The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-12-14


decent that we should hear what she has
to say for herself. We can condemn her
afterward-that part viii be easy"
30 ] went on again. There was very
little TO add. They knew almost as much
Of the rest as did Some one had ef-
fected wholesale clearance Of pretty
nearly every valuable which the house
contained. did not pretend to be cor
tain, but thought II extremely probabie
that Il was Miss sterndaIe who had done
this. while her brother kept the owners
occupied In other directions. At thts
point giances were exchanged 1 after
ward learned that Mr.. Sterndale had
organised party for an excursion on the
Lake OF Brtenz. which had been Joined
oy nearly every one in the place with
the exception OF Miss Sterndale, who was
supposed TO have gone for a solitary ex-
petition up the Schynnige Platte. When
Miss sterndale saw those chances. a.
have no doubt she did, she commenced
to storm and rage again, and continued
70 the end do not think, even then.
she guessed what was coming; but she
v as already more uncomfortable than she
had expected to be, and could see that
her brother felt the same His face was
white and set; he looked like q man vho
was trying to think Of the best way IN
Whicn 70 confront a desperate situation
went on to explain, quite calmly, that.
as, owing to the Vaccinations Of Mr..
Sterndale and his sister, every one In the
house had come to look upon me as q
thief, their evident intention was to allow
suspicion to be conferred on me, and that
that was why they put those things In
my bag.
But what were they going to gain by
that?" asked the gray-haired man, rather
perunently. His question was echoed IN
\ y hSre
uced, by the Sterndales, who laid empha-
sis on the transparent sbsurdity of what
was saying. "
IF you viii allow me to continue, L
VIII soon make It perfectly clear to YOU
what they were going to gain. II you
remember, when Mr.. Sterndale was talk
ing to his sister on the balcony this morn
ing. saw him say to her that there were
only two things In the house worth hav-
ing"
Here Mr.. Sterndale burst into q very
hurricane OF adtectiyes- The gray-haired
man addressed him with rather unlocked
for yigor.
silence, sir! Allow Miss Lee to con-
tinue."
Mr.. sterndaIe was silent I fancy he
was rather cowed by what he saw in the
speakers eyes. did continue
The only two things which, according
to Mr.. sterndale, were worth having were
Mrs. Anstruthers diamonds and Mrs.
Newhal's pearls. II they put the whole
OF the rest Of the stolen things into my
bag it would be taken for granted that
was the thief. and they would be able to
continue in unsupported possession Of the
two things which were worth much more
than all the rest put together"
The moment stopped the clamor began
again.
And where do you suggest, young
lady" asked the gray-haired man, that
those two articles are?''
II will tell you" I looked at Miss
Sterndale and then at her brother. / be-
lieve they would both have liked to have
have been sure. even then. Of what
was going 10 say, but I could see that
they were devoured by anxiety and fear.
Il have told you that / can see what
people are saying by merely watching
their lips When Miss Sterndale came
into the room she whispered something
to her brother. In so faint q whisper that
her words could have been SCARCELY audi
BILE even to themselves; but saw their
faces, and knew what they had said as
plainly as IL they had shouted It He told
her that he had Mrs. Anstruthers dia-
monds in the pocket Of the jacket he has
on"
paused. The first expression on Mr..
Sterndale's face was one of blank aston
ishment Then he broke into BiIlingsgats
abuse Of me-
You dirty little witchi I'm not going to
stay in this room to be insulted by a mis-
cradle creature
He made for the door. stop him.
cried. As he reached the door II was
thrown back almost In his face. and who
should come into the room but Mr. and
Mrs Travers. How glad I was to see
them! Stop him. cried to Mrs.
Travers. stop that man. And Mr.
into the pocket of his jacket and take out
what he has there"
Mr.. Travers. knowing nothing Of what
had been taking place, must have been
rather at a loss as to what I might mean
by such a request; but he did as told
him, all the same. Mr.. Sterndale strug-
gled; he did his best to protect himself
and his pocket; but he was rather a small
man. and Mr.. Travers was q giant. both
in stature and In strength In a very
few seconds he was staring at the con-
tents Of his hand
From the look OF things, this GENTLE
mans pocket seems to be stuffed with
diamonds. Here's diamond necklace"
He held up one In the air. Heavy
weight though she was, I believe that
Mrs. Anstruther sprang several inches
from the floor.
Its my neckIacer she screamed.
And where are my pearlsT" demanded
Mrs NewhalL.
Miss Sterndale whispered to her broth
err that your pearls were inside the bodice
Of her dress"
The words were scarcely out OF my lips
before Mrs. Newhan sprang at Miss
Sterndale, and there ensued q really
painful scene. Had she not been re-
strained, dare say she would have torn
Miss Sterndale's clothes right on her. As
1t was, some one opened her bodice, and
the pearls were produced
The scene which followed was Ike pan
demonium on a small scale It seemed
as IL every one had gone stark, staring
mad. Guests, manager. and star were al
shouting together. know that Mrs.
Travers had her arm round me, and I
was happier than-only a few minutes
before-I thought that should ever feel
again.
We did not prosecute the sterndaIes-
which turned out to be their name. and
they were proved not to be sister and
brother. Law in Switzerland does not
move too quickly; the formalities to be
observed are numerous. did not very
much want to have to remain In Swift
zerland for an indefinite period. at my
own expense. to give evidence in a case
In which was not in the faintest degree
interested. The others. the guests In the
hotel, did not want to do that any more
than did. Their property was restored
To fhera-that was what thav urantad