The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-03-04

and whirled me into the seance room
and locked the door on rs before We
exchanged syllable.
We sank into chairs. I felt AZ II
tidal wave had swept from under me
and left me not even hanging up In
coconut tree but sitting still In peace
full security. II 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 1t all7" to which re-
piled, "But how are you-after 1t allr
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 a detective-and 1t wasn't
five minutes after you got out OF the
house. Monday-and accused me-
me el--of stealing Claire's bracelets"
"Braceletsr echoed.
"Yes-me."
l said "Oh," slowly. I hadn't ex-
pected she'd grind the word jewels
quite so fine.
"Dld you ever hear anything quite
so outrageousf" she rdshed on. ITO
come here and say robbed his child
of jewelryl don't believe she had
any jewelry, anyway--it was all
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.
1 hnx
searched-I knew 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
l had to tell heri
"Mrs. Delaric there seems to be
a misunderstanding about those dia-
nonds." l began suavely.
She gave a start and asked, "How.
Misunderstanding? You mean they're
not worth all you saidf Well-you
didn't tell me positively they were
worth-that." She seemed to hesitate
at "a million dollars" which is what
said.
"Oh, yes--I still stick to that-that's
the worst Of It: they are worth IT.
that's what made them shining targets
for that thief"
Thief" she cried. "You say
thief too! Then he was, after all T.
She was very much excited, and 70
peated the word several times with .
kind Of Joy and ran on rapidly: y
wouldn't tell you what thought about
him, but i knew he was a thief. ]
knew 1t in Paris-I knew 1t In Ant
werp-it was In Antwerp-after I'd
made all the arrangements to bring
Claire over-that heard 1t clairaudi'
emily, De Ravenol is thief knew
1t herein this very room-the first
time he came" And then she smiled
at me benignantly: "And thanks tc
you he didn't get my diamonds. so
we're safe--Claire's safe-she'l neve.
know the truth about her father from
me.
"Claire never had any jewelry--the
whole accusation was trumped up to
get the chance to rob me. But how
under the sun did he know had those
diamonds?'
HE says he put them there-or a,
least Claire did--in your slipper"
blurted.
Her hands flew to her heart
"Never" she cried. "Never In the
wo-ldi"
"And he says they're his" persist
ed, feeling I'd got my opening at last
put 1t that way partly to disabuse
her mind Of the idea that monsieur
was a thief; partly to save her from
the too sudden shock OF the Emperor
, William. / saw I'd have to let heI
down gradually.
, They're mine," she returned vehe.
mently. II swore to you they were
mine. swear to you again-now-
herein the sight Of God-they are
mine. Consider" her tone was al
appeal now, "if they had NOT beer
Claire-would have shown them tc
you? Would have asked you to helI
me dispose of themf"
was forced to admit, "No-oi
course not"-I had already taken thai
! into consideration.
"Yes--I grant you that you honestly
believe they're yours" I admitted
"But what I've got to know is. how
they came to be yours"
She told me then, hesitating nS
longer, the unbelievable story--unbe
lievable by every modern standard ant
. from every scientific poiDt of view
|, explaining why she'd prevaricated IL
the first instance about her uncle. Il
, wasn't. after all, quite what you'd cal
by so harsh name as lying. ~.
(TO BE CONTINUEDl