Year: 1879

/ he GOH SGuUHH ~ EIach Flow ed


From ID.


When | was about twelve years of age,
/ was invited by Mrs Hall, my god
mother, to pay her visit before going to
a boarding-sc where | was to remain
for few years. Ny mother had died
when L was very young, and my father
/ thought it better for me to be at nice
school, where | would be among girls OF
my own age, than in the house with only
his sister aud himself. Mrs Hall was
/ very fond of me; she had no children of
/ her own, and ,.had my father consented,
she and Mr.. Hall would have taken me
to live with them entirely.


| 1t was lovely day in June when /
arrived at my gpdmother,s and she was
delighted to see me. The house was
beautifully situated on high ground, sur
rounded by grand old trees, and at one
! side was a flower garden.


One morning godmother said to me :


" Come up stairs with me, Lillian, and
l will show you some Indian jewels that
my uncle left me lately"


She opened the drawer of an inlaid
sandel- goOd cabinet and took out small
case, in which were pair of earrings, a
brooch and necklet of most beautiful
diamonds. thought [ had never seen
anything so beautiful before
:" My dear Lillian" said she, Il in
tend 10 give you these on your 10th
birthday. | see, however, there is a
strne loose in one of the earrings, SO |
will take it into town and have it re
pated.


She folded i up carefully and put it
in her purse; the case with the other
diamonds she put in one of the drawers
of her dressing glass.


After lunch, AIr. and Mrs. Hall took
me with them to the town, which was
about four miles distant. The earring
was left at the jewelers., and, as we were
to spend the day at a friends house, We
arranged to call for it on our way back.
But you will say, what has all this to do
with your dream? Well, wait a little
and YOU will see


We spent a pleasant day, called for
the ear ring on our way, and arrived
home about haIfpast o'clock. As [
was taking off my bonnet godmother
came into the room.


Lillian" said she, 81 cannot find the
ca,e of diamonds anywhere. Did not
leave it in the drawer in my dressing
glass before [ went out? | went 10 put
in the other ear ring now, and it was not
there. Who can have taken it?'


- Y on certainly left it in the dressing
glass drawer" said, Gould any of the
servants have taken it, do you think p


g am sure they would not" she ans
wered 81 have had them with me for
years, and never missed anything be
fore"


Are there any strangers about that
could have come in through the win
dow?"


No, Lillian there are no strangers
about the place except the gardner, and
he seems d most respectable man. [ got
a very high character Of him from his
last place; in fact, we were told he was
a most trustworthy person.


Next day there was a wonderful com
motion about the missing jewel-case.
The police were sent for, aud every
place was searched over and over again,
but to no purpose. One thing, however,
puzzled US On the window sill was a
foot mark, and near the dressing table a
little bit of earth, as if from a shoe or
boot, which led US 10 think that the thief
must have come in through the window.
But how did he get up to it?" Il was
good height from the ground, and the
creeping plants were not in the least
broken, as would have been the ca sc had
any one climbed up by them. A ladder
must have been employed, ami it was
little to the credit of the police that this
fact had not been properly considered.
As the matter stood it was a mystery,
and seemed likely to remain SO, and
only only one earring was left of the
valuable set


In few days I left for school where
| remained for four years. spent every
vacation between my home and my god
mothers. We often spoke of the stolen
diamonds, but nothing had ever been
heard Of them, though a reward of fity
pounds had been offered by Mr.. Hall
for any information that would lead tie
the detection of the thief. On my 18th
birthday my godmother gave me beau
tiful watch and chain and the diamond
ear ring which she had got arranged as
neckIet.


q am so sorry, Lilian," said she,
'that have not the rest of those dia-
mond, to give you; but II ever they are
found, they shall be yours, my dear


| must now pass over six years, which
went by quietly and happily, nothing
very important taking place until the
last year, during which time had been
married. My husband was barrister.
We lived in the North of England. My
mother in law. Mrs. Benson, and Mary,
one of her daughters, lived some miles
away from us near the seacost. 1t was
a very lonely place, long way from the
little fishing town. or rather village, of
Burnley. | confess often felt very
nervous about Mrs. Benson and her
daughter living alone Cher husband be-
ing dead for many years.. Except
three woman servants in the house, and
the coachman and his family who lived
in the lodge, there was no one nearer
than Burnley, four miles off. Besides,