Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-08-16

became Interested elsewhere here he
cast q look at me-"so that half the
evening passed before | had an oppor-
tunity to join her in the SO called al
cove, where l had seen her set up her
miniature court. What passed between
MS in the short interview we held to-
gether you will find me prepared to
state, If necessary. 1t was chiefly
marked by the one short view | sue
ceeded in obtaining of her marvellous
diamond, in spite of the pains she took
to hide it from me by some natural
movement whenever she caught my
eyes leaving her face. But in that one
short look had seen enough. This was
a gem for a collector, not to be worn
save in a royal presence How had
she come by it? And could Mr.. Smythe
expect me to procure him a stone like
that?
"In my confusion I arose to depart,
but the lady showed a disposition to
keep me and began chatting so viva
ciousy that l scarcely noticed that she
was all the time engaged in drawing
Off her gloves. Indeed, l almost forgot
the jewel, possibly because her move
ments hid 1t so completely. and only
remembered 1t when with sudden
turn from the window, where she had
drawn me to watch. the falling flakes,
she pressed the gloves into my hand
with the coquettlsh request that
should take care of them for her
remember as l took them of striving
to catch another glimpse of the stone,
whose brilliancy had dazzled me, but
she had opened her fan between us.
A moment after, thinking l heard APP
preaching steps, quilted the room.
This was my first visit"
AS he stopped, possibly for breath.
possibly to judge to what extent l
was impressed by his account the in
spector seized the opportunity to ask
If Mrs. Fairbrother had been standing
any of this time with her back to him.
to which he answered yes, while they
were in the window.
Long enough for her to pluck Off
the jewel and thrust it into the gloves
if she had so wished?"
"Quite long enough"
"But you did not see her do this?"
81 did not"
"And so took the gloves without sus-
picion?"
Entirely So"
"And carried them away?"
"Unfortunately, yes"
"Without thinking that she might
want them the next minute?"
II doubt If l was thinking seriously
of her at all. My thoughts were on
my own disappointment"
Did you carry these gloves out in
your hand?"
mo, in my pocket"
II see. And you met
mo one, The sound heard must
have come from the rear hall"
"And there was nobody on the
steps?"
"No. A gentleman was standing at
their foot-Mr. Grey, the Engllshman
but his face was turned another way,
and he looked as If he had been In that
same position for several minutes"
did this gentlemar-Mr. Grey-see
your
81 cannot say, but doubt 1t. He ap-
peared to be in sort of dream. There
were other people about, but nobody
with whom was acquainted"
Every good. Now for the second
visit you acknowledge having paid
this unfortunate lady"
The inspectors voice was hard. l
chung little more tightly to my uncle,
and Mr.. Durand, after one agonizing
glance my way, drew himself up as
If quite conscious that he had entered
upon the most serious part of the
struggle.
81 had forgotten the gloves in my
hurried departure; but presently re-
membered them, and grew very I'M
easy. | did not like carrying this
womans property about with me.
had engaged myself, an hour before. to
Miss Van Arsdale, and was very anx-
ious to rejoin her. The gloves wor-
ried me, and finally, after a little aim
less wandering through the various
rooms, | determined to go back and
restore them to their owner The
doors of the supper room had just been
flung open, and the end of the hall
near the alcove was comparatively
empty. save for Il certain quizzical
friend of mine. whom l saw sitting
with his partner on the yellow divan.
l did not want to encounter him just
then, for he. had already joked me
about my admiration for the lady
with the diamond so | conceived the
idea of approaching her by means Of
a second entrance to the alcove, UNI
suspected by most of those present,
but perfectly well known to me, who
have been a frequent guest In this
house. a door covered by temporary
draperies, connects, as you may know,
this alcove with a passageway COM
municating directly with the hall OF
entrance and the upstairs dressing
H.. 4