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Show Jewel Mysteries From a Dealer's Notebook Treas -t ft Copyright All Ttlghts I She was tho daughter of Colonel Kershaw Klein, and lie was worth a million, as the society papers said. I had danced with her for tho first, ilmo In the ball room of tho magnificent houso her father had rented In Gros-venor Gros-venor Crnscent, on the occasion of her coming of age; and I agreed with tho men that she was hoyond criticism, an exquisite vision of dark and matured girlhood, so incomparably fascinating that you forget In her company some of her blunlnoss In speech, and sot down the voluptuousness of her glance and mien to tho southern luxuriance amidst which she had bcon roared, and to those "other" notions which prevail In Chili, the land of Meeting republics. Somo part of this perhaps unnecessary unneces-sary adulation may have been duo to the fact that I had helped in the production pro-duction of hor perfect picture on the night of which I am speaking. Tho commercial clement will intrude at. such times; and I could not holp but see that she wore at least eight hundred pounds worth of my Jewels. Had tho value of them beon double. It would have been the same to me, for of hor father's sta-billty sta-billty I had then no doubt. He had been rccelvedand made much of in tho highest high-est places, accorded tho chief scats at tho feasts; entrusted as tho old ladles told you with tho most important mission mis-sion by government; and a share In the Western IIII1 diamond mine at South Africa vas not the least substantial factor in the sum of his Income. Any and everv gem to which he took a fancy I had let him heavo readily, boing assured as-sured by an Important personago at the embassy that his credit was unquestionable; unquestiona-ble; and it was a pretty pleasure to mo when I first met his daughter to ob-scrvo ob-scrvo how well my diamonds sat upon her, and how shapely woro her arms clasped in tho ruby braceletes which had beon amongst tho treasure of Bond street but three months before. She was. Indeed, In-deed, a sunnv child of tho south, radiating radiat-ing a warming light about her, tempting you to wait for a single press of hor hand, luring you to follow the sparkle of her eyes even when she looked at vou over tho shoulder of a dancer who for the momont had the privilege of holding her In the cntnincemcnt of the deux temps. Thero was keen contention conten-tion for her programme, but somehow I found her disposed to favor me. and danced no less than four with hor. to tho Infinite annoyance of the many vouths who eyed me angrily from their watching ground by the door. They said that thev had never seen hor brighter; and I was ready to bcliove them, for she kept hor tongue going merrily through the waltzes, and leant upon my arm in a languorous way that was completely com-pletely entrancing. At the end of the dance the next being be-ing some now-fangled "barn dance" wheroln men scarce put their hands upon their partners she said that she would sit in the conservatory and eat icos; and for tho first time during tho long evening I found myself ablo to talk easily with her. "Well." she said, when we had composed com-posed ourselves behind a huge fern, and had made a successful attack upon the meringues glaces, "well, this is about splendid. What do you think of the crvstals now I've got them on?" "Why. they're to be envied in such a Betting." "You're the fourth man that has said tho same tonight." sho exclaimed, putting put-ting her glass down and tugging at her glove. "I think the Britishers learn their compliments out of copy-books; they're all presents for good girls. JLot s see If vou're cleverer at getting a glovo on than at making pretty speeches." The arm that sho held out was gloriously glori-ously white, and. as every man knows, the operation of pulling on the glovo of a prettv girl is apt to be prolonged. There are fingers to fit and a llttlo thumb to stroke daintily; while the grip upon the more substantial part of the fnrnnnn will lin r rendition SO long 3S I lime serves. T must have occupied my-tclf my-tclf at least five minutes with her buttons, but-tons, sho finding it necessary to press close to me when I did so; and the task was none the less pleasant when her rich, brown hair touched my face, and her dress rustled with her long-drawn breathing. How long tho process would have Insted, or what T should have said foolJshlv In the end. I do not know; but of n sudden she