The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-04-23


and locked the door on US before we
exchanged syllable.
We sank into chairs. I felt as if
tidal wave had swept from under me
and left me not even hanging up in
coconut tree but sitting still in peace.
full security. 1t was she who got us
down from the high peaks to the levels
where conversation can go afoot with.
out falling of, by asking, "And how
are you-after it ally" to which l re.
piled, but how are you-after it ally
and we both laughed.
| Her laugh died away into an indig.
nant frown. "You never heard any.
thing like It," she cried. HE came
here with q detective-and it wasn't
five minutes after you got out Of the
house, Monday-and accused me
me of stealing Claire's bracelets !"
"I3racelets?" l echoed.
"Yes-me."
l said 'Oh," slowly. hadn't ex.
pected she'd grind the word jewels
quite SO fine.
did you ever hear anything quite
SO Outrage0us?" she rushed ON. ITO
come here and say robbed his child
Of jewelry! l don't believe she had
any jewelry, anyway-it was all O
trumped-up story to get something out
Of me; but was so indignant" and
she poured out the whole tale.
"Well. it's all over" she concluded
II didn't care how much monsieur
searched-I knew l hadn't robbed
Claire, and / knew that so long as
you had my diamonds they were safe
l didn't worry after the first day
or So"
She said "my diamonds" and now
had to tell her!
Mrs. Delario there seems to be
a misunderstanding about those dia
monds," began suavely.
She gave start and asked, "How
misunderstanding? You mean they're
not worth all you said? Well-yoi
didn't tell me positively they were
worth-that." She seemed to hesitat,
at "a million dollars" which is VIVA
l said.
"Oh, yes-1 still stick to that-that
the worst of it: they are worth it
that's what made them shining target
for that thief"
Thief she cried. you sa
thief too! Then he was, after all +.
. She was very much excited, and II
kind of JOY and ran on rapidly: .
!. wouldn't tell you what thought abou
! him, but l knew he was thief.
knew it in Paris-I knew it in An,
werp-it was in Antwerp-after T.
made all the arrangements to brin
Claire over-that l heard it clairaud
emily, DE Ravenol is thief l kne'
it herein this very room-the frs
time he came" And then she smile
at me benignantly: And thanks
You he didn't get my diamonds, S
: we're safe-Claire's safe-she'll neve
! know the truth about her father frol
me.
"Claire never had any jewelry-th
whole accusation was trumped up I
get the chance to rob me. But ho'
. under the sun did he know had thos
diamonds?"
HE says he put them Thereon {
least Claire did-in your slipper"
) blurted.
: Her hands flew to her hear
"Never!" she cried. ''Never in tt
world!'
sand he says they're his" persis
: ed, feeling I'd got my opening at las
put it that way partly to disabus
her mind of the idea that monsie,
was thief; partly to save her fro
the too sudden shock of the Empert
;, William. l saw I'd have to let HI
down gradually.
I'll "They're mine," she returned veh
= mently. II swore to you they wei
mine. swear to you again-now-
herein the sight of God-they al
mine. Consider" her tone was !;
= appeal now, 'if they had not bee
mine-if l had stolen them fro
Claire-would have shown them
you? Would have asked you to he
me dispose of them?'
I was forced to admit. "No-,
course not"-I had already taken III;
into consideration.
;, "Yes-I grant you that you honest
believe they're yours" / admitte
- 'Rut what I've got to know is, no
:. they came to be yours
- She told me then, hesitating 7
longer. the unbelievable story-unb
G lievable by every modern standard ar
= from every scientific point of vie,
=, explaining why she'd prevaricated
), the first instance about her uncle.
a wasn't, after all, quite what you'd ca
y by so harsh name as lying.
lTQ BE CONTINuEQl