Year: 1877

reau containing my iewelry, 1 had not
taken away the key.


l have remarked that by nature I
was timid; but, at this juncture, I
telt IS brave as lion, and, springing
from my bed, threw on my dressing
gown, and went out to the head of the
stairs.


] paused. A dreadful fear came over
me. All was dark, and heard not
sound. began to descend.


When 1 got opposite the door of the
drawing-room, which was partially
closed, saw a dim light proceeding
thence. Oh! my agony OF fear lest the
stairs should ereak and betray me


O.-reaching the door ofthe room,
saw to my delight that the key was in
the lock outside. But if / should not
be successful in making this villain
prisoner


] shnddered at the thought How
this man had got into the house I could
fssesssa ss Sss.sssof
the servants, 1 conjectured.
} My hand was upon the key OF the door,
when the handle with sharp click, be-
trayed me.


l heard a quick step across the apart
ment. a moment decided me.
l must feign somnaEbulism.
In another instant the door Was opened,
and !, with my eyes fixed wide open,
entered the room.
The thief started back with a smothered
exclamation of surprise.


l dared not look at him, but walked
straight past him to the bureau, and
spoke the following words disiointedly:


lost my key here. Where can it
be?"


The man walked over to the other end
of the room, where an overcoat was hung
on the back of chair, and began to
search the pockets.


1 had in that moment time to regard
him.


l could hardly forbear a cry; for, in
this room, trying to rob my mother and
myself of our jewels, was Monsieur Men
ton.


He returned to the bureau (where
was still fumbling to find the key, and
forced one into my hand.


1 then pretended that had found
what I wanted, and, turning round, left
the room.


have often wondered since then why
did not raise the house, but. truth to
tell, my movements on that night were
quite mechanical; my faculties seemed
to have given away under the unnatural
tension to which they had been sub
iected l felt sort of stupor, and hard
ly knew whether 1 was asteep or awake.
returned to my bedroom, and, looking
at the key as l placed it on my dressing
table, saw that it was that of the
front door of our house, which Mon
sieur Mention must have taken from my
fathers study sfter we had all retired
Tor the night.


Then I returned to bed, leaving thief
down stairs ransacking the place. After
about a quarter of an hour l heard a
stealthy step ascend the stairs.
closed my eyes; and as I did so my door
was opened, and again underwent
another examination by the light OF the
lantern.


Presently 1 heard my prosecutor 90
over to the dressing table. There was
no article of jewelry there; so if that
was what he wanted, he was disappoint-
ed Soon he withdrew from my room.
and descended the stairs once more.
heard nothing more. l cannot say
slept, but the heavy stupor which had
been creeping over me deepened into
complete insensibility, and l remained
in that state till morning 1t was my
habit to wake without being called by
the servant, but it was late when | arose
the following morning, and was in
formed by the maid that my father and
mother were at breakfast. / could not
wait till I was dressed to tell my adven
ture, go threw on my gown, and hur-
ried to the breakfast room. opened the
door. My fathers back was turned to
me- and my mother was facing me. She
looked up as entered the room-looked
up, yes, and with a terrific scream,
rushed toward me.


My father evidently thought, as l did,
that she was deranged, till he looked at
me, when he in his turn uttered cry of
surprise and horror. My parents both
dragged me to the chimney piece, above
which there was looking-glass. 1t was
then my turn to exclaim. When took
down my hair to brush it the night be-
fore, it was black as jet; now it was
streaked with gray.


The work of years had been accom-.
plished in one terrible night!


An explanation was asked and an ex-
planation given; after which my mother
left the room, and in few moments re-
turned, b inging with her the key of the
bureau.


=" You must have been dreaming, my
love-" she said; evidently not thing
has been touched. Our iewelry is as
safe as it was this time yesterday"


well, where is monsieur Mention ?"
l asked.


" In his room, undoubtedly" answered
my father. So saying, he went from the
room, and quickly returned with pale
face, sand in his hand note hastily
written with pencil.


"Read it aloud" he said, handing it
to my mother, who took it, and read as
follows:


"MY VERY DEAR FRIENDS Il write
to say farewell to you. We shall never
meet again. When you read the con-
fession am about to make, you viii
think yourselves well rid of one who ac-
cepted your hospitality and then turned
traitor.


Yes, am poor, despicable wretch