drew her arm away ind exclaimed: "Oh. I'd quite forgotten; I wanted to lsk you about the buU's-eyo." This was hor description. I may men-lion, men-lion, without anger, of the famous White Creek diamond, which, as all London knows. II have had in my possession for the InstUwo years. Her father, who was reputed to have some commission to buy It for a Persian, was then negotiating negotiat-ing with me for its purchase for tho sum of 130.000. He waited only, he Kaid. for the coming of his partner from Valparaiso, to complete tho transaction; nnd It was owing to tho intimacy which tho pour parlers brought about that I found myself then In his house. How much his daughter knew of tho business, busi-ness, however, I could not tell, and I .answered .an-swered her question by another. "What do you know about the bull's-eye?" bull's-eye?" "That you're trying to sell it to my father," she replied, "and that he won't - promise to give it to me." "Havo you asked him. then?" "Have I asked him why. look at him; isn't lift ten years older slnco he met you in Bond street?" "Ho certainly seems to have something on his mind." said L "That's mo: he's got me on his mind." she remarked flippantly; but I wish he'd buy the bull's-eye, and give it to me for a wedding present." . "Oh. you're engaged." T ventured dolefully, dole-fully, "you never told mo that " "Didn't I?" sho answered, "well, of course I am. and here's my partner." She went away oil another man's arm, hut she left to mo a vision of dark oyes and ivory whtto flesh: and her breath still seemed to iblow balmily upon my forehead. Her partner was a young man just down from Oxford, they told me; seemingly a simple youth, to whom the whole sentence In conversation was as much a mystery as the binomial theorem; but he danced rather well, and T doubt not that she suffered him for that- I watched her through the waltz, and I hen, after a few words with her father, Iwno promised 10 can upon mc mo next dny concerning White Creek treasure. 1 said "Good night" to hor. Sho gnve Kie a glance which was mora entrancing iS'an any word; and although she had tho habit of looking at a man as though sho was dying for love of him. I carried It away with mo foolishly down the street, . when the dawn had broken with summer haze, and an exalting swootness was In tho air. At Lancaster Gate T paused . a moment, mo-ment, leaning upon tho iron rail of tho ' drive to look back at the London veldt fresh to luxuriance In tho dew showers which gave many colors In the play of sunlight. Thoro was stillness under the trees, and the hum of the still sleeping city was huahed. though day was seeking seek-ing to enter the blind-hid windows, and workmen slouched heavily to their labor. Tho sceno was fresh enough, beautiful ac many of the city's scenes are beautiful: beauti-ful: but I had scarce time to enjoy when . I saw the Oxford, youth who had last danced with Margaret Klein coming striding over the grass; a masterful pipe in his mouth; and a very rough ulster wrapped around his almost vanishing shoulders. Ho gavo mo a cheery nod for greeting, nnd to my surprise he seated himself upon the seat bosldo me; and having offered mo a cigar, which I took, he found tils tongue so readily that I, who had hoard his 'haw-hawing" In tho ballroom, concluded at once that It was assumed and not natural -to him. And In this I was right, us the first exchange of speech with lilm proved. "I've had a sharp run to catch you." said ho, "for this infernal dancing takes It out of you when you're not used to IL I wanted a word with you, particularly particu-larly bofore this thing goes any further. Do you know anything of those people?" "Why," said I, "I might nsk you that question, slnco you made yourself so much at homo there; don't you know them?" "No. I'm hanged If I do," said he "but, if I'm not mistaken. 