Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-17
TODAY'S I\STALMENT.

Seeing that my client was anxious
10 lrave, | said no more; but, calling for
my cashier. | ordered him To pay over
fifty one thousand pound notes. When
| was alone once more, however, with
the precious case lying upon the table IN
front of me, could not but think with
some misgvings of the immense rcspon-
sihlli,y which 1t cntailcd upon me. There
could he no doubt that, rs it was n
national possession. horrible scandal
would cnsuc If any misfortune should
occur to II. | already regretted having
ever consented to take charge of It.
However. IL WAS too late to alter the
matter now, so | locked it up III my
private safe, and turned once more 10
my work.
When evening came | felt that 1t
would hc an imprudcnCc to leave SO
precious thing IN the office behind
inc. Bankers safes had bccn forced
before now, and why,should not mine
hc? II so. how terrible would he the
position in which | should find myself
| determined, therefore, that for the
mex, few days | would always carry
the case backward and forward with me,
80 that il might never I've really out of my
reach With this intention, ! called n
cab. and drove out To my house at
S,rcatham. carrying the jewel with
me. did not breathe freely until |
had taken II upstairs and locked II
in the bureau of my drcssing-room.
And now word as tn my house
hold. Mr.. Holmes, for ] wish YOU to
thoroughly understand the situation.
My groom and my page sleep out OF
the house. and may he set aside alto
gcthcr. have three maid-Scrvants
who have been with me number
, of wears and whoSc. absolute. rcha-
hihtv is quito above Suspicion. Another,
Lucy Parr. the second wai,lng-mald,
h hls only been in my service few months,
She came with an excellent character,
however, and has always gwen me satls-
faction She Is very pretty flri, and mas
attracted admirers who have occasionally
hung about che place. That is tho only
drawback which Nc have found To her
hut we believe her to NC n thoroughly
good girl in every way.
SO much for the servants. My
family itself is SO small that II vii
not take me long to dcscuvbe II.
am widowcr, and have an only son
Arthur. lie has been = disappointment t'
me. Mr.. Holiness grievous disappoint
ment have no doubt that am myself e
blame People tell me that | have
spoiled him. Very likely have Whcr
my dear wife died felt that he was all
had to love. | could not bear to see tn
smile fade even for moment from HI
face. | have never denied him n wish
Perhaps il would have been better 70
4 u \ hut
meant IL for the best.
1T was naturally my intention
that he should succeed mo IN m
business, but he was not of bus
ness turn. He was wild. waywart
and. to speak the truth, ! could nc
trust him in the handling Of larg
sums of money. When he was youn
he became member Of an aristocrati
club, and there, having charming man
ners. he was soon the intimate of a mum
hcr of men with long purses and cXpcn
sivc habits He learned to play hcavil,
nj cards and 20 squander money on tn
turf. until he had again and again &
come 20 me and implore me 10 give hin
an advance upon his allowance, that h
might settle his debts of honor. II
tired moro than once to break ava,
from the dangerous company whlcl
he was keeping. hut each time th
influence of lis friend Sir Georg
Burnwell was. enough TO draw hin
back again.
AMI. indeed. ] could not wonde
that - ch man as sir George Burn
well should gain an influence over hin
for he has frequently brought him {
my house. and | have found myse
that ] couli hard ~ resist the fascina
tion of his manner. He is older tina
Arthur. man Of the world to his finger
tips, one who had been everywhere, see
everything,,a brilliant talker, and
man Of great personal beauty. IC
when ! think Of him in cold blooc
far away from the glamor Of his pre-
cnce. | am convinced from his cynici
speech. and the look which ] have
caught an his eyes, that he is one WI
should he deeply distrusted. So
think. and so too, thinks my hit
Mary. who has a woman's quick insigI
into character
And now there is only she to |
described. She is my niece; but whe
my brother died FIVE years ago and le
her alone in the world | adopted he
and have looked upon her ever sine
as my daughter. She is sunbeam in II
house-sweet, loving beautiful, VOL