The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-03-13
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 full con-
fession."
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. eff 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 a 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; I was always expecting of it,
and shall get food in the Old Bailey
at any rate
"Ah," said the officer, you were in
good service as 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. 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 mad performed. II
have never had a happy hour since; 1
was second footman there, and a good
place l had; and had wished, thou
sands Of times, that the bracelet had
been in a sea of molten fire. Our folks
had taken a 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 1 had
druv it off till the Thursday evening,
and out l 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 l was leaning
over the rails afore 1 begun, l heard
something like click-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, lady's
and a gentleman's, and listened"
mo good ever comes of listening,
Joel" interrupted the officer.
ct didn't listen for the sake of lis
tening, but it was awful hot, a stand
ing outside there in the sun, and lis
tening was better than working. 1
didn't want to hear neither, for l was
thinking of my own concerns, and
what a fool 1 was to have idled away
my time all day till the sun came on
to the back winders. Bit by bit I
heerd what they were talking about
that it 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 l heerd
them go out of the room, and T
thought I'd have look at the rich
things, and l stepped over slanting
ways on to the little ledge running
along the houses, holding on by our
balqueny, and then 1 passed my hands
along the wall till l 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 UNI
der; but didn't fall, and l raised
myself on to their balqueny, and look
ed in. My! what a show it was! stun
ming jewels, all laid out there; so
close that if 1 had put my hand inside
it must have struck all among 'em;
and the fiend prompted me to take
one. I didn't stop to look; l didn't
stop to think; the one that twinkled
the brightest. and had the most stones
in it was the nearest to me, and 1
clutched it and slipped it into my
footman's undress jacket, and stepped
back again"
And got safe into your own ball
cony."
Yes; but l didn't clean the winder
that night. was upset like by what
had done, and l think, if l could
| have put it back again, should; but
there was no opportunity l wrapped
it up in my winder leather, and then
in sheet of paper, and then put it
up the chimbley in one of the spare
bedrooms. l was up the next morning
afore S, and l cleaned my winders;
I'd no trouble to awake myself, for I
1 hoI ~10 -