LADY WHITTINGHAM'S DIAMONDS.

Bush Advocate, Volume IX, Issue 811, 29 July 1893, Page 6

LADY WHITTINGHAM'S DIAMONDS.

Quite a large orowd had gathered outside one of the houseß in Groavenor place. And in spite of the cold wind and rainy weather it watched with considerable interest the | wealth of beauty and fashion aa it alighted from all manner of carriages and hurried up the covered steps towards the light and warmth within. It was Mrs Wynton'a first dance of the season; and sinoe her dances were muoh, thought of, and her invitations sought alter, they were always immense suoceesos. Somewhat late in arriving were Lord 'and Lady Whittingham, who were apartioularly interesting couple just at this time. Lord "Whittingham, a man of immense wealth, with estates in three counties and a moor in Scotland, had somewhat aHtonishod the world by marrying a lady of whom nobody had ever heard. It was quite a romantio affair. Ho had known her long before he came into his possessions ; had made her an offer whioh she aooepted, but whiohhor father peremptorily refused, because, it was said, he had in view a more wealthy suitor. When Lord Whittingham asked again, however, with all the jrlory of his wealth to baak him up, the father said " Yes" with con--1 siderable alacrity. Lord and Lady Whittingham had been abroad since their wedding some six months ago, and to-night was one of their tirst appearances in London. As many people had never Been Lady Whittinghani, thov were anxious to know her and judge for themselves if the reports of her beauty were oorrect or greatly exaggerated. Of oouree when she was seen opinions varied. The ladies who had passed the envious age, and the men, came to the conclusion that report had been too faint in her praise. The ladies who now considered themselves the beauties and leaders of fashion thought that rumor had been too kind, and found many faults with Lady Whittingham. Judged without prejudice, there is little doubt that she waa the mosi, attractive woman in Mrs Wynton's rooms that evening. Dark, tall, stately, with grace befitting a, Queen, she was a woman boru to be admired; yet so simple and charming withal that for every one, no matter what their temperament, she had a charm. She wore little jewellery beyond a very handsome diamond bracelet, one of her husband's wedding gi«s. • Lord Whittingham was standing in a corner of one of the rooms talking to two_ or three friends who were congratulating him, when a servant entered and handed him a card. " John Jefferson !" he muttered, glancing at it. "Don't know him — never heard of him. Where is he 1" he asked, " In the library, my Lord ." " I will come. You'll excuse me for a moment," he said, turning to his companions. In the library he found an' unknown man in evening dress. '•Lord Whittingham, I presume?" the stranger said," advancing. •' That is my name." The other smiled and shrugged his shoulders slightly. " You do not know mo. Ofcourso. lam a detective. The faot is, my Lord, we havo every reason to believe that a certain bracelet that Lady Whittingham is wearing to-night — your gift to her, I believe— will be stolen." " Stolen !" " Yes. Perhaps your Lordship is unaware that several robberies of a daring description have been committed within the past year in London drawing-room. You see, there are men who obtain invitatious almost every, where, nobody knowing much about them ; but the mere faot of their being met in good Society places them above suspicion." " I havo heard so, but hatdly believed it,'' replied Lord Whiltiughnui. "We have information whioh leads us to suppose that the game will be tried in this house to-night." "lam very much obliged to you for the information. I will at once inform Lady Whittingham, and get her to remove the ornament." "No, my Lord, that is hardly what I want. lam here from Scotland Yard to capture the thief, and your plan would only frustrate him. Here is a common, but, I believe, exact, imitation of the bracelet in question. Do you think you would easily be able to tell the difference." From his pooket he produced a jewel-case containing so exact a copy of the braoelet that Lord Whittinghivm was astonished. Every stone waa represented, and ao artfully was the imitation carried out that an ordinary individual would not have been able, at a glance, to tell it from the original. "It is wonderful ! " exclaimed Lord Whittingham. "How and where could such a copy betaken?'' " The copy is easy enough. To make the sham look real is tho hard part." " Well, what do you want me to do?" " Jußt this," said Mr Jefferson. "Let me be an old and particular iris nd of yours for to-night. Introduce me to your wife as suoh. I can expreps admiration of the braoelet she is wearing. I oao ask to see it, and change it for thip, transferring' the genuine one to this case. This will save the brace lot should I fail to catch the thief. Then my task is easy. I havo simply to. watoh until the sham ono is taken. The real ono in the case I will hand over to you." " But Lady Whittingham may notice the change." " I think not. You could, perhaps, attract her attention at the moment she hands me the bracelet. It will muko the deception easier.'' Lord WhittinsViam promised to do so, and suggested that they should at once go in search of his wife. "It is best to lose no lime. By the way, what shall I call you ? " " Anything ; Duncan, it you like — Richard Duncan. You buve no friend of that name who has already bee-n introduced to Lady ■\VhittinKhamf " "No." They went to tho ballronru together in conversation. They found Lady Whittingham sitting in the conservatory with one of her partners, and even in that dim light the magnificent jewels on her arm flashed and sparkled. Lord Whittingham advanced with his companion. " Luoy." he said, '• I want to introduce a very old frindof mine, llr Duncan — Richard, my wife." Mr Duncan bowed, and took the seat vacated by Lady W'hittingham'n partner. "I am charmed to make you acquaintance," he said. " Lord Whittingham find I are such old friends that I hope you will not look upon mo hh v stranger." And he went on : "It Becros stranuo his being married. We had beyuu to look upon him aa a confirmed bachelor, you know." Lord Whittinprham emiled at the ease with whioh the doteotive apolto, and said : " Ah, 1 kept my seoret well, you see !" Fortunately, ua Lord YVhittinghum thought, Lady Whittingham xaß disengaged for tho next dance, so they remained in the conservatory talking. " Will you pardon an impertinence ?" Duncan said, presently ; "but what a masnificent bracelet you aro wearing !" Lady Whittinghiun hold up her arm. " Yes, isn't it lovely ? Ono of my hua. band'B presents." " I hope you admire my taste," said Lord Whitciniehnm. " Look at it." Lady Whittiugham unc.lapeed it from her arm and gave it to Duncan. At the same moment hor huxbnud calli'd her attention to a couple dauciuKi and Duncin alinped tho bracelet behind him. Whou Lady Whittingham turned round again hi> was holding it in bis hand, turning it this way and that to let the liuht fall upon it. " Very handnome !" he said, handing it baok. " Allow me," »nd he clasped it upon her arm, telling Lord Whittiupham by a glance that theexohnnsre hnd been made. Presently Lady Whittingham was claimed by another partner, and her husband and the' detective were left alone. " Have you dono it ? " " Yes." " The imitation is wonderful. I noticed it

