Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-01

1 mood for anything. His persistence
which under ordinary circumstance
would have gone for naught, might yet
win the day. Besides, the tone of i'm
piled respect in her voice almost goadet
me to desperation.
l do not know how l got through the
| day. On the one hand was the mystery
of the Red Diamond, which might even
tually wreck the family and on the
other was my love for Dora which hao
already distracted me beyond endur
ance. The two things were so inter
| twined that it seemed each must rise
or fall with the other.
| Twice during the day Doctor Hen
derson came over to urge Colonel Nhar
ton to put the diamond mystery in the
hands of "a good detective, as he
phraSed it, and each time he irrtatcd
the colonel in the most unaccountablc
manner. Jules .1acqucttc and Victor
Jayne were .ite as much agitatcd over
the disappearance of the diamond as
any one in the house. At one time
found Colonel Wharton and the Brazil o.
ian together in the living room and on
that occasion Jacquette was talking to
him in n tone that Il guest rarely as
sumes toward his host
For my part ! was eager for action
and vet pinned down by the nCccsSi
ties of the case. Like Bromley Barnes
| felt that something would occur tC
start me on the solution of the mys
terry. My mind constantly recurrcd
to that night when Dora crept along
the side of the living room with q
candle in her hand and terror in her
eyes. Perhaps any one else in my
place would have arrested her on
l. knt IA,
know is that | shut my eyes to cvi
dcncc that was as clear as the noon
day sun and persisted in believing that
she was victim of cruel circum
cumstanccS.
ON the night of the day when
Jayne made his formal proposal of
marriage to Dora had the sweet
pleasure of being in her company for
nearly an hour. 1t was a blissful hour
to me. especially as | had premoni
tion that it would be the last oppor
tunity I should have of enjoying her
society for a long time.
We were in the living room, as was
customary after dinner. Jules
Jacquette asked Colonel Wharton and
Victor Jayne if they would join him in
his room. This left mo alone with
Aunt Sarah and Dora. The poor girl
looked distressed, as She had looked for
the preceding twenty four hours. but
tho extreme terror had left her and she
seemed more composed. We had lamI
light as usual. and at my request she
went to the piano and played one OF
those rhapsodes of which | am fond
and which to me represent the tumult
that goes on in the human soul more
accurately than any composition OF
which | am aware.
I had not the faintest idea what
purpose .IacQuette had in taking
Colonel Wharton to his room, but their
absence chimed in with my feelings
Aunt Sarah was with us, but pres
emily the dear old soul began to nod
and in a little while was sleeping with
n satisfaction that was attcstcd by al
ternate grunts and snores.
Dora was at her best and played
with unrestrained power. The thun.
der of the tempest as it roared acroS,
the ocean main could be heard thcr
the lull followed by the whisting o
the wind. sudden outbursts, deafenin!
windstorms and finally Quet--thC
quiet that brings peace, tranquillit!
and happiness in its wake. II wa
wonderful, this playing in the lamp
lit room with me standing there gaz
ing into the liquid depths of Dor;
Wharton's black eyes. The quizzica
look was absent from those eyes and tn,
smile no longer lowered about her lips