house. The household termed it a mys- row of houses. The officer seemed to take tery; he, a scandalous robbery: and he in the points of the double-room at a had written forthwith to the nearest chief glance; its door of communication, its police station, demanding that an officer two doors opening to the corridor outside, might be dispatched back with the mes- and its windows. He looked at the senger, to investigate it. So there he was, latches of the two entrance-doors, and he waiting for their return in impatient ex- leaned from the front-windows, and he pectation, and occasionally halting before leaned from the one at the back. He next the window, to look out on the busy Lon- requested to see Miss Seaton, and Lady don world, Sarah fetched her a delicate girl with a The officer at length came, and was in-transparent skin, looking almost too weak troduced. The Colonel's wife, Lady Sarah, to walk. She was in a visible tremor, had joined him then; and they proceeded and shook as she stood before the to give him the outline of the case. A stranger. valuable diamond bracelet, recently presented to Lady Sarah by her husband, had disappeared in a singular manner. Miss Seaton, the companion to Lady Sarah, had temporary charge of the jewel-box, and had brought it down the previous evening, Thursday, this being Friday, to the back drawing-room, and laid several pairs of bracelets out on a table, ready for Lady Sarah, who was going to the opera, to choose which she would wear when she came up from dinner. Lady Sarah chose a pair, and put, herself, the rest back into the box, which Miss Seaton then locked, and carried to its place up-stairs. In the few minutes that the bracelets lay on the table, the most valuable one, a diamond, disappeared from it. "I did not want this to be officially investigated; at least, not so quickly," observed Lady Sarah to the officer. "The Colonel wrote for you quite against my wish." "And so have let the thief get clear off, and put up with the loss !" cried the Colonel. "Very fine, my lady." "You see," added her ladyship, explaining to the officer, "Miss Seaton is a young lady of good family, not a common companion; a friend of mine, I may say. She is of feeble constitution, and this affair has so completely upset her, that I fear she will be laid on a sick-bed." He was a man of pleasant manners and speech, and he hastened to reässure her. "There's nothing to be afraid of, young lady," said he, with a broad smile. "I am not an ogre, though I do believe some timid folks look upon us as such. Just please to compose yourself, and tell me as much as you can recollect of this." "I put the bracelets out here," began Alice Seaton, laying hold of the table underneath the window, not more to indicate it than to steady herself, for she was almost incapable of standing. "The diamond bracelet, the one lost, I placed here," she added, touching the middle of the table at the back, "and the rest I laid out round, and before it." "It was worth more than any of the others, I believe," interrupted the official. "Much more," growled the Colonel. The officer nodded to himself, and Alice resumed: "I left the bracelets, and went and sat down at one of the front-windows "With the intervening doors open, I presume ?" "Wide open, as they are now," said Alice, "and the other two doors shut. Lady Sarah came up from dinner almost directly, and then the bracelet was not there." "Indeed! You are quite certain of that." "It won't be my fault if she is," retort- "I am quite certain," interposed Lady ed the Colonel. "The loss of a diamond | Sarah. "I looked for that bracelet, and, bracelet, worth two or three hundred not seeing it, I supposed Miss Seaton had guineas, is not to be hushed up. They are not laid it out. I put on the pair I wishnot to be bought every day, Lady Sarah." ed to wear, and placed the others in the The officer was taken to the room box, and saw Miss Seaton lock it." whence the bracelet disappeared. It presented nothing peculiar. It was a back drawing-room, the folding-doors between it and the front-room standing open, and the back-window, a large one, looking out upon some flat leads-as did all the "Then you did not miss the bracelet at that time ?" questioned the officer. "I did not miss it in one sense, because I did not know it had been put out,” returned her ladyship. "I saw it was not there." "But did you not miss it ?" he asked of Miss Seaton. "I only reached the table as Lady Sarah was closing the lid of the box," she answered. 66 Lady Frances Chenevix had detained me in the front-room." "My sister," explained Lady Sarah. She is on a visit to me, and had come with me up from dinner." "You say you went and sat in the frontroom," "resumed the officer to Alice, in a quicker tone than he had used previously: 66 will you show me where ?" Alice did not stir, she only turned her head towards the front-room, and pointed to a chair a little drawn away from the window. "In that chair," she said. "It stood as it stands now." The officer looked baffled. "You must have had the back-room full in view from thence; both the door and window." 