Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-01-24
The Diamond Bracelet
By MRS. HENRY WOOD.
CHAPTER /.
Author Of East Lynne. Etc.

CHAPTER I.
The afternoon OF q hot June day was
craving towards evening, and the
great world Of London-for It was the
height Of the season was beginning to
think OF dinner. In well-furnished
dressing room. the windows being open
for air. the blinds drawn down to ex-
clude the sun, stood q lady whose maid
was giving the touch to her rich attire.
II was Lady Sarah Hope.
What bracelets, my LADY," asked
the maid, taking small bunch OF
keys from her pocket.
aNone, now; 1t is so very hot, Alice, :
added Lady Sarah. turning to q young
lady who was leaning back on the sofa,
"have them ready displayed for me
when come up, and will decide
then"
II have them ready. Lady sarah?"
returned Miss Seaton.
ST you will be SO kind. Hughes,
give the key to Miss Seaton."
Lady Sarah left the room, and then
the maid, Hughes, began taking one
OF the small keys OF the ring. II have
got leave to go out, miss" she explain
ed. and am going directly. MY moth
er is not we'll, and wants to see me.
This is the key, miss Z
AS Miss Seaton took it, Lady Sarah
reappeared at the door. Alice, you
may as we'll bring the jewel box down
to the back drawing room. shall not
care to come up here after dinner; we
shall be late as 1t u.s.
What's that about jewel box?" in
quired q pretty looking girl, who had
come from another apartment.
Lady Sarah wishes me to bring her
bracelets down to the drawing room,
that she may choose which to put on.
It was too hot to dine in Them
.Are you not coming in to dinner to-
day, Alice?"
mo. walked out, and it has tired
me, as usual. have had some tea in.
stead.
II would not be you for all the
world, Alice! To possess so little capa-
bility for enjoying life. No. not even
for you, Alice. .
Yet IL you we're as am, weak in
health and strength, your lot would
have been so smoothed to you that you
would not repine at or regret it.
"You mean I should be content"
laughed the young lady" Well, there
is nothing like contentment, the sages
tell us. One Of my detestable school
room copies used to be "Contentment
Is happiness. -
Il can hear the dinner being taken
In, said Alice; "you will be late in the
dining room.
j. AS Lady Francis Chenevix turned
away to fly down the stairs, her light,
rounded form, her elastic step, all tell
ing Of health and enjoyment. presented
q marked contrast to that Of Alice Sea-
ton. Alice's face was indeed strangely
beautiful: almost too refined and deli
cate for the wear and tear OF common
life; but her figure was weak and
STOPPING and her gait feeble. OF ex-
ceedingly good family, she had sud-
denly been thrown from her natural
position OF wealth and comfort to COM
parative poverty, and had found refuge
as companion" to Lady Sarah Hope.
Colonel Hope was thin, spare man,
with sharp brown eyes and sharp fea-
lures, looking SO shrunk and short,
that he must have been Struggled into
the army under weight, unless he had
since been growing downwards. No
stranger could have believed him at
ease in his circumstances, any more
than they could have believed him q
colonel who had seen hard service In,
India, for his clothes were frequently
threadbare. A black ribbon supplied
the place Of gold chain, as guard to his
watch, and b,ue, Unlocking thing
of a galvanized ring did duty for an
other ring on his finger. Yet he was
rich; OF fabulous riches, people said;
but he was OF close disposition, es-
pecially as regarded his personal OUT
lay. In his home and to his wife he
was liberal. They had been married
several years, but had no children, and
his large property was not entailed;
It was believed that his nephew, Ger
ard Hope, would inherit it, but some
dispute had recently occurred. and
Gerard had been turned from the
house. Lady Francis Chenevix, the
sister Of Lady Sarah, but considerably
younger, had been paying them an
eight months visit In the country. and
had now come up to town with them.
Alice Seaton lay on the sofa for half
an hour, and then. taking the bracelet
box in her hands, descended to the
drawing rooms. It was intensely hot;
Z sultry. breathless heat, and Alice
threw open the back windows, which,
IN truth made 1t hotter, for the sun
cleaned right thwart the leads which
stretched themselves beyond the win
dow, over the out buildings at the
back Of the row Of houses.
She sat down near the back window
ana hnOan ~ mn ont some of the