Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-03-09
The Missing
Jewels

B, MARVIN ST. JOHNS
.opyrIeht, Is2a. western Newspaper Union

h u ~
Copyright. 1872 western Newspaper Union
(which does Mae like bestf''
'.Two evenings IN the week, Rufus
Dodge, Saturday evening and Sunday,
Worth Barley"
'And the rest OF the timer
swell. think young BARLEY is the
favorite. He should be-a fine, man
ly fellow, ambitious, earnest and hand
some. Not that Dodge is In any way
bad. Some time ago, however, he
won prize in foreign lottery"
''How muchl"
Zone thousand dollars. he has
sailed It away in bank, all right, but
he boasts of it constantly; brags Of
his luck and, mark me, with the spec
uiative fever latent in his veins, will
Some day lose it just as easily as he
got It,"
Thus two members of the social cir
J. Gle in which pretty Mae Winston was
the belle and BARLEY and Dodge
worthy and popular members. They
were theme of good many discus
sions, but all that was completely
oyershadowed the day succeed ding to
that upon which the foregoing con-
versation took place. The parties to.
the same met again.
"What do You think of the latestY
"Thc diamond robbery up at the
Beches?.
"Yes. They say the burglars got
a box Of jewels worth $4,000"
."Whew! That's some value"
Here's a printed description and
reward oifered-$ $4,000 for the rec0v-
cry of the gems-double that for the
additional conviction of the thieves"
at almost tempts fellow to play
the detective"
Then two evenings later new ex-
element set the village all agog. + 'rt-
ley had been found wounded and In
sensible in a waste piece Of ground
about mile from the village
Meantime, Rufus had come into
new experience. He called at the
Winston home one day and sought
private interview.
1--we got something very coAHden-
tial to tell you, Mr.. WINSTON he said.
1--we got a chance to make $4,000"
went on Rufus, rather excltedly.
It's pretty fine plum for a start"
encouraged Winston.
1--WE got chance to get the stolen
diamonds"
"Hey!' stared the farmer.
Eyes. Now this Is secret. You
see, It's only at stage Of negotia-
tionss so far. A stranger came to me,
one of the thieves, am sure, He
warned me to act with caution. He
said that the stolen Jewels had been
so widely advertised by description
that the. thieves we're afraid to offer
them for sale. He has agreed to turn
them over to me and have me verify
them through the printed description
for $1,000. think it's a good specu-
iation. don't you?'
TITS hobnobbing with thieves" sug-
gested the willy farmer.
Rufus drew his thousand dollars out
of the bank. He was to meet the sup
posed thief four days later. Worth
was up and about.
When he came to put on his clothes
Worth discovered his possessions all
right except In one particulars
small locket that had been attdched
to his watch chain, was missing. II
had contained picture Of Mae.
The haze began to clear away In his \
mind. Dimly, at first, then more
strongly memory began to develop the
chain of circumstances, obscured until
now since he was struck down. He
went out into the warm sunshine,
walking slowly, bent on reaching the
spot where he had been assaulted. Half
the distance was covered when his face
Frightened and his pulses stirred
deeply as he saw coming towards him
the woman he loved.
Mae was overjoyed to see him con- I
walescing, and told him -.
Fer the nrst time she learned from
his lips the story Of his recent mis-
hap. 1t seemed that while nearing the
spot they had now reached he had
seen light among some bushes. AS
Worth investigated, he observed man
take from the hollow OF a dead tree,
a box. He opened it with ehuckle.
II don't know whaf-possessed me-"
he told his fair companion. "but some
impulse made me seize fhe box. Il ran.
There were wild shouts, and she first
man and two others just arrived,
probably to share the hidden plumber,
pursued me. Just about this rugged
spot stumbled and fell. The box flew
! Tar from my hands. The men came
up. dealt me a stunning blow and
this Is thesspot where 1t all occurred"
Mae aided him 10 his search, silent !
and impressed. A sudden cry from
Worth brought her to his side. Crop
ing beside a big boulder. his hand
had brushed back a dense growth of
grass and had touched-the box of
jewels, where 1t had rolled the night
of his adventure!
" - aw : :. L. L