66 Quite so," replied Alice. "If you will sit down in it, you will perceive that I had uninterrupted view, and faced the doors of both rooms." "I perceive so from here. And you saw no one enter ?" "No one did enter. It was impossible they could do so, without my observing it. Had either of the doors been only quietly unlatched, I must have seen." "And yet the bracelet vanished!" interposed Colonel Hope. "They must have been confounded deep, whoever did it, but thieves are said to possess sleight of hand." "They are clever enough for it, some of them," observed the officer. cr Rascally villains! I should like to know how they accomplished this." "So should I," significantly returned the officer. "At present it appears to me incomprehensible." There was a pause. The officer seemed to muse; and Alice, happening to look up, saw his eyes stealthily studying her face. It did not tend to reassure her. "Your servants are trustworthy; they have lived with you some time?" resumed the officer, not apparently attaching much importance to what the answer might be. Were they all escaped convicts, I don't see that it would throw light on this," retorted Colonel Hope. "If they came into the room to steal the bracelet, Miss Seaton must have seen them." "From the time you put out the bracelets, to that of the ladies coming up from dinner, how long was it ?" inquired the officer of Alice. "I scarely know," panted she, for, what with his close looks and his close questions, she was growing less able to answer. "I did not take particular notice of the elapse of time: I was not well yesterday evening." "Was it half an hour?" "Yes-I dare say-nearly so." "Miss Seaton," he continued in a brisk tone, “will you have any objection to take an oath before a magistrate-in private, you know-that no person whatever, except yourself, entered either of these rooms during that period ?" Had she been requested to go before a magistrate and testify that she, herself, was the guilty person, it could scarcely have affected her more. Her cheek grew white, her lips parted, and her eyes assumed a beseeching look of terror. Lady Sarah Hope hastily pushed a chair behind her, and drew her down upon it. "Really, Alice, you are very foolish to allow yourself to be excited about nothing," she remonstrated: "you would have fallen on the floor in another minute. What harm is there in taking an oathand in a private room? You are not a Chartist or a Mormon-or whatever the people call themselves, who profess to object to oaths, on principle." The officer's eyes were still keenly fixed on Alice Seaton's, and she cowered visibly beneath his gaze. "Will you assure me, on your sacred word, that no person did enter the room?" he repeated, in a low, firm tone; which somehow carried to her the terrible belief that he believed she was trifling with him. She looked at him; gasped, and looked again; and then she raised her handkerchief in her hand, and wiped her damp and ashy face. "I think some one did come in,” whispered the officer in her ear; "try and recollect," And Alice fell back in hysterics. Lady Sarah led her from the room, herself speedily returning to it. "You see how weak and nervous Miss Seaton is," was her remark to the officer, but glancing at her husband. "She has been an invalid for years, and is not strong like other people. I felt sure we should have a scene of some kind, and that is why I wished the investigation not to be gone into hurriedly. "Don't you think there are good grounds for an investigation, sir ?" testily asked Colonel Hope of the officer. "I must confess I do think so, Colonel," was the reply. "Of course: you hear, my lady. The difficulty is, how can we obtain the first clue to the mystery." be aware that in an investigation of this nature, we are compelled to put questions which we do not expect to be answered in the affirmative. Colonel Hope will understand what I mean, when I say that we call them 'feelers.' I did not expect to hear that Miss Seaton had been on fa "I do not suppose there will be an in-miliar terms with your servants, (though superable difficulty," observed the officer. "I believe I have obtained one." "You are a clever fellow, then, cried the Colonel, "if you have obtained it here. What is it ?" “Will Lady Sarah allow me to mention it-whatever it may be-without taking offense ?" continued the officer, looking at her ladyship. She bowed her head, wondering much. "What's the good of standing upon ceremony?" peevishly put in Colonel Hope. Her ladyship will be as glad as we shall be, to get back her bracelet; more glad, one would think. A clue to the thief! Who can it have been ?" The detective smiled. When men are as high in the police force as he, they have learned to give every word its due significance. "I did not say a clue to the thief, Colonel: I said a clue to the mystery." "Where's the difference ?" "Pardon me, it is indisputably perceptible. That the bracelet is gone, is a palpable fact: but by whose hands it went, is as yet a mystery." "What do you suspect ?" "I suspect," returned the officer, lowering his voice, "that Miss Seaton knows how it went." There was a silence of surprise; on Lady Sarah's part, of indignation. "Is it possible that you suspect her?" uttered Colonel Hope. "No," said the officer, "I do not suspect herself: she appears not to be a suspicious person in any way: but I believe she knows who the delinquent is, and that fear, or some other motive, keeps her silent. Is she on familiar terms with any of the servants ?" 66 But you can not know what you are saying!" interrupted Lady Sarah. "Familiar with the servants! Miss Seaton is a gentlewoman, and has always moved in high society. Her family is little inferior to mine; and better-better than the Colonel's," concluded her ladyship, determined to speak out. "Madam," said the officer, "you must it might have been ;) but that question, being disposed of, will lead me to another. I suspect that some one did enter the room and make free with the bracelet, and that Miss Seaton must have been cognizant of it. If a common thief, or an absolute stranger, she would have been the first to give the alarm: if not on too familiar terms with the servants, she would be as little likely to screen them. So we come to the question-who could it have been?" "May I inquire why you suspect Miss Seaton ?" coldly demanded Lady Sarah. Entirely from her manner; from the agitation she displays." 66 "Most young ladies, particularly in our class of life, would betray agitation at being brought face to face with a 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 bracelets 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 uncomfortable. "I should like to know whether any one 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 sidedoor, but that is only for the servants and trades-people." "I 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 up-stairs." 