1 shall bo on very good terms with thent beforo tho season's out. Vou haven't sold them any Jewels, havo you?" This was such an extraordinary question ques-tion that I turned upon him with an angry reply upon my lips"; but tho word changed to one of amazement when 1 saw his faco closely In tho full sunlight sun-light It was no longer the faco of an Oxford boy, but of a man of my own ago. at least. Whew!" I remarked, as I looked full at him, "you've made rather a quick change, haven't you?" "It's the running." he replied, mopping mop-ping himself with a handkerchief, and leaving his countenance like a half-washed half-washed chessboard, "we're in for another anoth-er six-hours' stew, and my phiz is plastic plas-tic I'd better be moving on. lest I meet any of my partners; I might break some hearts, you know; but what I wanted to sav was, don't go making a fool of yourself. your-self. Mr. Sutton, over that little witch with the black eyes, and don't. If you love your life, put yourself for a moment mo-ment In the power of her long-tongued father." This utterly surprising rejoinder was given without a suspicion of concern or bombast. Many people would havo resented re-sented it as an impertinence, and a dishonorable dis-honorable slander upon one whoso hospitality hos-pitality wo had just enjoyed; but 1 not been a dealer in jewels for ten years without learning to recognize instantly tho "professional" tongue; and I knew that I was talking to a man from Scotland Scot-land Yard. Yet I must confess that I laughed inwardly at the ubsurdtty of his fears. Few men had come to London with stronger recommondation thnt Kershaw Ker-shaw Klein, and even tho banks had trusted him implicitly. "Are you sure that you are making no mistake?" I asked, as he buttoned up his coat and looked about for a hansom "You gentlemen have been wo-fully wo-fully out lately. I can't forget that one of vou cautioned mo against Count Hevl-llck Hevl-llck three months ago, and If I'd listened to him I should bo worth five thousand less than I am at this moment. If this man Is what you think, he's managed to blind a good many big people and his own embassy into the. bargain." T-To thought for somo minutes bofore ho answered, me. standing with his hands in his pockets and his cigar pointing upwards up-wards from tho extreme corner of his mouth. Ills reply was given with a pitying pity-ing smile, and was patronizing as arc the replies of men convinced but unablo to convince. "Well," he aald. exhaling tremendous clouds of smoke, "what I know I know; and what I don't know my wits' will find out for me though you don't know it a good many services; but whether you take it or leave it, that's your look out. Only, and this Is my last word, don't come complaining to me if the witch walks off with your goods and don t. write to the Times If her father cracks your skull." He had turned on his heel bofore I could utter another word: and ho left mo to walk slowly and thoughtfully to Bayswator, divided In my mnslng3 between be-tween the vision of the Chilian girl's beauty and tho jewels of mine which sho wore; but for which her father had not paid. I can only set it down to absurd infatuation; but I admit unhesitatingly that I did not very ' much caro ihen . whether the financial part of the business left me lacking the money or possessed oi it. a rasn disregard tor expense is the surest sign that a woman has Interested Inter-ested you; a longing to pay hor milliner's bills Is a necessary instinct to tho disposition dispo-sition for marriage. I was at that time, and in the exhilaration of wlgh that camo of tho power of morning, quite readv to let so perfect a creature remain Indebted to me for anything; and this was natural slnco the spico of a little suspicion Is often the most attractive flavor In a woman's character. But the question of tho treasure of Whlto Creek was another matter altogether. The great diamond was not my own. although It lay at thnt time In my safe in Bond street. It was the property of a syndicate. In which I held a third of the shares; but the others looked lo me for the safe disposal of tho stone, and f.or the profit of ten thousand pounds which we hoped to get bv Its sale. My responsibility, thpn, was no usual one; and the barest suggestion that I was trafficking with a swindler was enough to set mo Itching with anxiety. I went homo In this mood, but not to sleep. A feverish dreaming chiefly of a seductive girl with black-brown waw hair and black eyes that searched and fascinated with an inexplicable spell-served spell-served mc for rest; and at 11 o'clock I was at my office, and tho Chilian was with inc. Ho was a man of fine presence, pres-ence, a long black board falling upon his amplo chest, and a certain refinement ot carriage and hearing giving him a dignity which Is not usual In an American. Ameri-can. The object of his visit was twofold, two-fold, to pay tho bill he owed me. and to tell me that his partner. Herman Ru-discl. Ru-discl. would reach London from Valparaiso Valpa-raiso in a week's time; when ho would bring him to mo to complete tho purchase pur-chase of tho great stone. Ho said further