Hutchinson gazette., 1902-01-02

And all for nothing, don't know
about any bracelets"
Don't trouble yourself with inven-
tlons, Nichols Your friend Is safe In
our hands, and has made full con-
fesslon."
What frlend?" asked Nichols, too
eagerly.
The lady you got to dispose OF II
for you to the Jew"
Nichols was startled to lncaution.
"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 It gingerly
She's disgrace to the female sex,
she ls," raycd Nichols dlsregardIng
tho question as to the coat, But It's a
relief now I'm took, It's weight on
my mind was always expecting of II,
and / shall get food In the Old Bailey
at any rate"
"Ah," said the officer, you were in
good service as a respectable servants
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
tho officer ut will be used against
YOU"
1T came along OF my long legs"
cried Nichols, ignoring the friendly
injunction, and proceeding to enlarge
on the feat he had performed IL
have never had happy hour since; |
was second footman there, and 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 nelghborhood
Of Ascot for the race week, and they
had left me at home to take care Of
tho 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 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 | begun, heard
something like cllck-click agoing on
in the fellow room at the next door,
which was Colonel Hopes, 1t was
like as If something light was being
laid on the table, and presently | heard
two voices beginning to talk, a lady's
and a gentlomans and | listened"
mo good ever comes Of listening,
Joel" interrupted the officer,
"T didn't listen for the sake Of lis
tening, but 1t was awful hot, a stand
ing outside there in the sun, and lis
tenlng was better than working, /
didn't want to hear neither, for was
thinking of my own concerns, and
what a fool was to have idled away
my time all day till the sun came on
to the back wlnders. Bit by bit
heerd what they were talking about
that 1t was jewels they had got there,
and that one was worth 200 guineas.
Thinks l, If that was mine, I'd do no
more work. After awhile heerd
them go out of the room, and
thought I'd have a look at the rich
things, and stepped over slantlng
ways on to the little ledge running
along the houses, holding on by our
balqueny, and then passed my hands
along the wall till got hold Of the
balqueny--but one with ordinary legs
and arms couldn't have done 1t, You
couldn't, sir!"
Perhaps not" remarked the officer.
"There wasn't fur to fall IL | had
fell, only on to the kitchen leads un-
der; but l didn't fall, and | raised
myself on to their balQueny, and look
ed in. My! what show 1t was stun
ming jewels, all laid out there; so
close that If had put my hand inside
1t must have struck all among EN-;
and the fiend prompted me to take
one, I didn't stop to look; didn't
stop to think; the one that twinkled
the brightest, and had the most stones
in 1t was the nearest to me, and
clutched 1t and slipped 1t into my
footmans undress jacket and stepped
back again"
"And got safe into your own bal
cony."
"Yes; but didn't clean the winder
that night. | was upset like by what
| had done, and think, IL l could
have put it back again, | should; but
there was no opportunity. wrapped
1t up in my wlnder leather, and then
In a sheet of paper, and then put it
up the chimbley in one Of the spare
bedrooms. | was up the next morning
afore s, and cleaned my wlnders;
I'd no trouble to awake myself, for /
had never slept, The same day to-
wards evening you called sir, and
asked me some questions-whether we