Morris tribune., 1901-10-19

Nov, Susan, / want the solemn


/ "My brotherT'
"Yes'm."
| Wise as he was. Mr.. John was struck
in a heap when his sister mentioned
the matter. wha-what? ht
gasped. '"The girl is stone mad.
never heard such a thing in my life. ]
never did"
81 guessed as much" replied his sis.
ter. ''She Is sitting on her chest, look.
ing as guilty as a red herring"
what rs to be done?"
"We shan't call in the police The
girl has been making progress, and the
prison would put an end to all that. /
believe she will give us the ring yet.
/ But It would be wrong to keep her
here. She shall pack up today and
leave tomorrow morning."
And Susan got notice accordingly.
81 knew you wouldn't believe me, "
said the girl, gulping down a sob.
"Then why did you tell me such a
thing?"
Because it's true"
"Don't say any more. l don't want
to hear it. don't suppose you will
expect any wages
Susan turned CHASTITY white 81 must
have Them" she gasped "My mother
needs the money to pay her rent. If
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 least not yet" thought Mrs.
Robinson. eff give her her wages,
she won't need to oft, and she'll send
It back"
AS the old lady lay awake 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 terrified
whisper. Susan's eyes were starting
out Of her head, and her teeth were
chattering.
what Is the matter, Susan?'
Master has gone up to the garnet
with a candle. / think there is some
thing wrong" :
Mrs. Robinson came hastily over hel
bed and followed Susan noiseIessly
along the>passage A glimmer of light
shone through the hanisters above.
Mrs. Robinson saw that her brother
was coming down stairs, staring
straight ahead with his eyes dilated.
He approached as stately as a wax
figure and almost brushed against
<hnun ho- lI<rI,4 ~ R17 m
on their white, upturned faces as he
passed, but he took no notice of them.
Down the next flight 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 the stairs, but soon heard |
the door of the coal cellar creaking on
it's hinges. Stealing toward it, they
peered through. He was inside working
a stone in the wall, which in a fewI
moments he dislodged and set down on
the floor.
He next took an iron box out of thu
hole he had made, applied a key to it,
raised the lid and took some small arti-
Gle out.
Then he replaced everything as it
had been before and, carefully obIiter
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 forefnger and thumb OF
his left hand.
He then made his way toward his
sisters room, into which he disappear.
ed for few seconds. Coming out
again, he mounted the stairs in the di
rection Of me garnet.
cts no use following him." saidl
Mrs. Robinson. 81 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
half way down, and then whether one
Of his heels interviewed a tack or some
thing no one will ever know, but all 1
1T once his legs shot out in front of
him and he went sailing down the |
stairs, missing one step more at every I
bump. II
Win the supernatural dexterity {
which characterizes the somnambulistl ,
he managed to keep the candle in all ,
lie time and now set it down in the j
lobby with clank right end up. II
Mr.. John rose with his face quite Sc.
cious and, without rubbing himself or {
anything, went along the passage and {
into his own bedroom. Iii
ut is evidently not the first time he | I
mas walked in his Sleep" said the old | /
ady. SIZE must have visited the box
before. That is how the ring came to j
be found. It must have dropped on
he floor. To think that / never had
he slightest suspicion! Susan, can | I
you ever forgive meY'
"Yes'm." Ia
There, you see the ring on the toilet :
able, just where left it the night it ! I
went a-missing," remarked Mrs. Rob- ]
nson as they entered her bedroom.
The lost diamonds are in the box !
which is hidden in the wall | saw
HON Cot FL hod o1,d x1n,Il e.or, ti,,,,, l .