fur-ther that as the season was over ho had taken a place near Basingstoke, the Woodflelds it was named; and that he hoped his daughter, who did not do well in an English climate, would benefit by the wealth of pine trees about tho house. Tie finished by giving mc a refcronco to his London bankers, and also another to ono of tho best-known of the financiers in Lombard street. In due courso I communicated with both firms and received re-ceived answers which set ovcry doubt about the financial position of Kershaw Klein at rc3t The bankers declared that I might trust him unhesitatingly for such a sum as 1 named. Tho other replied that tho colonel's brother was of great standing and position In Chill, and that he himself carried letters which proved his undoubted nrobltv. More cnmnlMo vindication could not he had; and I went home to laugh consumedly at tho gentlemen gen-tlemen who had found such a maro's nest, and lo wonder If my friends would laugh very much If they heard how little I thought at that time of the old pleasantries pleas-antries with which I Jiad onco greeted tho tidings of a marriage. I did not hoar any more of Klein for somo fifteen days, at the end of which time he wrote saying that Herman Ru-dlslc Ru-dlslc was with him at Basingstoke; and that they hoped to call upon me on tho following Friday. Tho march of events was from that time quick. On the Thursday I read in a daily paper of an accident In Berkshire to a Chilian visitor, who had been thrown from his carriage and seriously hurt. Tho account said that his life was despaired of, and that ho was then lying at tho house of his host, the well-known Colonel Kershaw Klein, who had taken Lord Aberly's place, the Wood-fields. Wood-fields. On the Friday morning I received a long letter from the colonel deploring the accident and tho delay, more especially espe-cially because his commission to purchase pur-chase tho stono extended only to tho 10th of August, and it was then 'tho 3rd. Ho hoped, however, that matters would look brighter at tho end of that time; and would bring his partner to London tho moment he could travel. Now, at tho first thought, this Intelligence Intel-ligence set all tho inherent suspicion, which Is a part of me. at work onco more. Suggestions of doubt rose again and again, instantly to bo suppressed. Had I not satisfied myself completely as to tho colonel's standing, his means, his reputation, and his personal char-actor? char-actor? Was he not staying In Lord Aber-ly's Aber-ly's house? Had not he passed most brilliantly through a London season? Woro thoro not twenty members of tho Bachelors' club necking to pay, for tho sake of lls daughter, tho line Imposed upon amorous backsliders? If one were to suspect every man with such credentials creden-tials as these, tho sooner one shut one's door, and locked one's safe for good, tho bettor for all hope of doing business, Of all this I was certain; and had already al-ready come to tho determination to put from my mind suspicion both of tho count and his daughter, when there came to me by tho afternoon dollvory anothor loiter concerning the matter; but this was anonymous, nnd In a hand I did not know. It was a curious scrawl written writ-ten upon a slip of uccount paper, and Us contents were but those words: "You will be asked to Kershaw Klein's houso In three days. I told you tho other morning not to trust yourself with the man; I say now, accept the Invitation." once lost a commission for a railway In Venezuela through a. sandwich but thero. that's another story, and I'll tell It to you over a chop at tho Criterion. I guess I've got an appetite on, and so's Margaret, Mar-garet, eh, llttlo girl?" Ho slapped his chest to signify that a void was there; and wo nil went oft down Plcadllly, returning afterwards for the gem which I had placed In a kat-vclvet case. 1 put 11 Into my Jewel pockol. cunningly cun-ningly contrived In my vest, and with no more delay wo got to Waterloo and to our saloon. Abel traveling second class, by me. "Sho would Ilko to sco the groat stone." "Of courso," I replied; "It will bo a ploasuro to chow It to her." I cannot toll you why it was, but as wo rose together to loavo the room I seemed In a moment to realize that tho affair had come to a crisis. Iu that Instant, In-stant, notwithstanding guarantees, references. refer-ences. Margaret Klein's fascinations, and the hundred argumonts I had often used to convince myself of the folly of suspicion, sus-picion, there came to mc as