The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-09-06


Its his business to snoop. That's
what you hired him for" 1 remarked
coldly.
At dinner that night Jim and were
sunk into an abyss of melancholy.
Mary was the very spirit of joyous
anticipation. She talked and laughed
and merrily rallied us on our silence
Afterward she played and sang until
the clock struck IL. Then she turned
on the piano bench and rose to her
graceful height
Boys" she said TREMENDOUSLY. Pm
going upstairs for awhile I'll meet
you in the library at II o'clock"
In the library we smoked drearily
until the hall clock rang twelve dread
ed chimes.
The door opened slowly. and Mary.
Respondent in white satin, entered.
Jim knelt before the safe and open
ed it. Silently he handed me the tin
box. and as silently opened it,
"Mary, dear, these securities will be /.
transferred to you tomorrow-today. l
nean," / said lamely. Their value
now is about $4,000. and you may do
as you please about
Bother the old securities, Peter" In
terrupted Mary. 81 want the neck
lace"
held the jewel case in my hand.
Dear" said, "can you bear a
shock?"
What is it, Peter?" she half whis-
pered.
Dear, the necklace has disap-
pearedp' l blurted out suddenly.
"Since whenY demanded Mary.
I'VE discovered its loss this after
noon-I mean yesterday at 4 o'clock.
II it does not show up, Jim and will
make up its loss to you"
"Fiddlesticks! Open the caseY' COM
manded Mary.
l snapped open the cover and there
on its white satin bed lay the diamond
necklaeei
"Jovep yelled Jimmy, prancing ex-
citedly about.
"a foolish joke" commented my
wife as l clasped the necklace around
her graceful neck. She kissed me soft
ly and then reached and drew Jimmy
into the triangular embrace.
"Dears," my wife exclaimed, forget
ting all about the necklace. you've
been in trouble over your stupid BUSH
ness. You needn't deny 1t. heard you
talking one night You needed just
$4,000 to set you ON your feet-not
ten thousand borrowed dollars that
would have to be paid back. but that
amount for -FOUR very own-and I've
got it for your
what" we roared increduOusly
Eyes, sirs,' she smiled happily, eve
committed all sorts of crimes to gain
my ends, and I'm not a bit repentant,
although I've been dreadfully afraid
you would find me out-especially yes
terday afternoon-you acted so queer.
Now listen. / stole the combination
to the safe from Peters desk, and l
took his key when he was sick two
weeks ago and had a duplicate made
Of it, so that early this week | took
my necklace and raised $4,000 on It"
She paused dramatically.
Il took the money to fathers old
friend, Colonel Muldoon, and asked
him If he wouldn't please invest it SO
it would be doubled at once have
heard that everything he touched turn
ed to gold
"He said he liked my nerve in asking
him to do such a thing, but he said he
was going to stir up Prairie Limited,
hfa, = IT,. kbo +i
"L.ord of love! Prairie Limited
solid goldr' l burst out
Don't interrupt, Peter. Yesterday
he telephonsd me to come down to his
Office and receive the proceeds, and,
dears, there was enough to redeem the.
necklace and ten thousand oyer-here's
the bank draft Am l not a fnan-
cier?"
You're darlingr cried her brother
when I had released her. ''But, Mary,
dear, you, er-speculated; it's against
your principles. You should not have
done it even for u.s.
81 never thought of it in that way"
she faltered. and then her face broke
into lovely smile 81 did it for love
Of you two, and what is principle com
pared to loveY
There was only one answer to that,
and we gave it.