The Argosy — page 83: what you’re looking at

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70 The Diamond Bracelet. 5 The colonel was struck speechless: his rage vanished, and down he ~ sat in a chair, staring at Thomas. Lady Sarah coloured with surprise. “ Now, my man,” cried the officer, ‘why could you not have said it was Mr. Gerard ?” ug “Because Mr. Gerard asked me not to say he had been, sir ; he is not friendly here, just now; and I promised him I would not. And I’m sorry to have had to break my word.” ‘““Who is Mr. Gerard, pray?” ‘‘ He is my nephew,” interposed the checkmated colonel. “ Gerard Hope.” | ‘But, as Thomas says, he is no swindler,” remarked Lady Sarah: ‘“‘he is not the thief. You may go, Thomas.” ‘* No; sir,” stormed the colonel; ‘‘ fetch Miss Seaton here first. I'll come to the bottom of this. If he has done it, Lady Sarah, I will bring him to trial ; though he is Gerard Hope.” Alice came back, leaning on the arm of Lady Francis Chenevix ; the latter having been dying with cunpaity to come in before. ‘“‘So the mystery is out, ma’am,” began the colonel to Miss Seaton : “it appears this gentleman was right, and that somebody did come in. And that somebody was the rebellious Mr. Gerard Hope.” Alice was prepared for this, for Thomas had told her Mr. Geiard’s visit was known ; and she was not so agitated as before. It was the fear of its being coand out, the having to conceal it, which had troubled her. ‘It is not possible that Gerard can have taken the bracelet,” said Lady Sarah. “No, it is not possible,” replied Alice. ‘‘And that is why I was unwilling to mention his having come up.” “What did he come for?” thundered the colonel. ‘“‘It was not an intentional visit. I believe he only followed the impulse of the moment. He saw me at the front window ; and Thomas, it appears, was standing at the door. He ran across, and came up.” ‘‘T think you might have said so, Alice,” observed Lady Sarah, in a stiff tone. : ‘Knowing he had been forbidden the house, I did not wish to bring him under the colonel’s displeasure,” was all the excuse Alice could offer. ‘‘It was not my place to inform against him.” 7 “IT presume he approached sufficiently near the bracelets to touch them, had he wished?” observed the officer, who of course had now made up his mind upon the business—and upon the thief. ‘‘Y—es,” returned Alice, wishing she could have said No. ‘‘ Did you notice the bracelet there, after he was gone?” “T cannot say I did. I followed him from the room when he left, and then I went into the front rdom, so that I had no ape of observing the bracelets.” - - Gomicbooks.co