The Lamar register., 1902-01-15

Il came to-Alice how wretched you
look? You will torment yourself into
a fever"
Can you wonder at my looking
wretched?" returned Alice. place
yourself in my position. Frances: 1t
must appear to Lady Sarah as II L
had made away with the bracelet
l am sure Hughes thinks So"
Don't say unorthodox things. Alice.
They would rather think that l had
done it, of the two, for l have more
use for diamond bracelets than you."
''It is kind of you to try and cheer
me-" sighed Alice.
Just the thing I came to do. And
to have bit of chat with you as
we'll. II you will let me-"
"Of course. will let you"
II wish to tell you l will not men
ton that your sister was here last
evening. l promise you will not"
Alice did not Immediately reply.
The words and their hushed tone
caused new trouble to arise within
her-one which she had not glanced
at. Was 1t possible that Lady Fran
ces could imagine her sister to be
the
Lady Frances Chenevix!" burst
forth Alice, you cannot think it! She!
my sister-guilty of despicable
theft! Have you forgotten that she
moves in your own position in the
world? that our family is scarcely in
ferior to yours?"
"Alice, l forgive you so misjudging
lna ,nt Ittct
now. OF course, your sister cannot
be suspected; l know that. But as
you did not mention her when they
were talking of who had been here,
supposed you did not wish her name
dragged into so unpleasant an affair.
and l hastened up to say there was no
danger from me that it would be-"
Believe me, she is not the guilty
party" returned Alice. land l have
more cause to say SO than you think
for"
What do you mean by that?" brisk
ly cried Lady Frances. you surely
have no clue?'
Alice shook her head, and her COM
panions eagerness was lulled again.
1T is well that Thomas was forget
full" remarked Lady Frances. Was
it really forgetfulness. Alice, or did
you contrive to telegraph him to be
silent?"
Thomas only spoke the truth. At
least, as regards my sister," she hastily
added, for he did not let her in"
"Then it is all quite easy, and you
and / can keep our own counsel"
Quite easy. possibly, to the mind of
Frances Chenevix. but anything but
easy to Alice, for the words of Lady
Frances had introduced an idea more
repulsive and terrifying even than the
one which cast the guilt to the door
of Gerard Hope. Her sister acknowl-
edged that she was in need of money,
"a hundred pounds or so," and Alice
had seen her coming from the back
room where the jewels lay. Still-she
take a bracelet! 1t was preposterous.
Preposterous or not, Alice's torment
was doubled. Which of the two had
been the black sheep? One of them it
must have been. Instinct. sisterly re-
lationship. reason and common sense.
all combined to turn the scale against
Gerard. But that there should be a
doubt at all was not pleasant, and
Alice started up impulsively and put
her bonnet on.
Where now?" cried Lady Frances.
81 will go to my sisters and ask her
and ask her-if-she saw any stran-
ger here-any suspicious person in the
hall, or on the stairs" stammered
Alice, making the best excuse She
could.
But you know you were in the
drawing rooms all the time, and no
one came into them. suspicious or un-
suspicious; so how will that aid you?"
True" murmured Alice, but it
will be relief to go somewhere or do
something"
Alice found her sister at home. The
latter instantly detected that some
thing was wrong. for her suspense, ILL
ness and agitation had taken every
vestige of color from her cheeks and
lips.
Whatever is the matter. Alice?"
was her greeting, you look just like
walking ghost"
"I felt that I did," breathed poor
Alice, "and I kept my veil down in the
street, lest l might be taken for one
and scare the people. A great mis-
fortune has befallen upon me. You
saw those bracelets last night spread
out on the table,"
YES"
"They were in my charge. and one
of them has been distracted. 1t was
of great value; gold links holding dia-
monds."
"Abstracted." uttered the eldest
sister in both concern and surprise,
but certainly without the smallest in
dications of guilty knowledge