The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-11-01
HER LADYSHIP'S
DIAMONDS
By G. B. ltMlS
Copyright, 1905, bB T. {, Eastment
By G. B. ltWIS
Copyright, 1905, bp =, C. Eustment

true that his lordship did not stint her
III money matters, and so what she
threw away was nobody's business
ateer all II WAS so for the first five
Years of their married life, and then
his lordship began TO feel the pinch.
He delayed saying anything to her OF
the matter as long as possible. but
there came Il day when he had to tell
her that retrenehment must be the
watclMord for several years to come
He had figured up her bills and fousd
she had spent more money In Il given
time than any other woman In the
kingdom. In way he was proud OF
| it, but in another way he had To give
her II word of caution She could still
be eXtravagant and reduce her ex-
| penSes one-half
His lordShip found out something too
late. Give II wife rein for the first five
| Years, and She will take the bit In her
teeth for the next five Talk Of econ
omy should come before instead of
after In addition to gratifying her
| own many whims and eaprlces her
| ludNship had II brother IN the navy and
another in the army. both officers. of
] COURSE. and both living more or less
oil her bounty. Guly the day before
his lordship had asked for private in
terSirw 10 talk retrenchment she had
sent the naval officer II liberal check
/ to straiShtcn up his debts of honor and
been Informed by letter that the other
one must have much larger amount
or throw up his commission In dis
grace.
Ills lJrdship's news. therefore. came
| like II duuche of cold water II there
WAS any sd OF scene 1t was kept from
| the servants and therefore from the
public, and things seemed to 20 on AS
before l hey didn't, however. Her lady
ship had her diamonds duplicated In
| paste ard raised II large sum on the
real gems 10 help others and herself
This WIS done quietly and secretly and
was only part of II plan she had in her
mind
After the close of the London season
his lordship retired to his country cas-
te and WAS soon followed by score
| of invited guests The nstute English
rebber Is always on the watch for these
heuse gatherings. Every woman guest
is certain to bring AT least II good part
of her jewels To wear nj dinner, and
there are always chances for II smart
thief to get in his work AS nm Offset
/ the host employs IL detective to mix In
with the servants or even with the
guest for the time being and keep
watch over things
II WAS 50 In this case Scotland Yard
had loaned him Inspector Mcdonald.
and there never hnd been n robbery in
a country house he was protecting.
The inspector under another name.
mingled with the guests and made him
self AT hGmc but he was given to pass
! Ing much of his time wandering over
the estate and musng In the shade Of
! It's forests one of his musing fits
was one day interrupted In II rather
singular manner.
lie WIS lying on the moss under II
spreading beech when the sound Of
footballs disturbed him. and he rolled
over on his side, to discover her lady
ship making her furtlVe way through
the woods At a dozen PAGES from him
she stopped md with II stick dug hole
In the ground at the foot Of tree and
concealed something When she had
run away the inspector scooped out the
dirt until he came to an oiled silk bag
containing her ladyship's diamonds
They We're all there to her last ring,
and the inspector knew enough about
precious stones to know that these
were paste.
This happened at 3 O'Clock In the aft
erno0n. What her ladyshlp would do
without her diamonds at dinner time
the Inspector could not determine Her
secret burial OF them meant 70 him
simply one thing she was going to be
"robbcd" of them She would have to
put up claim Of loss by daylight, and
there would be Il sensation, Either that
or she must be ''iudlsposed" ut dinner
time aud not appear among her guests
during the evening
Her ladyshlp proceeded at once to
business An hour before dinner, and
after all the guests, including the in
spector. had been indulgIng in games
ON the lawn, she went to her room to
discover that her diamonds were miss
ing There was sensation nj once.
No one had seen any stranger lurking
about. and the robbery must have been
perpctrated by some OF the servants.
Including maids and Wallets, these num-
I.,.r. ixft nah
obliged TO come forward and be inyes-
tlgated. His lordsllp insisted on the
most rigorous examination and this
led 10 protcstatlons aud hard feelings.
Within twenty-four hours the house
party was broken up and scattered.
and Inspector Mcdonald had to admit
that he had no clew. The only thing
his llrdshp could do was to offer re-
ward and he made 1t $4,000.
The inspector did not go with the
others. He remained behind to look
for clews. He held many interviews
with his lordship and her ladyshlp to-
gethcr, and he had to admire the densi-
~ of the one and the cunning OF the
other. 1t was more than cunning Her
ladyship had more nerve and cheek
than the detective ever before had
found In a woman She was a most
convincing liar, and If he hadn't had
the paste diamonds In his pocket no
would have been inclined 10 believe
that the scene IN the woods was a day
dream. she could furnish no informa.
ton as to how her diamonds had dlsap-
peared
She cleared her own maid OF suspi-
cion, but would not vouch for the hon
esty Of the others 1t was through her
advice and insistence that his lordship
advertised NO questions asked" The
stolen plumber could thus be returned
by any one Of her choosing The S25.-
900 would get the originals out OF
pawn and save her brother. The in