The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-01-23
CHAPTER Nv.

CHAPTER Nv.
1t was only towards morning that
Alice dropped asleep; the consequence
was, that long after her usual hour
| for rising she was still sleeping. The
opening of her door by some one
! awoke her; it was Lady Sarah's maid.
why. miss! are you not up? Well,
never! wanted the key of the jewel
box, but I'd have waited if l had
known"
What do you say you want?" re-
turned Alice, whose ideas were con-
| fused, as is often the case on being
suddenly awakened.
'The key of the bracelet box, if you
please"
THE key?" repeated Alice. ooh,
remember" she added, her recollec-
ton returning to her. BE at the trou-
BILE, will you, Hughes, to take it out of
my pocket; it is on that chair under
my clothes"
The servant came to the pocket and
speedily found the key. "Are you
worse than usual, miss, this morn
|
slept yourself?"
81 have oversight myself. Is it
late?"
Between nine and ten. Ny lady is
up, and at breakfast with master and
Lady Frances"
Alice rose the instant the maid had
left the room, and made haste to dress,
vexed with herself for sleeping so
long. She was nearly ready when
Hughes came in again.
| IF ever l saw such confusion as
that jewel box was I'M" cried she, in
as pert and grumbling tone as she
| dared to use. "The bracelets were
thrown together without law or order
just as if they had been so much
/ glass and tinsel from the Lowther
Arcade"
cit was Lady Sarah did it," replied
Alice. II would have put them
straight but she said leave it for you"
thought she might prefer that you
should do it, so did not press it,"
"Cf course her ladyship is aware
there's nobody but myself knows how
they are placed in it," returned
Hughes, consequently. II could go
to that or to the other jewel box, in
the dark, and take out any one thing
my lady wanted without disturbing
tho rest"
II have observed that you have a
gift of order" remarked Alice, with a
smile. "It is very useful to those
who possess it. and saves them from
trouble and confusion"
so lido, MISS" said Hughes. "But
came to ask you for the diamond
bracelet"
"The diamond bracelet" echoed
Alice. What diamond bracelet? What
do you mean?"
ut is not in the box, miss"
"The diamond bracelets are both in
the box" rejoined Alice
"The old one is there, not the new
one. I thought you might have taken
it out to show some one, or to look at
yourself, miss, for I'm sure it's sight
for pleasant eyes"
II can assure you it is in the case"
said Alice. "All are there except what
Lady Sarah had on. You must have
overlooked it."
II must be a great donkey If I
have" grumbled the girl. "It must be
at the very bottom, amongst the cot
ton she soliloquized, as she returned
to Lady Sarah's apartments, "and I
have just got to take every individual
article out to get at it. This comes
! of giving up ones keys to other folks"
Alive fastened down, begging par
don for her late appearance. It was
readily accorded. Alice's Office in the
house was nearly a sinecure; when
she had first entered upon it Lady
Sarah was ill, and required some one
to sit with and read to her, but now
that she was we'll again Alice had lit
tie to do.
Breakfast was scarcely over when
Alice was called into the room.
Hughes stood outside.
Miss" said she, with a long face,
"the diamond bracelets not in the
box. thought could not be mis-
taken."
"But 1t must be in the box" said
Alice.
But It is NOT" persisted Hughes,
emphasizing the negative; cant you