distinct and clear a warning as though somo hu- This was plainly from my friend of Hyde park; and I confess that his pom-, pous mysterlousness and pretense of knowledge amused me. Even he no longer lon-ger complained of Colonol Klein's reputation, repu-tation, nor advised me now to avoid him. His letter finally quieted my scruples, and from that momont I resolved to dally with them no longer; and to let no silly fears delay tho negotiations, for tho sale of the treasure of White Creek. In this resolution I waited rathor anxiously anx-iously for the coming of Klein and his partner, but three days went, and I saw nothing of them; it being on tho Monday morning at 11 o'clock that the former drove up to Bond street In a single brougham, and came with his daughter Into my private office. He seemed In a great state of distress, saving that Rudl-slc, Rudl-slc, although better, was still unable to set foot to tho ground, and begging me as tho tlmo was so short to tako the great Jewel to Berkshire his houso was just across the lino dividing the county from Hampshire and thero to settle the matter that very day. I heard him mechanically; me-chanically; my eyes glued on the exquisite ex-quisite picture which his daughter made: her gown of white dolalno showing the mature contour of her figure admirably; and her deep-brown hair rolling from the shelter of a great straw hat In silken waves upon her shoulders. If she had fascinated mo. at tho dance, the fascination fascina-tion was intensified there. I would cheerfully cheer-fully havo risked the best parcel of rubles In the place to have had tho pleasure of keeping her in tho office even an hour; and I did not hesitate one moment in accepting ac-cepting Klein's offer. "Come down today." said he, "and bring your man with you In case wo can't do business, and you have to return alone. I don't like mailing with big stun! on mc; you never know who gets wind of it. I suppose you have somebody to take." Even with the girl's eyes upon mo and hor laughing threat to "make mo tramp at tennis awhile," I had a measure of satisfaction in this request, and thought Instantly of Abel. "Yes," said I. with a laugh, "I will bring my own detective. He's down below now." "That's right," said Klein, "and we'll catch the 2;40 from Waterloo. I've ordered or-dered the carriage to meet that, and there's just time for a snack between whiles. Never forgot your food, sir I don't for all the business In Europe. I the bye, and in another compartment. Thero was a woll-turned-out wagonette to meet us when we reached Baslngstoko; and after a drlvo of something under an hour through somo of that glorious plno scenery scen-ery of southern Borkshiro. we entered a short drive edged by thick laurels, and wero shortly at tho gate of tho Wood-Holds. Wood-Holds. Of the exterior of the houso I saw nothing, for, as I descended from lhe wagonette, I chanced to catch the eye of the footman, who had a finger to his Hps; and an exclamation almost broke from my lips. Notwithstanding his disguise I recognized rec-ognized the man In a moment. Ho was tho "Oxford youth" who had given mo a cigar in the park on the morning after tho danco In Grosvcnor Crescent. "Abel," said I, "that footman who drove us from the station must bo ono of tho Scotland Yard lot; what's he doing do-ing in this house?" Abel whistled, and by instinct. I suppose, sup-pose, put his hand upon his pistol pocket. "Have you got your revolver with you, sir?" ho asked. "Of course I have; and I'll take this opportunity to charge the chambers, but I don't believe for a moment thero will be occasion to use It. The man's on a false scent entirely. It's necessary at the same tlmo to act Jike wise men, and not fools; and I must count on you to be near mo while we'ro In the pluce. If there's any knavery afoot, wo shan'; hear of It until the place is asleep; but como hero when I am going lo bed, and then we shall know what to do." I sent him off with this to the servants" serv-ants" quarters, and dressed, though an lndescrlbublo sense of nervousness had taken hold of mc; and I found myself peering into overy cupboard and cranny like an old woman looking for a burglar. The situation was either as dangerous as it could be, or 1 was the victim of farcical fears. Yet the very shadows across the Immense floor, and llxs aureola aure-ola upon the carpet about the dressing table seemed to give gloom to the chamber. cham-ber. So thick woro the walls of the old house thai no sound reached me from the