The Argosy — page 82: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Diamond Bracetet. 69 agitation at being brought face to face witha police-officer,” urged Lady Sarah. ‘My lady,” he returned, ‘‘we are keen, experienced men; and we should not be fit for the office we hold if we were not. We generally do find lady witnesses betray uneasiness when first exposed to our questions, but in a very short time, often in a few moments, it wears off, and they grow gradually easy. It was not so with Miss Seaton. Her agitation, excessive at first, increased visibly, and it ended as you saw. I did not think it the agitation of guilt, but I did think it that of conscious fear. And look at the related facts: that she laid the brace- lets there, never left them, no one came in, and yet the most valuable one vanished. We have many extraordinary tales brought before us, but not quite so extraordinary as that.” The colonel nodded approbation. Lady Sarah began to feel uncom- fortable. “T should like to know whether anyone called whilst you were at dinner,” mused the officer. ‘“‘Can I see the man who attends to the hall door ?” ‘Thomas attends to that,” said the colonel, ringing the bell. “‘ There is a side door, but that is only for the servants and tradespeople.” ‘T heard Thomas say that Sir George Danvers called while we were at dinner,” observed Lady Sarah. “No one else. And Sir George did _ not go upstairs.” The detective smiled. “If he had, my lady, it would have made the case no clearer.” “No,” laughed Lady Sarah, ‘‘ poor old Sir George would be puzzled what to do with a diamond bracelet.” “Will you tell me,” said the officer, wheeling sharply round upon ‘Thomas when he entered, ‘‘ who it was that called here yesterday even- ing, while your master was at dinner? I do not mean Sir George Danvers; the other one.” | Thomas visibly hesitated: and that was sufficient for the lynx-eyed officer. ‘‘ Nobody called but Sir George, sir,” he presently said. _ The detective stood before the man, staring him full in the face with a look of amusement. “ Think again, my man,” quoth he. ‘Take your time. There was some one else.” The colonel fell into an explosion: reproaching the unfortunate Thomas with having eaten his bread for five years, to turn round upon the house and its master at last, and act the part of a deceitful, conniv- ing wretch, and let in that swindler § _“ He is not a swindler, sir,” interrupted Thomas. | ‘Oh no, nota swindler,” roared the colonel ; ‘‘ he only steals diamond bracelets.” ‘No more than I steal ’em sir,” a®ain spoke Thomas. ‘‘ He’s not capable, sir. If was Mr. Gerard.” GOMLGD OO Ss CO) mn