The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-05-01

TO save her.
"Of course" answered Richard. re-
lieved again Really. these sudden
shocks almost broke his nerve.
Now. tell me one thing MORE" con-
tinued the girl You are not an Eng
llshman. suspected it before. and
last night knew IT.. Who are you?"
Richard gasped ana took backward
step. while the hot blood mounted to
lis cheeks and tinged the dusky
0roaize.
"Who am ~ be repeated earnestly.
"A man who loves you with his heart
and mind and soul-a man who has
deceived you only that he might be
near you. to touch your hand and look
into your eyes-a man who has fol-
lowed you from Tex
Harriet. Harriet" came a cry Of
shrill distress from the front veranda.
Harriet, the diamonds! They are
goner'9
Mrs. Renwyck chung limp and di-
Sleeveless" to the railing, while Mr.. Corri-
gan strove to hold her up and at the
same timA murmur words of comfort
in her ear. task in which he was
greatly handicapped by shortness of
stature and disproportionate rotundity.
Gone" cried Harriet. Whitening to
the lips. "Gone where"
Mrs. Renwyck Immediately - ;ot
family traditions, etiquette and ), ~
thing else beside the crushing loss and
her rising Irish blood.
"Don'+ be fool!' she shrilled. "IIow
10 | know where they've gone? Do
you think I've got 'em in my pocket?
Police! Fire.
With this dramatic finish Mrs. Rem
wyck promptly tainted. sinking down
into huddled heap and dragging little
Uncle Michael with her.
The household was already In an
uproar With Richards assistance
Mrs. Renwyck was laid upon sofa,
and smelling salts were administered
In such generous quantities that she
returned to consciousness with gasp
ing protests and gusts Of rage. Miss
Schermerly offered consolation IN the
form Of various questions and was so
that she retired to her room in right
eous indignation. Miss Chittendon
crept close 10 the edge of the circle of
excitement and listened as one in
frozen trance. Both she and Miss Har-
riet, to say nothing of Richard himself,
had worked out solution Of the prob
lem by the simple process Of deduction,
fhrnn
depths of dependency. Uncle Michael
added to the depression by a cheerful
statement which gave at least q clew
to the robbery.
"I'm not bit surprised at this" he
said, land it's all Jacobs fault for
being so pulled up and bullet headed"
which was truly an Irish mixture Of
adjectives.
what do you mean?" demanded
Mrs. Renwyck, instantly taking the
side of her abused husband.
"Why, simply this" said the little
lawyer coolly. "There was cock eyed
vagrant nosing around the place sew
eral days ago. and warned Jacob to
place a detective in the house while
the diamonds were in this toy safe of
his, but he. wouldn't do it,
Harriet flushed and bit her lips. Imo-
gene gave evidence of approaching
hysteria, and Richard listened, while
ice cold shivers frolicked up and down
his spine. The Texan could place the
"cock eyed vagrant," and also feared
he could place the confederate who had
evidently helped himself to the con-
tents of the safe while Mr. Roderick
Fitzgeorge engaged the ladies' in the
billiard room. 1t was all so simple, so
pitifully simple! The diamonds were
gone. and so was Woolsey Bills.
Richards trip to New York was now
out of the question. He must stay
and face the music, though the price
he must pay the fiddler was question
he dared not dwell upon. He could
only hope Miss Sempton would not APP
pear until it was all over. He was
now burning to get hold Of Harriet
and confess everything and then to
shout out the truth from the very
housetop.
While not personally responsible for
the loss of the diamonds, the Texan
was morally responsible in view of the
fact that he had allowed Lord Croy-
lands valet to remain under the Rem
wyck roof when he knew in advance
that the man was not q character to
be trusted. The real master had want
ed him discharged for theft and while
it never dawned on Richard that Bills
might fitch from any one except his
master-the lawful prey Of many OF
his kind-still it was his duty to have
discharged the rascal without delay.
Truly. the humor of the situation was
in much the same condition as the
missing gems.
With very solemn face, but with %
good deal of inward pleasure, Uncle
Michael telephoned to Mr.. Renwyck.
He had given sound advice, and Jacob
had derided him. booted at him, laugh
ed him to scorn and had finally sug4
gested that he look under the bed for
burglar. Mr.. Corrigan by all Chris.
tian precepts should have been sorry
for his brother-in-law, but the plump
little Irishman was not. On the con.
trary, he was glad with q .gladness
which filed him with dplirious chucs