upon her arm, and I do not think she will discover the deception." • ' No, I think not. And now I will leave you and watoh. By this time the rooms were full. Charm- ' ing dresses, charming faces, and merry laughter Even Mrs Wynton had expelled herself. The pretty little hostess was übiquitous. Not a dull momenc was allowed. [ Lady Whittingham was an attraction tonight ; and she rose to the occasion well, dancing unceasingly, and never seeming tired. Had she enjoyed herself less she might have had leisure to notice how her husband's friend, Richard Duncan, followed her about. He was always close at hand when she sat down with her partner. When she was danoing he stood watching her. One or two other people noticed it. Suddenly he became restless and more on the alert than ever. Lady Whittington had begun to waits with a man who had, not danced much during the evening. He was a good dancer, and he and his partner sailed round the room talking pleasantly. Lord Whittingham had just then approaohed the detective, and understood at once the oauso of his excitement. "Is that the man ?" "Yes," Unopnsoious of the fata awaiting him, Lady Whittingham's partner danced en ; and as they passed Lord Whittingham noticed tnat the bracelet no longer sparkled on his wife's arm. It was gone. The robbery must have been very skilfully performed. As they approaohed the deteotive stepped forward and stopped them. " Your braoelet, Lady Whittingham Vhe said. She looked at her arm. "Gone!" Her partner changed color. "I must trouble you, Sir, to come with me," he went on, turning to the man. "'Sou had better come quietly, for it will be no good to make a noise. I saw you take the bracelet from this lady's arm, and I may tell you that you have fallen into a trap. The jewel you have in your pooket is a dummy." The man did not answer. Ho shrugged his shoulders slightly, and walked across the room with the detective. "Don't be alarmed, Lucy," whispered 1 Lord Whittingham. " I know all about it. I am in the plot to catoh this scoundrel." Here he went after the deteotive. '■' He found him in the hall with his prisoner, who looked dejeoted enough. " You will hear from us in the morning," eaid the deteotive. " Here is the real braoelet ; and I would ad vise that Lady Whittingham do not wear it again to-night. This gentleman may be ono of a gang." And he opened the case, disoloaing the bracelet lying in its plush bed. Lord Whittingham took it, closed the oase, and put it in his pocket. " A olever capture, Mr Jefferson. Good night." The detective and his prisoner got into a cab which had been called for them and drove away. Such a daring robbery oould not long remain a secret, and before an hour had elapsed everybody in Mrs Wynton's rooma knew what had happened, and heartily oongratulated Lord Whittingham on the success of the oapture. He looked pleased with himself, but he kept tho bracelet in bis pocket, as the deteotive had advised. When he and his wife were alone that night, or rather early next morning — for it was four o'clock when they left Mrs Wynton's — he told her all about it : how the deteotive had planned everything, and had exchanged the real artiole for the dummy when she gave him the braoelot to look at in the conservatory. "Andhereis the original," he concluded, drawing tho case from his pooket. Lady Whittingham took it out and looked at it, and as she did so a strange expression oame into her faoe. "Harry J" she gasped," this is not my bracelet. Look at it. These are not real diamonds." It was true. Lord Whittinebara went to Scotland Yard and asked for Mr Jefferson. No suoh name was known there. A large reward was offered ; but Lady Whittingham hue not yet eoovered her bracelet. — " Vanity Fair."