rooms below; and when the gong struck the hour for dinner Its note reverberated as a wave of deadened sound through some curtained chapel or chill vault. What did It mean. I kepi asking myself; tho Illness, was It sham? the man from London, was he on a fool's errand? my visit, was It foolhardy.' I walked Into a trap at the bidding of a nrettv woman? Wore all the guarantees I had received In tho colonel's favor fraudulent or mistaken? I could not think so. Again and again I told myself my-self that the fellow from Scotland Yard was an absurd crank upon a false scent and that ninety jewelers, of a hundred would havo done as I had done, and have brought the stono to Berkshire. And with this thought I took a hotter courage and hastily finished my dressing. dress-ing. I need scarce say that 1 had the Jewel In my pocket when I went to tho drawing room, and that I had already determined that It should not leave me for a moment. I got rid, however, of more of my fears when 1 entered the artistic and homely room where Margaret Mar-garet Klein was waiting: and in the brighter sceno of light and laughter the absurdity of suspicion again occurred to mc. The mcnl was an excellent ono. admirably ad-mirably served; the wine was perfect I sat at my host's right, facing his daughter, who seemed to exert heisolf unusually to fascinate, making .delicate piny with her speaking eyes; and promising prom-ising me all tho possibilities of a Berkshire Berk-shire rest, If I cared to stay with them over tho week. A lean, lank-looking butler served tho colonel and myself with coffee when sho had gone; and after that my host took me to the drawing room, where I found her engaged in the pursuit of trying try-ing over a "coster" song. The colonel suggested business at onco, saying: "I'll leavo you with Margaret while I go up to Hermann and learn If he's well enough lo receive, us; I daro say you can amuso yourselves. I shan t be gone five minutes." When he. was gone she went on playing for some minutes, turning away at last Impatiently from the piano, and facing round with a serious, almost alarmed look. What she meant to say or do I cannot tell, for at that moment the colonel col-onel camo back and told us that his partner part-ner was In tho dressing-room upstairs, and would be glad lo see me at once. "Margaret may como too?" he asked man voice had givon speech to it. The very silence of the others for they said no word, and a curious hesitation seemed to come upon them Impressed the conviction con-viction of the monition. Onco in tho hall, my uneasiness became stronger, for thero at a table was tho footman I had recognized, recog-nized, and as he glanced at me when I passed him his face was knit up as the face of a man thinking; and ho let a. glas3 fall at the very moment wo reached tho stairs. What ho wished to convey I do not know; but although I felt there was danger In leaving the ground floor, another an-other force dragged mc on behind tho colonol. and kept me advancing unhesitatingly unhesi-tatingly until I had readied the end of the long picture gallery with him, and he had knocked upon a door in the eastern wing of tho rambling mansion. What this force was I do not pretend to explain. ex-plain. It may have been merely the influence in-fluence of tho woman; it may have been mv Inherent obstinacy and belief in myself; my-self; or simply lack of conviction which forbade any public expression of tho fears I had fomented. I know only that we waited for somo seconds In the passage until a hospital nurse opened the door, and that I found mysolf at last In a very pretty boudoir, whore a pale and slckly-looklng slckly-looklng man was lying upon a couch, but propped up to gToet us. The formalities of Introduction wcro accomplished by the colonel with great suavity and grace; and the nurso having set chalrs.at the side of tho sick man's couch, and placed a table there, she withdrew, and we wore ready for the business. That you would understand what happened hap-pened In the next few minutes It Is necessary ne-cessary for mc to say a word upon the construction or the boudoir. It was a room hung in pink silk and white, and It l;ad two doors In It, giving off to other rooms, whose size I could not see since they were In darkness. For light, we had a lamp with a whlto shade upon the Invalid's table, and two others upon the mantel shelf; while wo wore seated in fashion that allayed any fears I might have had of personal and sudden attack. Tho colonel col-onel