The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-05-14
INF VAN DYKE 0PAlS.

y ): . H. opaIs. heirlooms in my hus-
',9Yily and rot to be duplicated
MOD nurse who had dressed
NV babybood, eyed the gems
..0. disfavor.
re- uIucky, dearie," she said.
5an'd never seen them"
..r,e''' | laughed. "Unlucky or
5lu ever see anything lovelier?"
LA necklace with pendants to
night and flash back all the
ne rainbow.
handsome. she admitted,
Van Dyke opals are unlucky.
Mrs. Van Dyke, your husbands
.l-I took them out of the bank;
tle house was burned the
they were ever kept in it.
,nd aunt was SCARED for life
the 9pals. / know that"
forr that you remember how
Mrs. Van Dyke died?"
by a falling chandelier in the
What had the opals to do
F5u know she wore them that
.ada little thrill of repugnance
Frf me. But these disasters
Van Dykes, Margaret, and L
lyFt.'
.4s-s no difference" rejoined
..s lNstiuately, "the bad luck is
as, and | wish they were back
is.
-.arts and Van Dykes had in
for generations, and old
rad served among them all
. aud knew whereof she spoke.
..ls impressed me unpleasantly,
Ais Young and light-hearted, and
al superstitious. | laughed
said:
unlucky or not, | shall wear
lem to the ball tomorrow
restoring them to their casket,
carried it to my bedroom,
uS it in the small safe which
RE. shut the door and set the
on. which | Immediately jot-
... ia the tablet which lay on my
ri | feared my memory might
Alen | wanted to unlock the
Van Dyke and l had been
My three months. We had
from our wedding trip but a
and | was to wear the Van
at a grand ball to be given
ear the following night. An
Nur- Robert had given them to
all be busy tomorrow it SEEM
-- TO bring them home today, for
nave the time to go after
minutes after placing them in
loined Robert in the drawing
..qe hlm the key of the casket
rr We went III to dinner.
ate that night when we re-
rds VINO lived near spent the
with US, and music, with the
.yulght kept us on the piazza
.s We had thought. 1t was near
When | entered my room and
N4rLaret asleep on the couch. /
90 and said:
r bed, Margaret. Robert has
letter to write, and will not
-r ualf an hour. | think | will
ina M.
Margaret insisted on helping me
md 1t was perhaps ten minutes
. Was left alone, sitting i'll big
lr where | gave myself up to
5 mtdltation.
falling into a dose when my
-sted Oh something that chilled
ud in my veins and stitled the
that rose to my lips. A hand
o-ty drawing back the curtains of
3ay window which opened upon
u.s. 1t was a mans hand, whose
,e fingers might easily throttle
refused to yield what they de-
uen tall man whose face was
s dden by a black silk mask.
u-Ore me. He bowed politely
..a eTing me with a revolver, and
s-fet alarming you, madam, but
ue is precious, and you seemed
eaaed to sit up all night. Don't
m the servants are too far away,
. sound asleep to hear you, while
aers have your husband safely
.he library below. Be reason
t you shall not be hurt. All,
- -aey are" as the door opened
nd two men, masked and armed
Aself, came in. Evidently he
eader. Turning to them he
r,. This lady persisted in sit
SD I was forced to become visi-
AZ must bind and gag you of
s approaching me.
,U uortally afraid of a revolver,
glsped:
al Gown that revolver and | will
sream. Have you harmed my hus-
!. Iell me | beg"
,a. rs, lady," laughed one of the
aTs' eve are gentlemen. We
t-'. I'm safe; but we amt got no
.y fool if we take the one-thirty
o NE amt" asserted the third,
r1pon the tall man, picking up a
lSer,hief which lay on the table,
si II quickly over my mouth. One
y men handed him a stout cord,
winch he tied me firmly to the
Having seen that [ was arrang-
bis satisfaction, he asked:
lave We got to drill that safe?"
w. better luck than that; | found
fry N the cove's pocket down
IS lplied the man who had sug-
NJ Hste,
-u we're always brilliant" ironic-
.se key will be of vast assist
Naout the combination; the safe
araad with a paddock, isn't it?" for
'N1 alter corners had passed into
'->siug-room, while the third man
Erl up such stray articles of jew
It's We're lying on the dresser.
.f. .ltk," he calculated, picking up
Cd ts I'm bet this is the combi-
h And presently he was trying
fire sJte which opened readily.
hey which had been taken from
rocket fitted the casket to the
@ 7atisfaction of the burglars,
aepdllV divided the contents into