Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-16

| llSHuldN iSlcucu d tIIlluuJe. Iu6u JQ0 call came again, and Topham creaked to the door and out
 In twinkling was out, too, you l bet.
 | Mag! He hadn't opened the box at 1 all! There it stood in the middle of | the space framed by the three glasses. l I pulled at the lid. Locked! could have screamed with rage. But the sound of his step outside the door sobered me. He was coming back In frantic hurry I turned toward the window which had unlocked when 1 came in four hours ago. But hadn't time to make it. I heard the old fellows hand on the door, and tumbled back into the box in such rush that the curtains were still wav- ing when he came in
 Slowly he began to place the jewels, one by one, in the order her ladyship puts them on. We Charity girls f>N often watched him from the door--asA never let one of us put a foot st side. He was method and order itself. He never changed the order fin which he lifted the glitteriny things out, nor the places he put them back in. put my hand up against the top of the box, tracing the spot where each piece would be lying. Think, Mag, just half an inch between me and quarter of a million!
 Oh, was sore as I lay there! And wasn't so cock-sure either that I'd get out of it straight. I tried the Beryl story lots of ways on myself, but somehow, every time I fancied myself telling it to Obermuler it got tangled up and lay dumb and heavy inside of me.
 But at least it would be better to ap- pear of my own will before the old Englishman than be discovered by Lord Gray and his lady. I had my fingers on the curtains, and in another second I'd been out when
 Miss Beryl Blackburn's compli- ments, MT. Topham, and would you step to the door, as there's something
 
 Oh, loved every syllable that call boy spoke! There was a giggle be- hind his voice, too; old Topham was the butt of every joke. The first call, which had fooled me, must have been from some giddy girl who wanted to guy the old fellow. She had fooled me all right. But this-this one was the real article.
 There was a pause-Topham must be looking about to be sure things were safe. Then he creaked to the door and shut it carefully behind him.
 It only took minute, but in that minute-in that minute, Mag, I had the rose diamond clutched safe in my fingers; 1 was on the top of the big trunk and out of the window.
 Oh, the feel of that beautiful thing in my hand! I'd a loved 1t if it hadn't been worth a penny, but as it was I adored it. I slipped the chain under my collar, and the diamond slid down my neck, and I felt it's kiss on my skin. I flew down the black cor ridor, Jumping into scenery and near ly tripping two stage carpenters. I heard Ginger, the call-boy, ahead of me and lodged behind some properties just in time, He went whistlng past and I got to the stage door, tor 1
 pulled it open tenderly. cautiously, and turned to shut it after me.
 And
 And something held it open in spite i of me.
 No-no, Mag, it wasn't man. It 1 was a memory. It rose up there and , hit me right over the heart-the mem- | ory of Nancy Oldens happiness the first time she'd come in this very door, feeling that she actually had | right to use stage entrance, feeling that she belonged. she-Nancy-to this | wonderland of the stage!
 You must never tell Tom, Mag, | promise. He wouldn't see. He ! couldn't understand. I couldn't make him know what felt any more than I'd dare tell him did.
 l shut the door.
 But not behind me. shut 1t on the street and-Mag. I shut forever another door, too; the old door that opens out on Crooked street With my hand on my heart. that was beat ing as though it would burst. flew back again through the black corridor. through the wings and out to Ober- muller's office. With both my hands I ripped open the neck of my dress, and pulling the chain with that great diamond hanging to it. broke 1t with a tug. and threw the whole thing down on the desk in front of him.
 For Gods sake!" yelled Don't make it so easy for me to steal!"
 don't know what happened for minute. could see his face change half a dozen ways in as many sec onds. He took it mp in his fingers at last. II swung there st the end of the slender little broken chain like great drop of shining water. blushing and sparkling and trembling.
 His hands trembled. too. and he looked up at last from the diamond to my face.
 Its worth at least s5o.0oo, you knov-valued al that"
 didn't answer.
 He got up and came over to where I had thrown myself on a bench.
 Whats the matter. Olden? Don't I pay you enough?"
 q want to see Tom" begged. Its