
ner of the box was making black and
blue spot in the region of the gentle
mans ninth rib, and the sensation was
really pleasant, as n reminder, for he
knew whose eyes would open wide at
the sight Of the jeweled hoop and
whose lips would thank him with
many kisses.
After dinner Mrs. Hammond, with
her maid as an escort, went to call
upon some friends who lived near by,
and the gentleman was absolutely
alone in the apartments, for the cook
had received permission to go to the
"tecaytcr."
lie lighted Il cigar in the dining room
and sat there smoking and contemplate
ing the bracelet with great satisfac-
ton.
81 wonder where I'd better hide this
thing" said he to himself. Lucy
mustn't see it till Christmas"
He strollcd into the parlor and gIanc-
ed around, but the familiar furnish
ings of the apartment offered no ac-
ceptablc suggestion.
"Gucss I'll put it somewhere in my
den," he said, and he walked through
the hall to a room that had been fitted
up for his own particular use.
The room was dark, and when he
turned the key in the wall that should
have lit the electric lamps there was
no CLEAN. The wiring in that room
had been out of order and Hammond
had used Il gas drop light there in writ
ing some letters on the previous even
ing, but the electrician should have
made repairs that day. Hammond
Srowlcd Il bit as he felt for the drop
light on the fiat topped desk in the
center of the room. Some one had TAX
en- it away, presumably under the i'm.
preston that the electric lights had
been mcndcd.
Hammond put the jewel case upon
the desk and went to look for the drop
light in Il closet across the hall He
found it without difficulty and brought
it to the den, where he connected the
lamps tube with the fixture depending
from the ceiling and soon had light
The first object that his eyes rested
upon was The jewel ease. 1t lay on the
desk, open and empty. The bracelet
had disappeared.
Hammond made three steps to the
door communicating with the dining
room. 1t was locked, and the key was
on the near side. obviously no one
could have gone out that way, and as
for the other door, leading to the hall.
cat couldn't have run out there
without IJammond's seeing it,
'I'm nm IDIOT" said he. "Thc brace
let tell out of the case when | set it
down on the desk. ana it is right here.
under some Of these papers,