The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-03-26
; Won By LOYALTY.
The Tale Of a Diamond Robbery.
c e~~~~~~~~~~

| Al that time | was engaged (anG
very pleased to be) to a most enig-
matical young person. She spoke
rarely and insa way always little
mysteriously, making voluntary Sc
crcts of hundred little actions of
life, and loving solitude in an alarming 6
| manner.
All this was offset by eyes so beau
| tiful, by a coloring sosmarvellous, by
an expression so divine, that had not
the courage to reflect on the singulari-
| ty of her character. l loved her, and
l often passed hours of 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
| I 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 young girl on
| marriage!" In vain I supplicated, in
| vain l tried to animate this enigmati-
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 q
little sadly of these things, a commo-
ton was heard in the house. l 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?"
I 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, NJ. Cope,
had been unanimously selected to di-
rect this investigation just as I 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
small Importance beside my personal
cares; and, with several others, l
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 we're a fire, when
suddenly I felt light touch on my
elbow. raised my head with start,
to see my fancee looking at me most
beseechingly. We were alone near the
fireside and could talk in low tones
without being overheard. She MUIR
INJURED very low:
"If you love me, arrange that they
search you first; then try to be near
me, and, without being seen, try to
conceal the object that l shall pass
you from behind .
Ny blood ran cold. This. annoying
incident became terrible, filing me
with the most passionate trouble. l
looked at the girl in agony, but forced
myself to smile, and whispeTed:
1T shall be as you wish"
My knees trembled, my mouth was
hot and dry. The feeling that over
whelmed me was inexpressible. 1t
was a strange mingling of bitterness
and pleasure, that my loved one
should be weak to such a degree. l
forced myself to have a sort of dis
dainful pity, and in reality love beat
ardent, strong, stern in my breast. l
understood, in a flash, how beauty
could become divine above baseness
of soul. and how one could respect it
even In dishonor-and a hundred 9th
er things in which were confused fer
vent love, devotion without limit. a
desire noble and perverse.
Jeanne had thanked me with hard
ly perceptible movement Of the lips;
che stood by the wall with an air Of
Indifference and pridei
"They are very long about it," she
said sternly. IN. Cope is a man of
method" someone replied. And ST.
lence followed which told more and
more on ones nerves, for even the
waiting in peaceful frame of mind
finished by disturbing ard emptying
the brain, like pump. However, the
moment arrived when the searching
of the servants ended, the door open
ed, disclosing OUR host, the two wit
nesses, and the old gentleman.
My heart beat furiously. felt my
self become terribly pale, but, con-
cealing my agitation and steadying
my voice, asked to be searched
first
M. Cope smiled at what he consid-
cred the whim of a young man, and
proceeded methodically to my exam
ination. I blushed. l became pale
without anyone finding that peculiar
under the circumstances. When it
was over I made two or three steps
backward and l found myself near
Jeanne. She lowered her fan and
handed me something with GOODNESS
that was only equalled by my calm
ness in seizing the object and plac-
ing it in pocket of my coat. After
which I leant against the fireplace,
being now merely witness and above
all suspicion.