The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-08-06
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 Seeing that my client was anxious to leave I said no more; but, calling for my cashier, ordered him to pay over fifty f1.000 notes. When was alone once more, however, with the precious case lying upon the table in front of me, I could not but tblnk with some misgivings of the immense responsibility which it entailed upon me. There could be no doUbt that, as it was a national possession, a horrible scandal would ensue if any .<rGSfortune should occur to It. al -enad to take charge of it. How ever, it was too late to alter the mat Ger now, so I locked it up in my .-ivate safe, and turned once more to my work
 when evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave so precious a thing in the office behind zoe Bankers safes had been forced S<Jore now, and why should nor be the position in which I should find myself! determined, therefore, that dor the next few days I would always carry the case backward and forward with me, so that it might never be really out of my reach. With this intention, I called a cab, and drove out to my house at Streatham, car rying. the jewel with me l did not breathe freely until I had taken 1t upstairs and locked it in the bureau of my dressing room-
 And now a word as to my house hold, MT. Holmes, for I wish you to thoroughly understand the situation My groom and my page sleep out Of the house, and may be set aside alto gether. I have three maid servants who have oeen with me a nuHrber of years, and whose absolute reliability is quite above suspicion Another, Lucy Parr, the second waiting maid, has only been in my service a few months. She came with an excellent o11r ra.7fEaf 1rTr h " given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl. and has attracted admir- CTS who have occasionally hung about the place. That is the only draw but we believe her to be thoroughly good girl in every way.
 50 much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it will not take me long to describe it. I am a widower, and have only son, Arthur. He has been a dfsap- pointment to me. MT. Holmes - a grievous disappointment. I have no doubt that l am myself to blame. People tell me that I have spoiled him. Very likely have. When my dear wife died felt that he was all I had to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade even for a moment from his face. I have never denied ihm a wish Perhaps it would have been better for both of us had I been sterner, but I meant it for the best
 Tt was naturally my intention that he should succeed me in my business, but he was not of a business turn. He was wild, waSvward. and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the handling of large sums of money. When he was young he be- came a member of an aristocratic club, and there, having charming a number of men with long purses and expensive habits. He learned to play heavily at cards and to sQuan- der money on the turf, until he had implore me to give him an advance upon his allowance, that he might settle his debts of honor. He tried more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he was keeping, but each time the inf1u- ence of his friend, Sir George Burn well, was enough to draw him back again
 And, indeed, I could not wonder that such a man as Sir George Burn well should gain an influence over him, for he has frequently brought him to my house, and have found myself that I could hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than Arthur, a man of the world to his finger-tips, one who had been everywhere, seen everything, a personal beauty. Yet when I think of him in cold blood, far away from the glamor of his presence, I am con- vinced from his cynical speech, and the look which I have caught in his eyes, that he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so, too, thinks my little Mary, who has a womans quick insight into character.
 And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but when my brother died five. years ago and left her alone an the world adopted her, and have looked upor her ever since as my daughter. Sht is a sunbeam in my house-sweet loving, beautiful, a wonderful man ager and housekeeper, yet as tendel and quiet and gentle as a woman could be. She is my right hand. do not know what I could do with out her. In only one matter ha she ever gone against my wishes Twice my boy has asked her to mar ry him. for he loves her devotedIy but each time she has refused him think that if any one could hav'