The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-06-18

'i' L soy HULL " ulS AAALuAss
strength of mind. Mr.. Franklin. whose
clear head / had confidently counted on
TO advise us, seemed to be as helpless
as his cousin when he heard the news
IN his turn. For a wonder, he had had
a good nights rest at last; and the I'M
accustomed luxury of sleep had, as he
SAID himself. apparently stupefied him.
however, when he had swallowed his
cup of ~coffee-which he always took.
on the foreign plan, some hours before
he ate any breakfast-his brains bright
ened, the clear side Of him turned up,
ana he took the matter in hand reso-
lutely and cleverly. much as follows:
he first sent for the servants and told
them to leave all the lower doors and
windows. with the exception of the
1ront door. which l had opened, exact
~ as they had been left when he locked
up overnight. He next proposed to his
cousin and me to make quite sure be-
fore we took any further steps that the
diamond had not accidentally dropped
somewhere out Of sight-say at the
back of the cabinet or down behind the
table on which the cabinet stood. Hav-
Ing searched in both places and found
notl1ng-having also questioned Pencil
ope and discovered from her no more
than the little she had already told me
Mr.. Franklin suggested next extend
ing our inquiries to Miss Rachel and
sent Penelope to knock at her bedroom
door.
My lady answered the knock and
closed the door behind her. The mo-
ment after we heard it locked inside by
Miss Rachel. My mistress came out
among us, looking sore]y puzzled and
distressed. ''The loss Of the diamond
seems to have quite overturned Ra-
che" she said, in reply to Mr.. Frank
lin. She shrinks in the strangest man.
ner from speaking Of it. even to me. 1t
is impossible you can see her for the
present"
Having added to our perpleXities by
this account of Miss Rachel, my lady,
after a little effort. recovered her usual
composure and acted with her usual
decision.
81 suppose there is no help for it,"
she said quietly. Il suppose l have no
alternative but to send for the p%olice?"
And b first thing for the police to
do added Mr.. Franklin, catching her
up. sis to lay hands on the Indian Jug
glers who performed here last night"
My lady and Mr.. Godfrey (not know
ing what Mr.. Franklin and knew
both started. and both looked surprised.
II can't stop to explain myself now
Mr.. franklin Went OH. 81 can only tell
You that the Indians have certainly
stolen the diamond. Give me a letter of
i~ntroduction,' says he, addressing my
lady, ito one of the magistrates at
Frizinghall-merely telling him that 1
represent your interests and wishes
and let me ride off with it instantly.
Our chance of catching the thieves may
depend on our not wasting one unneces-
sary minute"
He put pen, ink and paper before his
aunt. who. as it appeared to me, wrote
the letter he wanted a little unwill-
ingly. If it had been possible to over
look such an event as the loss of a
jewel worth twenty thousand pounds.
believe-with my lady's opinion of
her late brother and her DISTRICT Of
his birthday gift-it would have been
privately a relief to her to let the
thieves get off with the moonstone scot
free.
l went out with Mr.. Franklin to the
stables and took the opportunity Of
asking him how the Indians, whom l
suspected, of course, as shrewdly as he
did. could possibly have got into the
house.
Gone Of them might have slipped into
the hall. in the confusion. when the
dinner company We're going away"
says Mr.. Franklin. THE fellow may
have been under the sofa while my
aunt and Rachel We're talking about
where the diamond was to be put for
the night. He would only have to wait
till the house was quiet and there it
would be in the cabinet. to be had for
the taking With those words he
called 10 the groom to open the gate
and galloped off.
4. little before eleven Mr.. Franklin
came back. The resolute side Of him
had, to oil appearance. given way. in
the interval since his departure. under
the stress that had been laid on it. He
had left us at a gallop: he came back
to us at a walk. When he went away
he was made of iron. When he re-
turned he was stuffed with cotton, as
limp rs limp could be.
Well" says my lady, fare the police
coming?'
Yes says Mr.. Franklin; they said
they would follow me in a fly. Super
intendent Seegrave of your local police
force, and two of his men. A mere
form. The case is hopeless
"What. have the Indians escaped,
sir!' l asked.
The poor ill used Indians have been
most ~unjustly put in prison." says Mr..
Franklin. They are as innocent as