The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

susan turned Hnhhtly Wnlle. 4 muhh
have them" she gasped. my mother
needs the money to pay her rent. IL
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
ring-.at least not yet" thought Mrs,
Robinson. III / give her her wages
she won't need to do 1t, and she'll send
Il back"
AS the old lady lay wake in the
middle OF the night. the door was eau
tiously pushed open and Susan came
IN silently.
Mrs. Robinson, are you awaken
The question came in a terrified
whisper. Susan's eyes wero staring out
Of her head, and her teeth were chat
tering.
What is tho matter, Susan?"
Master has gone Up to the garnet
with a candle. 1 think sthere is some
thing wrong
Mrs. Robinson came hastily over her
bed aud followed Susan ~noiselessly
along the passage. A glimmer Of light
shone through the banisters above.
Mrs. Robinson saw that her brother
was coming downstairs, staring
straight ahead with his eyes dilated.
He approached as stately as a wax
figure. and almost brushed against
them. The light OF the candle fell full
on their white, upturned faces, as he
passed, but he took no notice of them.
Down the next fight of stairs he
went. his sister and Susan following,
for they wanted to see what he was
going to do. They lost sight Of him at
the foot Of tho stairs, but SON heard
the door of the coal cellar creaking on
its hinges. Stealing toward it they
peered through. He was inside work
ing a stone in the wall, which in a few
moments he dislodged and set down
on the floor.
He next took an iron box out of the
hole he had made, applied a key to it.
raised the lid, n tool some small
article out.
Then he replaced everything as It
had been before. and, carefully obliter-
ating all traces of his operations, left
the cellar.
AS he passed his sister and Susan
they saw that he carried the lost ring
between the forefinger and thumb OF
his left hand.
He then made his way toward his
peared for a few seconds. Coming out
again he mounted the stairs in the di-
rection of the garnet.
IT'S no use following him. said
Mrs, Robinson. Il know the key he
used and can get it in the, morning"
Mr.. John was coming down the gar
ret stairs again, and they both held
their breath in anxiety.
He came all right till he got about
halfway down, and then. whether one
of his heels interviewed a tack or
something, no one will ever know, but
all at once his legs shot out in front
of him and he went sailing down the
stairs, missing one step more at every
bump.
With the supernatural dexterity
which characterizes the somnambulist,
he managed to keep the candle in all
the time, and now set it down in the
lobby with a clank right-end up.
Mr.. John rose with his face quite
serious. and without rubbing himself
or anything, went along the passage
and disappeared into his own bedroom.
1T is evidently not the first time he
has walked in his sleep" said the old
lady. He must have visited the box
before. That is how the ring came to
be found. 1t must have dropped on
the floor. To think that l never had
the slightest suspicion. Susan, can
you ever forgive me?"
"Yes'm."
There, you see the ring on the toilet
table, just where l left it the night it
went amissing," remarked Mrs. Robin
son, as they entered her bedroom. THE
lost diamonds are in the box which is
hidden in the wall. l saw them. Get
to bed, and Wen see them in the morn
ing"
And they did see them, and a Won
derful set of diamonds they were. A
beautiful, dazzling, shimmering neck
lace, and bracelets. and rings, all as set
forth in the inventory.
It was really you who found them, "
said Mrs. Robinson to Susan, and I'll
have them valued, and you'll get your
legal reward and more. I'll pay your
mothers rent as long as she lives. ~
London Weekly Telegraph.