Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-11
CHAPTER XXI.
Hazel Speaks.


the staircase. 1 stood in the door witt
Gwen Talcott-silent, for nobody care'
TO talk Just then. With practice'
hand the officer began turning over th'
contents of my trunks. There were ou
two. He searched the first and drop
ned its lid, with a little thud, to plung'
into the depths of the other. The col
onel was just brushing past me lht'
the room. heard, Of a sudden,
sharp exclamation-a cry from MIS-
Van Vert, who was standing beside
the detective.
Tooki look!" she screamed, and
moved forward with the others, ane
saw. lying at the bottom of my trunk
the missing bracelets, and with them
purse and ring.
"There is some mistake!" shouted
Gwen Talcott. II will not believe II!
Why do you not speak? Hazel-whS
do you not explain?"
But I stood dumb, dazed, uncompre'
bending-I could not utter sound.
"oh, you dreadful grill" screamed
Mrs. Van Vert This morning, whef
I ran to your bedside with news OF my
loss. YOU declared that you had my dia'
monds; but thought you dreaming
Now it is plain that your conscience
for a moment urged you to CONFESS
Oh! oh! how could you do such
thing?"
Colonel Rivers picked up the purse
and ring, which lay beside the brace
let's.
Miss Carbury!" he called.
That lady had joined the group. She
flew to his side.
"Are these the same valuables tha'
were stolen from your chamber while
I was absent from Wolfsden? he
asked.
my ring-my purse!" gasped Miss
Carbury.
She hurriedly opened the latter. and
drawing a roll of bills, counted five one
hundred dollar notes.
Yes! the thief Of that time Is the
thief of this. Oh, wretched, wretcheo
child, Whatever possessed you tc
plunge into such depths Of wicked
ness!"
remember a circle of faces, BLANK
with horror and dismay; the sunshine
falling through the window, the breez!
rustic of the chestnut leaves outside
the bracelets winking mockingly at me
from all their diamond eyes, the impas-
siye air of the detective, who had per-
formed his task so speedily and tri'
umphantly. And still did not stir OF
speak.
Colonel Rivers seemed deeply moved
For years." he said in panied voice
Miss Ferrers has been the schoolmate
and friend Of my ward-she Is now my
guest. Her youth must plead for her
YES. and the course Of inherited tenden-
cies. NV dear Miss Carbury-my deal
Mrs. Van Vert, l beg you to be mercl'
full to the child, and decline to prose
cute. This is, perhaps, her first or
fense; let us hope that it may be hel
last. At any rate, we will treat hel
with great leniency."
u will never believe it-never!" criet
Gwen Talcott again-hers was the only
voice raised in my behalf. She started
toward me, but Colonel Rivers inter
posed.
81 am under the necessity Of asking
YOU to leave the room, Miss Talcott-
pardon me, if / remind you that yot
really have no business here. l vii
take charge of this most unfortunate
affair"
Hazel, speak," urged Gwen, quite
undismayed; do speak, dear! Tell u:
who put these detestable things II
your trunk The Blackbirds!-sure,l i
must have been the Blackbirds!"
Colonel Rivers shook his head sadly
THE Blackbirds have long been the
scapegoats of this region, Miss Talcott
but never by any stretch of prejudice
can you compel them to shoulder thi:
crime"
"Oh, Hazel, will you not explain
implored Gwen for the last time.
~ cannot" / answered.
Colonel Rivers took her gently by TIT
hand, and led her from the room.
Miss Carbury began to weep bitterly
You poor, dreadful child" she sob
bed. Indeed, l will not prosecute
will not seek to punish you in any way
/ am quite satisfied to recover my mon
ey and ring. But after this deed, yol
must know that you can be allowed t
have no further intercourse with Ser
gia. / am glad she is not present L
witness your disgrace. What your fu
ture will be l dare not think. You cal
never be tolerated again in respectabl
society"
Mrs. Van Vert, with the Rajah's dia
monds safe in her grasp, stamped he
small foot at me.
"Vile little creature!" she cried, an
srily You ought to go straight t
prison: and, in spite of Colonel Rivers
I am sure it is my duty to send yo,
there!"
With that she fled from my chambe
the others followed. Directly foun
myself alone, sitting on the side of m
white bed, and feeling as though
thunderbolt had smitten me. l trie
TO pinch my nerveless flesh-to awak
from what seemed to be a shockin
dream. The fact was as plain as tn
day--I had robbed Miss Carbury of he
money and ring weeks before, and hid
den the booty at the bottom of m
trunk. I had also stolen Mrs. va
Werts diamond bracelets. Could on
do such things. and be ignorant of tn
DOING Strange stories of somnambul
lists rushed upon my mind. Was l one
The strongest of Circumstantial eVi
dence pointed to me as thief-a Great
ure fit only for scOrn, contempt an
swift punishment. Yet, as regarded m
crime-the time, the manner of its com
mitment-my memory was blanl
Obeying some awful impulse of hered
itary sin, had I appropriated the jew
els and money all unconsciously?