lounged In nn American rocking-chair, rocking-chair, he being nearest to the head of the couch; his daughlor loaned back against a buhlwork cabinet, she being a little way from the sick man's feet; I had a libra li-bra ry-chairf'nnd was alone In an attitude which would allow me to spring to my defence if necessary without delay. I looked, too. at Hermann Rudlslc, the colonel's col-onel's nartner. and 1 confess that con tempt for his physical powers was my first thought. I was convinced that if It wero a question of fight, I could hold the two men till Abol, who was In the servants' serv-ants' hall, came to my assistance; and while tho others wore present I hud no fears of those machinations which are chiefly the property of Imaginative fiction-makers. fiction-makers. This knowledge gave to mo my nerve again, and without moro ado I took the" case from my pocket and showed the stone. The vision of the glorious gem, rlpllng on Its surface with a myriad lights, white, and golden, and many-colored. In the play of radiating fire, was one that compelled com-pelled the silence of amazed admiration for many minutes. Margaret Klein Bpoke. her face bent to the diamond so that Its waves of color scorned to float up to her ravished eyes; and with a little cry wrung from her satisfaction she said "Oh, Mr. Sutton, It's too beautiful to look At!" "farn glad that it docs not disappoint," said I. "It would disappoint no one," the invalid' in-valid' said, stretching out a hand which trembled to draw the treasure closer to his eyes. "It's the whitest stone I've seen for three years," the colonel remarked coolly, and then, as with a new thought, he added: "I believe it's whiter than tho Brazilian Bra-zilian stone In my old ring. I should like to compare them, If you'll let racT Tho other stuff Is In my drcsslnpr room thero; Margaret, will you get It?'' He gave her his keys, and taking j; lamp from tho shelf, sho passed Into the chamber, which was behind mc. In the same moment Rudlslc asked his host to prop him up higher upon the couch, and tho colonel had Just begun to place the pillows when I heard Margaret's voice crying: "Father, I can't open the drawer; it's stuck; do come and help." It was an act of consummate folly that I concede you; but I was so completely com-pletely unaware, cf. jiny jUjisjoX Itickorji hero, and had so forgotten my fears ' that. I found It tho most natural thing n the world to step Into tho room, and to enjoy helping tno girl In her difficulty. diffi-culty. I discovered her beforo an open door the door of a wardrobe I thought it was for a moment, but I saw at tho second look that It gave uccoss to a tiny chamber, whereof the walls were nil drawers. Margaret Klein herself stood within this curiously fashioned safe, built as part of the homc and was still struggling with the rurractory drawer; so that I had no hesitation nor, indeed, thought suspiciously in going go-ing to her side. She laughed slyly as we stood in the semi-dark together, and my hand falling by chance on hers, shu pressoil It, and put her face very close, to mine so close, that to have resisted kissing her would have been a crime for wnich a man would have repented until his last day. I cannot tell accurately accu-rately how long 1 held hor In a pa-sslon-ato embrace, feeling her Hps glued upon my own; but suddenly sho pushed me from hor with a surprising strength of arm, and beforo I could regain my balance bal-ance sho had sprung into the room, and the door of the small chamber In which I wu3 left swung to with a clang, striking strik-ing mo backwards as it pressed upon mo, nnd corning nigh to stunning me. So thick was this door, so impenetrable, that Its closing was succeeded by the stlllnoHs of vault or catacomb. 1 had scarce realized the wholo trick, or the predicament predica-ment sheer folly had placed mo In whan , I was plunged into tho abyss of uttor darkness, shut as It wore Into Tho coffin that had been prepared for me. A frightful fright-ful panic, a hideous torror. an indescribable indescriba-ble anger, camo upon mc from tho very first moment of that fearrul trial. For some minutes the first minutes of Imprisonment Im-prisonment in a room wliero I could stand my height with difficulty, but whoso iron oldos my elbows touched as I turned I think my reason must have boon paralyzed. par-alyzed. Rage, shame of my folly, yet. above all. unsurpassable fear, drove mo to beat with my fists upon the door, which gave mo back tho touch of solid stool; to cry out