Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-03-14
The Diamond Bracelet
by MRS. HENRY WOOD,
Author Of East Lynne. Etc.

Ay! but you were powerful once
and ferocious, too. The skeleton as
pect is recent ONE
And all for nothing. don't know
about any bracelets"
Don't trouble yourself with inven-
tons. Nichols. Your friend is safe in
our hands, and has made a full con-
fessicn.''
What friend?" asked Nichols, too
eagerly.
The lady you got to dispose Of It
for you to the Jew"
Nichols was startled to incaution.
She hasn't split, has she?''
Every particular she knew or
guessed at Split to save herself"
Then there's no faith In woman"
There never was yet" returned the
officer. If they are not at the top and
bottom OF every mischief, Joe, they are
sure to be In the middle. Is this your
coat?" touching 1t gingerly.
She's disgrace to the female sex,
she is" raved Nichols. disregarding
the question as to the coat. "But it's a
relief now I'm took, It's weight off
my mind; was always expecting OF 1t,
and shall get food in the Old Bailey
at any, rate
"Ah." said the officer, you were in
good service as a respectable servant;
you had better have stuck to your
duties
The temptation was SO great" OBJ
served the man, who had evidently
abandoned all idea of denial; and now
that he had done SO, was ready to be
voluble with remembrance and par
ticulars.
Don't say anything to me- said
the officer. 1T will be used against
you
cried Nichols, ignuring the friendly
Injunction, and proceeding to enlarge
on the feat he had performed. II
have never had happy hour since;
was second footman there, and good
place had; and I had wished, thou
sands of times, that the bracelet had
been in sea Of molten fire. Our folks
had taken house in the neighborhood
Of Ascot for the race week, and they
had left me at home to take care of
the kitchen maid, and another inferior
or two, taking the rest of the servants
with them. I had to clean the win
druv it off till the Thursday evening,
and out got on the balqueny, to be-
gin with the back drawing ROOM"
What did you say you got out on?
"The balqueny. The thing with the
green rails around it, what encloses
the windows While was leaning
over the rails afore I begun, heard
something like click-click agoing on
in the fellow room at the next door,
which was Colonel Hopes. It was
like as il something light was being
laid on the table, and presently heard
two voices beginning to talk, a lady's
and gentleman's, and / listened"
'sNo good ever comes of listening,
Joe!" interrupted the officer.
st didn't listen for the sake Of lis
tening, but it was awful hot, stand
ing outside there in the sun, and lis
tening was better than working.
didn't want to hear neither, for was
thinking of my own concerns, and
what fool was to have idled away
my time all day till the sun came on
to the back winders. Bit by bit l
heerd what they were talking about
that 1t was jewels they had got there,
and that one was worth 200 guineas
Thinks I, If that was mine, I'd do no
more work. After awhile heerd
them go out Of the room, and
thought I'd have look at the rich
things, and stepped over slanting
ways on to the little ledge running
along the houses, holding on by our
balqueny, and then passed my hands
along the wall till I got hold of the
balqueny-but one with ordinary legs
and arms couldn't have done it. You
couldn't, sir!"
perhaps not remarked the officer.
"There wasn't fur to fall If I had
fell, only on to the kitchen leads un-
der; but I didn't fall, and I raised
myself on to their balGueny, and look
ed in. My! what show it was! stun
ming Jewels, all laid out there: SO
close that if had put my hand inside
it must have struck all among EN-;
and the fend prompted me to take
one. T didn't stop to look; didn't
stop to think; the one that tWinkled
the brightest, and had the most stones
in it was the nearest to me, and !
clutched it and slipped it into my
footman's undress Jacket, and stepped
back again.
"And got safe into your own bal
cony."
eyes; but didn't clean the winder
that night. was upset like by what
I had done, and I think, If could
have put it back again, should; but
there was no opportunity. wrapped
it up in my winder leather, and then
in a sheet Of paper, and then I put It
ND the chimbley in one OF the spare
bedrooms. was up the next morning
afore S, and ! cleaned my winders;
I'd no trouble to awake myself, for
had never slept. The same day to-