Hutchinson gazette., 1901-11-21
lcHApTRR IV.--ContInued.l J

lying frat In the case, and
eyes, It was" interrupted Hughes
"That was its place"
"And consequently the first that /
took out" continued Alice. Il put It
on the table; and tho others around
1t, near to me, Why, as a proof that
II lay there"
What was Alice going to add? Was
she going to adduce 40 q proof that
Gerard Hope had taken II up, and II
had been q subject of conversation be-
tween them? II so, recollection came
to her In time, and she faltered and
abruptly broke off, But a faint, hor-
rible dread to which she would not
give shape, came stealing over her,
and her face turned white, and she
sank on q chair trembling vlsibly.
"Now look at Allcel" uttered Fran
ces Chenevlx; "sbe is going into one
of her agitation fts."
"Dont allow yourself TO be agl-
tated, Alice" cried Lady SARAH that
will do no good, Besides, ] feel sure
the bracelet is all safe in tho case;
whore else can II be? Fetch the case,
Hughes, and will look for 1t myself"
Hughes whisked out OF the room, In
wardly resenting the doubt cast upon
her eyeslght.
ut is 80 strange" unused Alice,
"that you did not $50 the bracelet
when you came up"
ut was certainly not there" re-
sumed Lady Sarah,
perhaps you will look for yourself
now, my lady" cried Hughes, return
ing with the Jewel box in her hands
The box was we'll searched. The
bracelet was not there.
"This Is very strange, Hughes ut
tered Lady Sarah. =.
"It's very ugly, as well, my lady,
answered Hughes, in a lofty tone,
"and I'm thankful TO the presiding
geniuses which rule such things that
l was not In charge when 1t never
would have taken place, for can give
a guess how 1t was"
"Then you had better" said her
ladyship, curtly. .
'If l do" returned Hughes, II shall
offend Miss Seaton."
mo you will not, Hughes" cried
Alice. "say what you please; have
need to wish this cleared up"
"Then, miss, II may speak my
thoughts, think you must have left
the key about, And there are strange
servants in the house, you know, my
lady; there's that Kitchens maid only
came in It when we did, and there's
tho new under butler"
Hughes, you are wrong" interrupt
ed Alice. "The servants could not
have touched the box, for the key new
or was out OF my possession, and you
know the lock is Bramah locked
the box last night In Lady Sarah's
presence, and the key was not out OF
my pocket afterwards until you took
It from thence this morning"
1.-THE key seems to have had nothing
to do with It," interposed Frances
Chenevlx. "Alice says she put the dla-
mond bracelet on the table with the
rest; Lady Sarah says when she went
10 the table after dinner 1t was not
there; so 1t must have been In the
intervening period that the--the-dls"
appearance took place"
"And only a few minutes to do 1t
In!" calculated Lady Sarah what
q mystery!" .
ut beats conjurlng, my lady, said
Hughes. could any visitor have come
upstairs?"
n did hear visitors knock while
we were at dinner" said Lady Sarah.
Don't you remember, Fanny2 You
looked up as IL you noticed It,"
"Did II" answered Lady Frances, in
q careless tone.
And that moment Thomas happened
to enter with letter. and the ques-
tion was put to him, "Who knocked%'
His answer was ready.
"Slr George Danvers, my lady. When
said the Colonel was at dinner, Sir
George began to apologize for calling,
but explained that you were dining
earlier than usual because OF the
opera"
Nobody else called?'
Nobody knocked but Sir George,
my lady"
"a covert answer" thought Alice;
"but am glad he is true to Gerard"
"What an untruth!" thought Lady
Frances, as she remembered the visit
Of Alices sister, Thomas memory
must be short"
ALI the falkland 1t was much pro-
longed-dld not tend to throw any
light upon the matter, and Alice, un-
happy and Ill, retired to her own room.
The agitation had brought on ner-
vous and violent headache, and she
sat down in a low chair and bent her
forehed on to her hands. One belief
alone possessed her; that the unfor-
tunate Gerard Hope had stolen the
bracelet. Do as she would she could
not put it from her; she kept repeat
ing that he was a gentleman, that he
was honorable, that he would never
place her in so painful a position. Com