The Holly chieftain., 1902-02-28
The Diamond Bracelet
BY MRS. HENRY WOOD.
Avtkor d East Lynne. Etc
Avthor oe E@ss Lynne. Etc

SVu AZ tue timo, tnOu8nt you WoEo
too clever to 60 on long"
Il should be ashamed to play the
sneak and catch "a fellow in this way.
Why couldn't you come openly In
your proper clothes? not come playing
the spy in the garb Of friendly civil
liam"
my men are in. their proper
Clothes" returned the equable oflicer.
"and you will have the honor Of their
escort presently. l came because they
did not know you. and I did
Three o13cers to single man, and
he skeletoh!' uttered Nichols, with
vast show of indignation.
"Ay! but you were powerful once
and ferocious, too. The skeleton as
pect is q recent one"
"And all for nothing / don't know
about any bracelets"
Don't trouble yourself with inven-
tions. Nichols. Your friend is safe in
our hands. and has made . full con-
fession."s
What friend?" asked Nichols. too
eagerly. /
The lidy 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. III 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.
Shes disgrace to the female sex,
she is," raved Nichols, disregarding
the question as to the coat But it's
relief now I'm took. it's weight OF
my mind; was always expecting Of it.
and shall get food in the Old Bailey
at any rate"
"Ah," said the oficer, you were in
good service as a respectable servantS
you had better have stuck to your
duties" 'fs 60 v, & ~,
"The temptation was SO great r phr.
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 "It will be used against
you."
It came along o. my long legs"
cried Nichols, igioring the friendly
Injunction. and proceeding to enlarge
on the feat he mad performed. Il
have never had happy hour since; /
was second footman there. and q good
place had; and 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. had to clean the win
ders afore they returned, and had
druv 1t of 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 1t. what encloses
the windows. While was leaning
over the rails afore begun, l heard
something like click-click agoing on
in the fellow room at the next door,
which was Colonel Hopes. 1t was
like ~ II something light was being
laid on the table. and presently heard
two voices beginning to talk, q lady's
and a gentleman's. and listened"
mo good ever comes of listening.
joel" interrupted the oficer.
II didn't listen for the sake of lis
tening, but 1t was awful hot. stand
ing outside there in the sun. and lis
tening was better than working. P
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
heerd what they were 1alking about
that It was jewels they had got there.
and that one was worth 200 guineas.
Thinks !. II that was mine, I'd do no
more work. After awhile heerd
them 90 out of the room. and 7
thought I'd have a1ook 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 l got hold OF the
balqueny-but one with ordinary legs
and arms couldn't have done 1t. You
couldn't, sir!"