Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-19
DAILY SHORT STORY
A YANKEE TRICK,
[OFgn2l.l

while his or her FANNY are unrecOS-
nized Mss Bevan was 'such a person
Why she was admitted was plain
enough. She possessed the component
parts of 4 BELIEVE. 4 high bred APP
pcarance, Il courtly manner, the faculty
of ignoring people out of the setfwith-
out appearing to DO so and a talent
for using people. Having these it was
possible for her ito get along without
wealth.
Miss Bevan was zone of thesgueSts at
Mrs. Langworthy's cottage" An old
English duke. accompanied bythis son
the son a man oftthirty-had cDme~over
to visit America. and the two had Gbeen
secured by Mrs. LangwOTthy for visit
during the season. The Duke of Pep
pcrcorn. the father. possessed immense
estates in England, and at his, death
the son, Lord Lightly. would inherit
the title and the, estates. Miss Bevan
determined to concentrate all her
Establishments in zone supremeseffort to
secure the son.
u wish" said Mrs. LangwOThy TO
Miss Bevan. ITO post you with regard
to the duke. He suffers under 81 form
of mania. lie is n kleptOmaniac. His
son is very sensitive about his fathers
defect and, though he takes the great
est pains to return everything his
father steals. Will not listen to any or
binary discussion of constitutional
blight. They say 1T runs in the family,
only cropping out with age
Miss Bevan. being Of an ingenious
mind, set herself to turn this knowl-
edge to account. Il was not long be
fore she had formed Tplan. One morn
ing when Il yachting party was pro
posed Miss Bevan at the last moment
was attacked by an indfSpoSitiOn and
remained behind. She kept her room
till she saw through her window the
yacht standing out utiseH, then opened
her door and looked into the hall. The
doors and windows Of the bedrooms
were all open for airing. but there We're
no servants about. Stepping back into
her room. she took from bureau
drawer brooch. Il necklace and q
bracelet. besides other. smaller articles
Of tewelry. then, going again into the
hall. speedily ran 10 the dukes bed
room. the location of which she had
noted. An ocean breeze blew in at the
window. airing the bodChtheS, which
were thrown over the fOOtbOard, and
his gracc's evening dress suit, which
was hanging on the back OF chair.
Miss Bcvan slipped her Jewels into q
pocket Of the trousers and went back
to her room
The party returned in time for din
ncr. and Miss Bevan. having recovered,
was at the table. She sat next to Lord
Lightly and. with cOnsummate tact,
having learned the subject his lordship
most liked TO talk about. drew him out
on #. listening to every word he said
without the slightest disposition to talk.
For the next few days, or, rather,
evenings. II was noticed that Miss
Bevan appeared without her customary
adurnmcnt OF 1eWclry. Lord Lightly
was devoted to her and took occasion
TO compliment her on not needing gems
TO enhance her beauty. declaring that
she looked more attractive in the sim
ple costumes she wore when size left off
the Jewels. But one morning his lord
ship appeared very grave. He was rcti-
cent rs to the cause. and no one I'M
dcrstuod It except Miss Bevan. She re-
mark it and WINS secretly pleased
That evening after dinner he invited
her for a walk on the piazza and when
there proposed stroll through the
grounds. Once out of hearing from
those In the house he said:
Miss Bevan, l have something of I'm
por+ance to ask you ana 20 tell you.
First. Will you kindly inform me why
for several days you have worn no
jewels:"
Must Il" she said. with 4 sympa-
thetic note I'm her mclOdlous voice.
81 would esteem II a great favor"
MY Jewels are missing."
Let me ask you further whether you
Sre aware that my father IL afflicted IN
his old age with a peculiar evidence
Of senility that he is Il kleptomaniac"
My dear Lord Lightly. have been
so informed by our hostess. You have
my heartfelt sympathy"
Then you have suspected my IA
Their of having taken your jewels and
have said nothing 10 me about the mat
teri
Nor to any one else. My jewels are
not worth the wound l would have in
flicted."
There was a long pause, after which
Lord Lightly took from his pocket the
missing articles and handed them TO
her.
Miss Bevap." he said, with q voice
full Of repressed feeling, Il do not
know Of your ancestry. but you must
he a born lady. You certainly belong
70 natures nobility. Not one woman
In ten thousand, picked from the
worlds best people. would have had
the deIicacy.>the kindness, the I'M
seIhshncss, 10 permit herself to Ice rob
bed Of what women 50 dearly prize
without q word
Miss Bevan hung her head
Tell me-" he went on. how you
brought yourself 10 keep silence. You
certainly did not know that my father
had taken your jewels, and If another
had taken them every moment lost in
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