Norwich bulletin., 1913-11-26

What I wish to say to yeu," said Sir John, as he leaned across the desk and lowered his voice to a confidential pitch, lis that my business here must be considered sacredly confidential. There must be no possibility of its leaking out. You understand?'' Quite so. Sir John. quite so.'' re- piled the manager. T have been con ducting this agency for over twenty years, and never yet has a patron of mine charged me with having given his secrets away. We are as inviolate as the grave sir-as the grave itself 7
 q have met with some losses of late in buying foreign bonds" observed Sir John as he drummed on the desk with his fingers.
 q see sir'
 And at the present moment am little pressed for cash"
 That is liable to happen to all ot us. sir"
 buy Lord Benson's steam yacht. He offered it to me at a low price last with him. I don't know that it's a good investment, but I rather passed my word, you know
 Exactly, Sir John,' smiled the man. ager, who knew that his patron was lying like a trooper all the time
 
 a man of nearly 50, and supposed to be staid and uncorruptible, had be- come struck with a music hall singer and had quite lost his good sense. He wanted money to carry out some eN- travagant wishes of hers: and the steam yacht business was all in his eye.
 My wife, you know continued Sir John. "has diamonds to the value Gf G15,000. If she would lend them to me for a few months I could raise z 1000 on them and get through and pay her back all right when certain invest ments mature. Yes, I could do that, but you see-you know"
 But your lady objects, to lending them ?''
 That is the point. sir-that is the point. Indeed, knowing her as well as I do, have not and shall not aSl, her to favor me. She left this morning to pass a couple of weeks at tho house of Sir William Thorpe"
 And what?" asked the manager, as the other seemed to have finished
 Tt is a large house party, and l pre- sune they will have a private officer down there to protect the guests. If presume that one of your men, armed with a recommendation from me, would be taken on."
 Not a doubt of if. Sir John'
 "And-and if he could get hold of my lady's diamonds and bring them to me"
 Then the two men drew nearer to each other and spoke in whispers, and at the end of half an hour they seemed to have settled matters The man ager said it was a case where he wouldn't trust 8 subordinate. but would go himself. and two days later he was duly installed at Sir John Thorpe's.
 He was a gentleman in speech and appearance. and with a party of twen ty in the house he passed muster as an invited guest. He deceived all but one of them
 Three years previously Sir Johns wife had been visiting at country house where a robbery had occurred and her memory for faces being good. she had spotted him almost at once. She told him so to his face, and pin ned him down to it. and he was nlak- ing ready to go and spare himself her contempt when she asked for a few words in private with him. The con- ference took place on a bench on the lawn with games going on all about them.
 Tn order that you may understand what I want began the woman. T must confess to you that I sometimes ! speculate"
 l Is not so unusual nowadays"
 'T have friend who has given me tip on certain stocks, and if I only had z 5000 to invest I am sure of a great return within few weeks
 "But there is Sir John'
 He does not believe in women specuIating. He would not give me a dollar"
 You could quietly pawn your dia- monds."
 "But he would be sure to miss them No, I must try some other way. If were not sure that my speculation would turn out all right I wouldn't try that, but the profit will be certain and large"
 'SWen?" queried the agent as his companion sat looking at the toe of her shoe.
 AIn Sir Johns safe, in the library al home, Is a. large amount in Peruvian bonds If l had a part of them I could raise the z 5000 needed and replace the bonds again in a few weetss. The house is closed just now, but t would not require great effort to get in and I have the combination of tae safe. was thinking, you know-I was think. ing"
 Then they dropped their voices t whispers and when interrupted df.eer minutes 1ster they seemed to have ar rived a- on understanding Two 1,cghts later the country house was robbed The singular part of ii was that only Sir Johns lady was de- l spoiled All her diamonds had beer l taken, but no one else had been robbed of even a stickpin- There was ar o71+c7v b11t fortunately they had a keer