Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-05

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balls, though hds daughter had SUI
fered from her voyage and was not
able to accompany him. But alasl he
soon learned that Mrs. Fairbrother
was never seen with her diamond and.
one evening after an Introduction at
the opera, that she never talked about
1t. So there he was, balked on the
very threshold Of his enterprise, and.
recognizing the fact, was preparing to
take his now seriously ailing daughter
south, when he received an invitation
to a ball of such a select character
that he decided to remain for 1t, In
the hope that Mrs. Fairbrother would
be tempted to put on all her splendor
for so magnificent function and thus
lgratify him with sight OF his own
diamond. During the days that inter-
vened he saw her several times and
very soon decided that, in spite of her
reticence in regard to this gem, she
was not sufficiently in her husbands
confidence to know the secret of its
real ownership. This encouraged him
to attempt piping her into wearing the
diamond on this occasion. He talked
of precious stones and finally of his
own, declaring that he had a connois-
seur's eye for fine diamond, but had
seen none as yet in America to COM
pete with a specimen or two he had in
his own cabinets. Her eye flashed at
this and, though she said nothing, he
felt sure that her presence at Mr..
Ramsdell's house would be enlivened
by her great jewel.
So much for Mr.. Grey's attitude in
this matter up to the night Of the ball.
1t Is interesting enough, but that Of
Abner Fatrbrother Is more interesting
still and much more serious
His was indeed the hand which had
distracted the diamond from Mr..
Grey's collection. Under ordinary con
ditions he was an honest man. He
priced his good name and would not
willingly risk it, but he had little real
conscience, and once his passions
were aroused nothing short of the
object desired would content him. At
once forceful and subtle, he had at his
command infinite resources which his
wandering and eventful life had height
ened almost to the point of genius. He
saw this stone, and at once felt an in
ordinate desire to possess 1t. He had
coveted other mems treasures before.
but not as he coveted this. What had
been longing In other cases was mania
IN this. There was a woman in Amer
lea whom he loved. She was beautiful
and she was splendorloving. To see
her with this glory on her breast
would be worth almost any risk which
his imagination could picture at the
moment. Before the diamond had left
his hand he had made up his mind to
have 1t for his own. He knew that II
could not be bought, SO he set about
obtaining It by an act he did not hest
tate to acknowledge to himself as
criminal. But he did not act without
precautions. Having keen eye and q
proper sense of size and color, he car.
ried away from his first view Of 1t a
true image of the stone, and when he
was next admitted to Mr.. Grey's
cabinet room he had provided the
means of deceiving the owner whose
character he had sounded.
He might have failed In his daring
attempt II he had not been favored by
a circumstance no one could have fore.
seen. A daughter Of the house, Cecilia
by name, lay critically Ill at the time.
and MT. Grey's attention was more or
less distracted. Still the probabilities
are that he would have noticed some
thing amiss with the stone when he
came to restore 1t to It's place. II, just
as he took 1t in his hand, there had
not risen in the air outside weird
and wailing cry which at once seized
upon the Imagination Of the dozen
gentlemen present, and SO nearly pros-A
trated their host that he thrust thel
box he held unopened into the safe
and fell upon his knees, totally UNI
nerved man, crying: !
The banshee! the banshee! NY,
daughter will die!"
Another hand than his locked the
safe and dropped the key into the dis!
tracted fathers pocket.
Thus a superhuman daring conf
Joined with special intervention Of
fate had made the enterprise sue,
cessful one; and Fairbrother, believ-I
Ing more than ever in his star, carried,
this invaluable jewel back with him toI
New York The stiletto-well, the
taking of that was folly, for which,
he had never ceased to blush. He had
not stolen 1t; he would not steal SO
inconsiderable ar object. He had,
merely put it in his pocket when hel
saw 1t forgotten, passed over, given to
him, as it were. That the risk, con-
trary to that involved in the taking Of
the diamond, was far in excess Of thej
obtained, he realized all
most Immediately, but, having made,
the break, and acquired the curio, he'll
spared himself all further thought Of
the consequences. and presently re-
sumed his old life in New York, none.
the worse, to all appearances, for
these escapades from virtue ana hist
usual course of fair and open dealing.'
But he was soon the worse from
jealousy Of the wife which his new
possession had possibly won for him.
She had answered all his expectations
as mistress OF his home and the ex-
ponent Of his wealth; and for "a year.
nay, for two, he had been perfectly
haDDy lndAad ha hod hnar y,,araI