Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-07

When awoke it was broad daylight.
Some one had entered my chamber. and
was standing by the bed, wringing a
pair Of distracted hands, and scream
ing: my bracelets! My bracelets"
1 started up confusedly, and held out
my arms.
Il have them!" muttered, still half
asleep.
Wake up!" screamed my uncere-
monious visitor. "They are gone, tell
you-they are stolen-my diamonds!"
That cry brought me to my senses.
Mrs. Van Vert, disheveled and inco-
herent, was clinging to the carved post
Of the bed, and making the lamentation
above recorded.
"Of course, it was almost dawn be-
fore the ball was over" she sobbed,
land Annette, half dead with sleep, left
all my jewels on the dressing table
careless creature! / shall discharge
her at once. She had wit enough, how
ever, to lock the door and windows;
and what do you think?-we found all
their fastenings undisturbed this morn
ing. How can one explain that? 1t
Is more mysterious than the robbery in
Miss Carbury's room, when her dog
Punch failed to bark at the thief"
BE calm, Mrs. Van Vert" en-
treated. IF you found your locks Sc
cure, no robber could have passed them
in the night. Probably the bracelets
are only mislaid."
II tell you they are gone from the
table-from the other jewels!" she
screamed. MY Indian Rajah dia-
monds, that you admired so much last
night, Miss Ferrers! Oh, come and
help me! Annette is so frightened that
she is quite useless"
1 struggled into my garments, and
ran with Mrs. Van Vert to her cham
ber.
The maid Annette slept in an adjoin-
ing closet. The poor thing was rush.
ing aimlessly around the room, in a
state of utter decentralization, lament
ing the loss Of the diamonds and as
serting her own innocence with vain
repetitions."
Madame, Madame" she cried, 1T is
the Blackbirds who have been at Wolfs-
den again!"
"One was was certainly in the garden
last night" said l. thinking Of Sergia;
but Mrs Van Vert answered, sharply:
"A Blackbird would have swept up
all my jewels. None are missing, you
observe, but the bracelets. Besides,
such a thief could never have secured
doors and windows after his own re-
treat"
This was a convincing argument.
Still, a faint hope remained that the
missing jewels had been somehow over
looked. Together we searched every
nook and corner Of the chamber, but
found no trace of the Rajah's diamonds.
Mrs. Van Vert flew out into the cor
ridor, loudly proclaiming her loss as
she went. The whole household was
still sleeping off the fatigue of the ball
in a few moments she had alarmed
everybody.
L met Colonel Rivers on his way to
Mrs. Van .Wert's room. He looked stern
and sombre, as a man might whose rest
had been rudely broken. He did not
speak or notice me in any way.
Il shall sift the matter to the very
bottom" l heard him say to the half
distracted widow. This time the thief
will not escape detection"
And shortly after, he ordered his
trap, and drove off in hot haste to the
town.
What! Another robbery" exclaim-
ed Sir Griffin, in deep disgust, as we
all meta cross, sleepy, yawning COM
pany, in the breakfast room. THE
boast you made on a former occasion,
Mrs. Van Vert, was a little prema-
ture. 1t seems that the ungallant
Blackbirds could not pass you by, un-
molested, after ALL"
Colonel Rivers is confident that the
thief is no Blackbird," replied Mrs. Van
Vert, tartly. He has gone to town to
telegraph for a skilled detective. He
assures me that my bracelets are in
this very house, and that they will be
recovered before nightfall.
Everybody looked suddenly grave.
In silence and abstraction we sat down
to table. 1t was understood that Ser
gia was ill-nobody seemed to think
of her. Miss Carbury, pale and nerv-