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 evening, 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, conniving wretch, and let in that swindler "He is not a swindler, sir," interrupted Thomas. "Oh! no, not a swindler," roared the Colonel, "he only steals diamond bracelets." "No more than I steal 'em, sir," again spoke Thomas. "He's not capable, sir. It was Mr. Gerard." The Colonel was struck speechless: his rage vanished, and down he sat in a chair, staring at Thomas. Lady Sarah colored with surprise. "Now, my man," cried the officer, "why could you not have said it was Mr. Gerard ?" "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 curiosity 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 the rebellious Mr. Gerard Hope." Alice was prepared for this, for Thomas had told her Mr. Gerard's visit was known; and she was not so agitated as before. It was the fear of its being found out, the having to conceal it, which had troubled her. "It is not possible that Gerard can have taken the bracelet," uttered 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 at the door, and he ran up.” "I 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." "I 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 ?" "I can not say I did. I followed him from the room when he left, and then I went into the front-room, so that I had no opportunity of observing." "The doubt is solved," was the mental comment of the detective officer. The Colonel, hot and hasty, sent several servants various ways in search of Gerard Hope, and he was speedily found and brought. A tall and powerful young man, very good-looking. "Take him into custody, officer," was the Colonel's impetuous command. "Hands off, Mr. Officer-if you are an officer," cried Gerard, in the first shock | officer," cried the exasperated Colonel, of the surprise, as he glanced at the gen-" and I'll come with you and prefer the tlemanly appearance of the other, who charge. He scoffs at it, does he ?" wore plain clothes, "you shall not touch me, unless you can show legal authority. This is a shameful trick. Colonel- -excuse me-but as I owe nothing to you, I do not see that you have any such power over me.' The group would have made a fine study: especially Gerard, his head thrown back in defiance, and looking angrily at every body. "Did you hear me ?" cried the Colonel. "I must do my duty," said the policeofficer, approaching Gerard. "And for authority-you need not suppose I should act, if without it." "Allow me to understand first," remarked Gerard, haughtily eluding the of ficer. "Which is it for? What is the sum total ?" "Yes, that I do," answered Gerard; "for whatever pit-falls I may have got into, in the way of carelessness, I have not gone into crime." "You are accused, sir," said the officer, "of stealing a diamond bracelet.” "Hey!" uttered Gerard, a flash of intelligence rising to his face, as he glanced at Alice. "I might have guessed it was the bracelet affair, if I had had my recollection about me." "Oh! ho," triumphed the Colonel, in sneering jocularity," so you expected it was the bracelet, did you? We shall have it all out presently." "I heard of the bracelet's disappearance," said Mr. Hope. "I met Miss Seaton when she was out this morning, and she told me it was gone." "Better make no admissions," whispered the officer in his ear. "They may be used against you." "Two hundred and fifty pounds," growled the Colonel. "But if you are thinking to compromise it in that way, young sir, you will find yourself mistaken." "Whatever admissions I may make, "Oh! no fear," retorted Gerard; "I you are at liberty to use them, for they have not two hundred and fifty pence. are truth," haughtily returned Gerard. Let me see: it must be Dobbs's. A hun-"Is it possible that you do suspect me of dred and sixty-how on earth do they taking the bracelet, or is this a joke?" slide the expenses up? I did it, sir, to oblige a friend." "Allow me to explain," panted Alice, stepping forward. "I-I-did not accuse "The deuce you did!" echoed the Co-you, Mr. Hope; I would not have menlonel, who but little understood the speech, except the last sentence. "If ever I saw such a cool villain in all my experience !" "He was awfully hard up," went on Gerard," as bad as I am now; and I did it. I don't deny having done such things on my own account, but from this particular one I did not benefit a shilling." His cool assurance, and his words, struck them with consternation. "Dobbs said he'd take care I should be put to no inconvenience-and this comes of it! That's trusting your friends. He vowed to me, this very week, that he had provided for the bill." "He thinks it is only an affair of debt!" screamed Lady Frances Chenevix. "O Gerard! what a relief! we thought you were confessing." "You are not arrested for debt, sir," cried the officer, "but for felony." "For felony!" uttered Gerard Hope. "Oh! indeed! Could you not make it murder?" he added, sarcastically. "Off with him to Marlborough street, tioned your name in connection with it, because I am sure you are innocent; but when it was discovered that you had been here, I could not deny it." "The charging me with having taken it is absurdly preposterous," exclaimed Gerard, looking first at his uncle, and then at the officer. "Who accuses me ?" "I do," said the Colonel. "Then I am very sorry it is not somebody else, instead of you, sir.” "Explain. Why ?" "Because they should get a kindly horsewhipping." Gerard," interrupted Lady Sarah, "do not treat it in that light way. If you did take it, say so, and you shall be forgiven. I am sure you must have been put to it terribly hard; only confess it, and the matter shall be hushed up." "No it shan't, my lady," cried the Colonel. "I will not have him encouraged-I mean, felony compounded." "It shall," returned Lady Sarah, "it shall indeed. The bracelet was mine, and I have a right to do as I please. Believe |