Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-09-24

S(On lndL MIS-. II
was never seen with her diamond and,
one evening after an Introduction at
the opera, that she never talked about
it. SO there he was, baked 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 select character
that he decided to remain for it. in the
hope that Mrs. Fairbrother would be
tempted to put on all her splendor for
SO magnificent a function and thus
crafty 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 it's
real ownership. This encouraged him
to attempt piquing her into wearing
the diamond on this occasion. He
talked Of precious stones and finally
of his own, declaring that he had
connoisseur's eye for fine diamond.
but had seen none as yet in America
to compete with specimen or two he
had In his own cabinets. Her eyes
flashed at this and, though she said
nothing, he felt sure that her presence
at Mr. Ramsdell's house would be en-
livened 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 Fairbrother Is more interesting
still and much more serious.
His was, indeed, the hand which had
distracted the diamond from Mr..
Greys 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 COM
mand infinite resources which his wan
dering and eventful life had height
ened almost to the point of genius
He saw this stone and at once felt an
inordinate desire to possess it. He
had coveted other mems treasures be-
fore, but not as he coveted this. What
had been longing In other cases was
mania In this. There was woman in
America whom he loved. She was
beautiful, and she was splendor loving
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
1t could not be bought, so he set about
obtaining 1t by an act he did not hest
tate to acknowledge to himself as Grim
inal. But he did not act without precau-
ton. Having keen eye and a proper
sense Of size and color, he carried
away from his first view of 1t true
image Of the stone, and when he was
next admitted to Mr.. Grey's cabinet
room he had provided the means for
| deceiving the owner, whose character
he had sounded.
He might have failed in his daring
| attempt If 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 Mr.. 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 its place If just as
he took 1t In his hand there had not
risen in the air outside a weird and
wailing cry which at once seized upon
the Imagination of the dozen gentle
men present and so nearly FRUSTRATED
their host that he thrust the box he
held unopened into the safe and fell
upon bis knees, a totally unnerved him
crying:
"The banshee! The banshee! MY
daughter will der
Another hand than his locked the
safe and dropped the key into the dis.
tracted fathers pocket.
Thus superhuman daring conjoined
with a special Intervention of fate had
made the enterprise a successful one
and Fairbrother, believing more thar
ever In his star, carried this invaluable
jewel back with him to New York
The stiletto--well, the taking Of that
was a folly for which he had nevel
ceased to blush. He had not stolen Il
He would not steal so inconsidsrabl'
IA object He had merely put 1t in hii
pocket when he saw it forgotten, pass
ed over, given to him, as 1t were. Tha'
the risk, contrary to that involved IL
the taking of the diamond, was far II
excess of the qualification obtained h.
realized almost Immediately; but, hav
ing made the break and acquired thu
! curio, he spared himself all furthe
/. thought Of the consequences and pres
emily resumed his old life in New
York, none the worse, to all appear
ances, for these escapades from virtu
and his usual course Of fair and opel
dealing.
But he was soon the worse from
: jealousy of the wife which his new
| = II.