The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-02-06
The Sapphire
[orleInaL..l,

tOrigiualI
Left without protector when wat
but a girl, was provided for by
an aunt, who proposed to give me ar
education whereby / might earn a lly
ing. She died when | was half through
college, and | was obliged to work my
way for the last two years there. ]
was bright enough to lead my class
from start to finish and on being grad
uated had no difficulty In finding 9
teachers position.
Ambitious and determined to make
teaching stepping stone to the acqui
sition Of wealth through the opportuni
ties it might offer. accepted a posi-
ton Of governess to the children OF q
retired northumberland, Mr.. Mortimer
He spent his time at hts home Id the
country on an estate Of many thousand
acres. His older boys were being fitted
for college By tutor, Edmund Win
ston. young, handsome, intellectual
Mr. Mortimer had also placed Winston
in charge OF any valuables there might
be In the house. intrusting him with the
combination to the vault that had been
built for their safe keeping. / was
rather surprised at this. for winston,
though thoroughly honest, seemed to
me TO lack that shrewdness necessary
to such a guardianship.
One day Winston was carrying
gem to the safe and. meeting me in the
hall, showed 1t TO me. II was very
large sapphire. / asked him its value,
and he told me II would be fortune
to any but millionaire. | was not, as
some women would nave been, attract
cd by its beauty, but its value made
me very de-iIous 20 possess II. People
have wondered that |, blessed with an
education, should nave yielded to d dis
honest craving. II was the conquest Of
problem that moved me- lcnged to
overcome matter with mind. The
sapphire was protected by steel that /
could not break through. 1t was for ne
to enter the safe by p'ental process. In
other words, the door aust be opened
for me. In pIaSe OF drills and dyna
mite | must use whatever power OF in
fluence l possessed for this purpose.
Winston must be my Instrument.
1t was not long before feSt that
Lad inspired the tutor with sufficient
confidence in my honesty to trust me In
case Of necessity. Though / tried In
every way 10 fascinate him, felt that
I had failed. not because be saw
through my design, hut because had
no heart 10 warm his own and was
driven TO attract him through the In
teIlect, which is cold as the steel bolts
that protected the sapphire Neverthe-
less It was a weakness induced by this
very intellect that relied upon--a pre-
occupation upon higher things than
guarding an inorganic substance.
One day II was announced that an
older daughter OF Mr.. Mortimer by a
former wife was coming home from
Europe aad her father was to 60 to
meet her on the arrival of the steamer.
laid plan to possess my sapphire.
/ wrote Winston in a disguised hand
a note purporting to come from law.
yer who pretended to have found a
valuable piece Of real estate that had
belonged to Winston's ancestors, the
title of which had reverted to him. The
lawyer must see him at once and be
commissioned TO attend to tho matter
or the opportunity would be lost
fixed the day OF meeting the same as
the expected arrivalof the steamer
On the morning Of Mr.. Mortlmer's
departure Winston came to me and told
me that he, too, must be absent for a
couple Of days. suggested that il Mr..
Mortimer who expected that his Gus
todian would never leave his post.
should wish for anything in the vault
during the tilae they were both absent
Winston would be blamed. After some
deliberation he decided to leave the
combination with me. At first de-
clined to accept the responsibility, but
soon consented. promised him that in
case the safe must be opened ! would
act for him.
OF course / must be known as the
thief. There was no hope OF escape
from that. Ny plan was to disguise
myself so that no one would know
me and so TO some far eastern coun-
try with my possession. In the even.
Ing Just before the lamps were light
cd went to the vault, opened the door,
found the sapphlre--I wouldn't take
anything more bulky-closed the vault
and went to my room, There made
up as woman OF fifty. Placing my
hand on the doorknob to leave, ] felt
my finger tips tingle with horror II
was locked.
Darling to an anterOom, found the
door leading from II into the bah also
locked. Chen | knew was O prisoner
n could only get rid Of the sapphire
I could not be convicted OF the theft
at least 50 supposed. l went to the
! window and saw . man on guard !