Hutchinson gazette., 1901-12-26
The Diamond Bracelet
BY MRS. HENRY WOOD.
Author Of EAst Lynne. Etc.
Author OF East Lynne. Etc.

should Just as soon have expected "a
meet the dead here"
"How are you, Lady Frances?" he
said, holding out his hand with heslta'
tion.
Lady Frances! am much Obliged
TO you for your formallty, Lady
Frances returns her thanks to Mr.
Hope for his polite inquiries" con-
tlnued she In tone Of pilue and hon
oring him with swimming ceremony
OF courtesy
He caught her hand, Forgive me-
Fanny, but our positions are altered
at least mine us; and how did know
that you were notY"
"You arc an ungrateful-raven, u
cried she. ito cronk like that, After
getting me to write you no end Of let
ters and all the news about everybody,
beginning My dear Gerard, and end
ing Your affectlOtato Fanny and be-
Ing as good to you as sister, you
meet me with My Lady Frances
Now, don't squeeze my hand to atoms.
What on earth have you come to Eng
land for?"
~ could not stop there" no returned
with emotion; II was frettlng away
my heartstrings So took my resolu-
tion and came back; guess In what
way, Frances, and what to do"
How should know? To call me
Lady Frances, perhaps"
"As clerk; a clerk to earn my
bread. That's what am now, Very
consistent, is 1t not, for one in my po-
sitlon to address famillarly Lady
Frances Chenevix|
"You never spoke grain OF sense
In your live, Gerard" she exclaimed,
peevlshly, What do you mean?"
"Mr Netherleigh has taken me into
his counting house"
"Mr. Netherleigh!" she echoed in
surprise. what, with that-that-"
"That crime hanging over me, Speak
up, Frances"
mo; was going to say that doubt.
don't believe you guilty; you know
that, Gerard"
81 am In his house, Frances, and |
came up here tonight from the city to
bring a note from his partner, de-
clined any Of the reception rooms, not
caring to meet old acqualntances, and
the servants put me into this"
"But you had a mountain Of debts
in England, Gerard, and were afraid
Of arrest"
81 have managed that; they are 60
ing to let me square up by install
ments. Has the bracelet never been
heard Off"
"oh, that's gone for good; melted
down In caldron, as the Colonel calls
1t, and the diamonds reset. 1t remains
mystery Of the past, and is never ex-
pected to be solved
"And they will suspect me! What
is the matter with your dress?"
Matter enough" answered she, let
ting 1t down, and turning round for
his inspection. II came here to get
1t repaired. My great BOBBY Of part
ner did 1t for me-"
Fanny how is Alice Seaton?"
"You have cause to ask for her, She
Is dying"
"Dying!" repeated Mr., Hope in a
hushed, shocked tone.
II do not mean actually dying this
night or going to die tomorrow; but
she Is dying by slow degrees, there Is
no doubt. 1t way be weeks off yet;
cannot tell"
Where is she?"
Curious to say, she ia where you
left her-at Lady Sarah Hopes. Alice
could not bear the house after the loss
Of the bracelet, for she was 80 obstin-
ate and foolish as to persist that the
servants must suspect her even II
Lady Sarah did not. She felt, and this
spring Lady Sarah saw her, and was
so shocked at the change In her, the
extent to which she had wasted away,
that she brought her to town by main
force, and we and the doctors are try
ing to nurse her up. 1t seems of no
use"
"Are you also staying at Colonel
Hopes again?"
II invited myself there a week or
two ago to be with Alice, 1t is pleas
anter, too. than being at home"
II suppose the Hopes are her to-
night?"
my sister is. do not think your
uncle has come yet"
Does he ever speak Of me less re-
"Not he; think his storming over
It has only made his suspicious strong
er. Not week passes but he begins
again about that detestable bracelet.
He Is unalterably persuaded that you
took It. and nobody must dare put in
4 word in your defense"
"And does your sister honor me
with the same belief?" demanded Mr..
Hope bitterly.
Lady Sarah is silent on the point
% me; l think she scarcely knows
what to believe. You see tell you all
reely, Gerard"