Year: 1877

to search the pockets.


had in that moment time to regard
him.


l could hardly forbear cry; for, in
this room, trying to rob my mother and
myself Of our jewels, was Monsieur
Mention.


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


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


I have often wondered since then why
I did not raise the house, but, truth to
tell, nv movements on that night were
quite mechanical; my faculties seemed
to have given way under the unnatural
tension to which they had been subjected;
I felt in sort of stupor, and hardly
knew whether I was asleep or awake. L
returned to my bedroom, and, looking at
the key as I placed it on my dressing
table, saw that it was that of the front
door of our house, which Monsieur
Mention must have taken from my fathers
study after we had all retired for the
night.


Then returned to bed, leaving thief
downstairs ransacking the place. After
about quarter of an hour I heard a
stealthy step ascend the stairs. 1 closed
nv eyes, and as I did 30 my door was
opened, and again I underwent another
examination by the light of the lantern.


Presently I heard my prosecutor go
over to the dressing-table. There was
no article of jewelry there; so if that was
what he wanted, he was disappointed.
Soon he withdrew from my room, and
descended the stairs once more heard
nothing more. I cannot say that / slept,
but the heavy stupor which had been
creeping over me deepened into complete
insensibihty, and remained in that state
till morning. It was my habit to wake
without being called by the servant, but
it was late when I arose the following
morning, and I was informed by the
maid that my father and mother we're at
breakfast. I could not wait till / was
dressed to tell my adventure, so L threw
on my dressing gown, and went to the
breakfast-room. 1 opened the door.
Nv fathers back was turned to me, and
nv mother was facing me. She looked
up as / entered the room-looked mp,
YES. and, with terrific scream, rushed
toward me.


Nv father evidently thought, as did,
that she was deranged, till he looked at
me, when he in his turn uttered cry Of
surprise and horror. Ny parents both
dragged me to the chimney piece, above
which there was looking-glass. 1t was
then my turn to exclaim. When l took
down my hair to brush it the night
before. 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, bringing with her the key OF the
bureau.


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


"Well, where is Monsieur Mention ?" l
asked.


"In his room, undoubtedly" answered
nv father. SO saying, he went from the
room, but quickly returned with pale
face. and in his hand note, hastily
written in pencil. -.


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


"MY VERY DEAR FRIENDS:


81 write to say farewell to you. We
shall never meet again. When you read
the confession l am about to make, you
will think yourselves well rid of one who
accepted your hospitality and then turned
traitor.


eyes, I am poor, despicable wretch.
You, my benefactor, remember that last
evening asked you to help me. in some
money matters, which you said you could
not do, and you know [ pad asked you
several times before, and you had de-
clined; but yesterday night you said you
had given me my final answer. [ then
grew desperate Though to your face fair
enough), and determined to steal the
money from you, if could get it in no
other way.


Earlier in the evening-before our
conversation in your study-you may re-
member that your daughter (who, by the
way, never seemed to like or trust me)
was seated at her bureau, looking at
some jewelry. An idea seized me that if
l could only get possession of these
jewels-for some of them were very
costly-I could sell them at a price which
would not only pay my debts, but would
leave me enough besides to enable me
to get clear out of the country.


Your daughter, in having locked her
bureau, did not take the key, but left it
in the lock; therefore, so far the way was
paved for me-


CT did my best to conquer these
temptations, but alas! We are but weak
creatures, and I at length succumbed, ard
resolved to turn Ooh! my friends, pass
over the word as soon as possible) thief!
So at a quarter-past one this morning l
descended to the drawing-room, opened
the bureau, and was about to take the
Jewels, when, hearing the handle of the
door move, I went to see the cause, and
imagine my feelings at seeing your
daughter standing before me. l soon
perceived, however, by the fixed look in
her eyes that she was asleep. She began
talking disjointedly of having left the
key in the lock of her bureau. [ went
to nv overcoat, which was in the room,
and got key-that of the front door
which I had taken from your study, and
forced it into her hand. She believed
herself to be the possessor of what she
wanted, and, turning round, left the