Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-12-15
HER LADYSHIP'S
DIAMONDS
By G. D. LEWIS
By G. B. LEWIS
Copyright. 1905, bu z. G. Edstment


threw away was nobody's business
after all. 1t 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 day when he had to tell
her than retrenchment must be the
/ watchword for several years to come
He had figured up her bills and found
! she had spent more money In a 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 word of caution. She could still
be extravagant and reduce her ex-
| penSes one-half.
His lordship found out something too
late. Give 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 caprlces her
| ladyship had II brother in the navy and
another in the army, both officers, Of
course, and both living more or less
off her bounty. Only the day before
his lordship had asked for a private in
| terview to talk retrenchment she had
| sent the naval officer a liberal check
to straighten 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.
His iordship's news, therefore, came
| like a douche Of cold water. If there
was any sort of scene 1t was kept from
| the servants and therefore from the
| public, and things seemed to go on as
before. They didn't, however. Her lady
| ship had her diamonds duplicated In
paste and raised large sum ON the
| real gems TO help others and herself.
| This was done quietly and secretly and
| was only part of plan she had in her
mind.
After the close of the London season
| his lordship retired to his country cas-
| tie and was soon followed by score
of invited guests. The astute English
|
| house gatherings. Every woman guest
| is certain to bring at least good part
| of her jewels to wear at dinner, and
there are always chances for smart
| thief to get in his work. AS an Offset
| the host employs n detective to mix in
with the servants or even with the
| guests for the time being and keep
watch over things.
1t was so in this case. Scotland Yard
had loaned him Inspector Mcdonald,
and there never had been a robbery in
| a country house he was protecting.
The inspector, under another name,
mingled with the guests and made him
self at home, but he was given to pass
| ing much of his time wandering over
the estate and musing in the shade Of
| It's forests. One Of his musing fits
was one day interrupted in rather
| singular manner.
He was lying on the moss under a
| 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 and with n 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
| ernoon. What her ladyship would do
| without her diamonds at dinner time
the inspector could not determine. Her
| secret burial of them meant to him
| simply one thing-she was going to be
robbed" of them. She would have to
| put up claim Of loss by daylight, and
| there would be sensation. Either that
or she must be 'indisposed" at dinner
time and not appear among her guests
| during the evening.
Her ladyship 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 n sensation at once
| No one had seen any stranger lurking
about, and the robbery must have been
| perpetrated by some of the servants.
Including maids and Wallets, these num-
bered over sixty, and each one was
| obliged to come forward and be inves-
tigated. His lordship insisted on the
most rigorous examination, and this
led to protestations and 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 lordship could do was to offer re-
ward, and he made it $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 ladyship to-
gether and he had to admire the densi-
ty of the one and the cunning of the
other. 1t was more than cunning. Her
ladyshlp had more nerve and cheek
than the detective ever before had
| found in a woman. She was q most
convincing liar, and If he hadn't had
the paste diamonds in his pocket he
would have been inclined to, believe
that the scene in the woods was 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 mo questions asked" The
stolen plunder could thus be returned
by any one Of her choosing. The $685.
600 would get the originals out of
pawn and save her brother. The In
spector held but one interview with
her ladyship alone. At that interview,
after she had retold her story and