The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-10-06

OHereO was apparent. lnat promised
by Uncle David was calculated to
ro,,se any mans cupidity and should
have resulted in the bauble's imme-
diate return.
'lIe got ahead Of the police that
time" I laughed. when did these
advertisements appear?"
'During the days you were absent
from Washington"
"And how sure are you that he did
not get this jewel bnck?"
ooh, we are sure. His continued
anxiety and still active interest prove
this. even II our surveillance had been
less perfect
"And the police have been equally
unsuccessful?'
Equally"
"Aftcr every effortW
"Eycry."-
"Nho was the man who collected
and carried ont those things from the
southwest chamber?"
lie smiled.
"You see him." said he.
ut was youT'
"Mysclf"
"And you are sure this small ball
was among them"
mo. | only know that l have seen
it somewhere. but that 1t wasn't among
the articles delivered to Mr.. jeffrey"
"IIow did you carry them"
"In hand bag which l locked my
SELF
Before leaving the southwest cham
bery'
YES"
"Thcn It Is still in that roomf"
"Find it," was his lacoric reply.
That night | went back to the Moore
house and sought first on the open
floor and then in every possible Granny
for the missing trlnket But failed to
find 1t and was about TO acknowledge
myself defeated when my eye fell on
the long brocadcd curtains which had
drawn across the several windows to
hide every CLEAN Of light from the
street. They were almost free from
folds. but shook them well, especially
| the one nearest the table, and naturally
| with no effect.
| Folly" | muttcrcd yet did not quite
desist. For the great tussels still hung
at the sides and Well, you may call
| 1t an impossible find or say that IL the
bauble was there it should have been
discovered I'm the first search for IT..
| | will not say no. | can only tell you
what happened. When | took one OF
| those tasscls in my hand thought, as
II twirled under my touch, that saw
something CLEAN in its faded old
threads that did not belong there.
Startled, and yet not thoroughly realiz-
ing that had come upon the object OF
my search, ! pickcG at this thing and
| found II to be Il morsel Of gold chain
that had become entangled in ii. When
had pulled il out IL showed small
golden ball at one end, filigreed over
and astonishingly heavy for its size
and apparent delicacy.
The talismGn of this old family was
found. l had but to discover what II
held concealed to understand what had
batiled Mr.. Moore and made the mys
terry he. had endcavored to penetrate
so insolvable. And what did ! find
inside? Something so different from
what expected, something so trivial
and seemingly harmless, that 1t was
not until ! recalled the final words OF
Uncle David's memorandum that
realized its full import and the posi-
bllitles it suggested In itself II was
nothing but q minute magnifyine
glass: but when used in connection
with-whaty All, that was just what
Uncle David failed to say, possibly L
| must trust to the inspiration Of thu
moment, which suggested with almOs
irresistible convictions:
Ihe picture! That indne and seenlingll
tcOrthIess drdloing Orcr the fireplace 4,
The COIOnefs Own, nhOSe presence In 81
rich room has aIrdUs been q mysteryi
Why this object should have suggest
conviction cannot readily say
Whether, from my position near tin
bed, the sight of this old drawing re
called the restless nights of all VIII
e had lain in face of its sickly smile, o
whether some recollection of tha
secret law of the MOores which for
bade the removal of any OF their pic
lures from the time worn walls, or
|, remembrance of the curiosity whic
this picture excited In every one VIII
looked at it-Francis Jeffrey anon
the number-I no sooner asked mysel
what object In this house might pos
sibly yield counsel or suggest aid whe
subjected to the influence Of magn
flying glass than the answer, which
have already given, sprang Instant
|, into my mind-the picture!
Greatly excited, | sprang upon
. chair, took down the drawing from tn
: TAkins down the drAwinS