The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-05-15
WON BY LOYALTY.
Tho Tale Of a Diamond Robbery.

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At that time was engaged land
very pleased to be) to a most enig-
NAUTICAL young person. She spoke
rarely and in a way always a little
mysteriously making voluntary Sc
crets of a hundred little actions of
life, and loving solitude in an alarming
manner.
All this was offset by eyes so beau
tiful, by a coloring so marvellous, by
an expression so divine, that had not
the courage to reflect on the singulari-
ty of her character l loved her, and
! often passed hours CT the night sit
ting before her doorstep, simply
dreaming that she lived here" and
meditating on her presence as does
the believer on the transubstantiation
did not know, in the first place.
whether she loved me or not; she al
ways refused to answer that question,
referring to the wishes of her parents
and her confidence in their wisdom. If
l insisted, she generally ended by say
ing that she knew nothing about it,
but that she felt no antipathy toward
me, and that, according to her ideas,
was enough to decide a young girl on
marriage!" In vain / duplicated, in
vain l tried to animate this enigmat-
cal being; she remained as distant as
the manner in which she loved as un-
known as she was dominating.
One evening as l was dreaming a
little sadly of these things, a commo-
tion was heard in the house. returned
to the salon, where everything was in
disorder, my hosts were distressed,
their friends embarrassed and troubled
and old Nine. Laroche horribly pale
and trembling.
What in the world has happened?"
asked. They explained incoherently
that Nine. Lariche's diamonds were
stolen-old family diamonds of great
value. All the servants had been
summoned into an adjoining room-in
short, a formal search was to be insti-
tuted. An old gentleman, M. Cope,
had been unanimously selected to di-
rect this investigation just as l was
entering and his first proposition was
that everyone should submit or. rath-
er, offer himself to be searched. AL
though the thing was rather offensive,
no one protested, and it was decided
that, after the servants, each person
present should be examined.
To tell the truth all this seemed of
al
cares; and, with several others,
awaited the end of the adventure
while NJ Cope, his two witnesses and
our host began the inspection of the
domestics.
Very soon fell again into my medi
tation, my eyes fixed on the fireplace
as though there were a fire, wher
suddenly I felt light touch on my
elbow. / raised my head with a start
to see my fancee looking at me mos
beseechingly. We were alone near tht
fireside and could talk IN low tones
without being overheard. She muir
INJURED very low:
eff you love me, arrange that the,
search you first; then try to be nea
me, and, without being seen, try t
conceal the object that l shall pas
you from behind"
My blood ran cold. This annoyin
incident became terrible, filing m
with the most passionate trouble.
looked at the girl in agony, but force
myself to smile, and whispered:
'Tt shall be as you wish!"
My knees trembled, my mouth wa
\ hot and dry The feeling that owe
g, whelmed me was inexpressible
was a strange mingling of bitterness
81 and pleasure, that my loved OF
8 should be weak TO such degree.
forced myself 10 have a sort Of di