aloud as a man In the throes of painful death; to ' grind my teeth until pain shot Into my brain; to forget, in fact. That I was from that tlmo helpless, and that others alone could give to me life. When the first great terror had passed and a mental struggle had loft mo with somo sonso. I leaned against tho steel door and thought, again of my fate. I had llttlo Boloncc. yet I knew that the hours of any man, shut In an air-tight chamber such as that room of steel was, could be fow. 1 had heard that asphyxiation asphyxia-tion was a peaceful death, and think I could have had courage to faco it if a llttlo light had been given mo. But I was In utter weighty darkness; I could not even seo that dull red light as of ono's own soul shining, which may come In the gentler dark night. There was only upon me that senso of Impenetrable blackness, the grim feeling that I had como to my coffin, had slept in it. and arisen lo this unspeakable terror. My whole being then seemed to cry aloud for sight, one moment mo-ment In which living light should again shine upon me. A groat craving for air; a sonsc of terrible effort iu the lungs, a rushing of blood to the head these things succeeded, and as I suffered them fi;ishes of thought camo and passed, hope extended extend-ed a hand to me, process of reasoning told me that I should bo saved, only lo convince con-vince me the more that I should die. If I could have reasoned sanely I should have seen that my best hope was all bound up In Abol and tho detective In tho house. Klein, and tho Invalid, and tho girl they had been gone long since, unless others had put hands upon them. My own servant, I knew, would seek for me first; but even If he came to the safe, how would he open It, how cut through these inches of steel beforo death had ended it all? It was even possible that tho door of the strong room was a concealed door ami. so afterwards I proved it to be. In that ease, how would they know even of my necessity? Those torturing reflections threw at last a glimmer of ne-cossary ne-cossary activity upon my despair. I raised my voice, though I had then thc.strangcst sensation In my veins, and my heart was pumping audibly, and?ii I uhoutcd with all mylO thought that I hoard J door, some sound frorrtf yet when I cried loudai" upon thf stiel there w&ji malned unheeded; rriw failed me; I could cryjfc gan to sink almost Into, How long this corrin1' toll. I was nroused fro cour, dream of waltihT knocking upon some 'vii ; with a new strength! and beat ngaln on thoflf; I knew that I was ni sound of the blows gro! passing away and llfojl noar again, seemed to. I hen was my Hiipromoiii yet one giving an 4JT. brought me hr toA Recoiling from the doV without grew falnter.Mif against the iron wait; which I had forgotten fiosh. Regardless of a sequence, of tho path o efToct upon mo or th fired three rounds fron?' tho room and Instanti the densest smoke. Th& noss took me; n,nd I re? fell forward into a w; there slept. w "The joke, was, scow! Sutton, that Abel su that tho butler gave h.7 as insensibly drunk asfr stago chloroform. I kJ.1 the butler was the o'j while I never thougW mischief In the roojl meant to work afterJP In tho grounds c.lapJ on the lank chap up b and ho had the dIamo "And the colonol am", tho Invalid?" I asked tho bed of an uppow Woodfields, on tho fooi old friend, the dotocth,? "Got clear away byi we'd nevor heard of, tr? a passage to tho low knocked old Jimmy, tlji on the head by the Hp:"! loft him was a bump air, Tho girl must haver, you. One of my mena? she jumped Into a ft throw the keys In fJ brought thorn hero. I this room, and should copt for the ring otJr the last Lord Aborly-J famous collection of rwi and that lag Klein o;jm and leased tho placeyL account." "How do you knov swindler?" Jjff "I hoard of him lrf I was there last wlnt for the groat mall robJS A clever scoundrel. tcS of folk byj forged lottj? and tho banks by I with them. Ho musti pile; but I don't doj here from America your diamonds. Ho mine months ago. about tho WliI to Cnjp must havo known thaj supposed brother, andjl Valparaiso, was awif Pacific; and so holfi traded on his undoutl lion. A clover forger? of them nearly as shI for you that one of tl heard of a mysterious j lng-room. and led mejSl to tap tho walls. Yo for. and though youjSf been In bed protty wj "An'd tho man's dij; a llttlo anxiously, IX, "His daughter!" hf. she's his wife! andju' of them yet." tfeji But ho never did, butler Is our gucst;! (Next week: "Th" -f. |
