Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-07-13
learl sueh q lhIne il my be.

eve heard such a thing in my life. l
nevrr did"
Il guessed rs mucb.' replied Ills SIS.
ter. "shc Is sitting on her chest, look-
ing as guilty as a red herring"
what Is to be douegT
I'VE slian't call ia the police. The
Girl has been marking progress. aud the
prison would put nn end to all that. l
believe she VIII give Us the ring yet.
But It would he wrong to keep her
here. She shall pack NJ today and
leave tomorrow morning"
And Susan &c, uOilce accordingly.
II knew you wouldn't believe me-"
said the girl. gulnlng down n sob.
Then why did you tell rle such a
thing?"
"Bccalse MS true"
"Don', say aoy moro. ] doa't want
20 hear It. I don't suppose sou will
expect any wnges."
Susan turned CHASTITY white. u must
have them" she saspsd My mother
needs the money 10 pay her rent. IL
she doesn't get It. they Will turn her
oct into the street. and she's not
strong"
"Shc 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 II, and she'll send
It back"
AZ the old lady lay awake IN the
middle Of the night the door vas eau
tlously pushed open, and Susan came
IN silently.
Mrs. Robinson. are you awakeT"
The question came in a terrified
whisper. Susan's eyes were starting
out Of her head, ana her teeth were
chaitCring.
What Is the matter. SusanT'
master has gone up to the garnet
With ? candle. I think there is some
thing wrong"
Mrs. Robinson came hastily Over her
bed and followed Susan nolsclessly
along the passage. A glImmer of light
shone through the bnnistcrs above.
Mrs. Robinson saw that her brother
w8s coming down stairs. staring
straight ahead with his eyes dilatcd.
He approached ms stately as a wax
figure and almost brushed against
them. The light of the candle fell full
On their white, upturned faces as lie
passed, but he took 10 notice of them.
Down the next Hight 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
ut the foot Of the stairs. but soon heard
the door of the coal cellar creaklng on
Its HINGES. Stealing toward It, they
peercd through. He was inside working
a stone in the wall. which In n few
moments he ~disloIgcd and set down on
the Goor.
He next took an iron box out of the
hole lie had made. applied a key to it
raised tie lid aud took some small artl
Gle out.
Then he replaced everything as Il
had been before and. carefully oblitcr
ating all traces Of his operations, lcr
the cellar.
AS lie passed his sister and Susan
: they saw that he carried the lost rim
between the forefngcr and thumb o
r his left hand.
lie then made his way toward hl
: sisters room, into which lie disappear
ed for II few seconds. Coming on
I again, ne mounted the stairs in the Ill
j rection Of The garnet.
ITS no Use following him." sal,
Mrs. Robinson. 81 know TIE key b
: used and can get II In the morning"
Mr.. John was coming down the gar
ret stairs again, and they both lfci,
, their breath In anxiety.
He came all right TIL be got abou
, half way down. aud thea whether on,
of his heels interviewed q tack CT some
thing no one will ever know. hut al
at once his legs shot out in front o
: him and he went sailing down III.
! stairs, missing L step more At ever.
t bump.
) With the supernatural dcxterit,
which characterizes the somnalnbulis
he managed to keep the candle in al
the time and now set II down In tb
2 lobby with a clank right end up.
a Mr.. John rose with his face quite sc
! rious and. without rubbing himself 0
4 anything, went along the passage ar
: disappeared into his own bedroom.
at Is evidently not the first time Il
= has walked in his sleep" said tie oil
lady. HE must have visited the DO
before. That is how the ring came [
I be found. 1t must have dropped 0
j the door. TO think that ! never la
=" the slightest suspicion! Susan. ca
you ever forgive me?"
. "Yes'm."
There, you see the ring OF the toilC
u table. just where ! left II the night
e went a-missing," remarked Mrs. Rot
: iuson as they entered her bedroom
y The lost diamonds are in the DO
which is hidden in the wall. | sa'
9 them. Get to bed, ard wen see thel
y IN the morning"
D And they did see them. and a woi
derful set Of diamonds they were
beautiful. dazzling. shImmering necl
&c lace and bracelets ana rings, all as 50
forth In The inventory.
at was really you who found them,
u 5ald Mrs. Robinson 10 Susan, "and J.
have them valued. and you'll get you
u legal reward and more. I'll pay yol
mothers rent as long as she lives"
u Tnu1on Waaklv Tplqprnuh