The Blue Diamond of Eilaoune.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue LXVII, 30 January 1904, Page 10

The Blue Diamond of Eilaoune.

"You're looking at Unit ornament my wifo is wearing," &aid Willoughby Monteith to me. "I should think I was!" 1 responded. "Jt's the Blue Diamond, isn't it?" "Li's the Blue Diamond," ho asserted, with a- cryptic smile. 1 looked again. Mrs. Monteith is a very pretty woman, but it was not insqnsibilily to her charms that caused mo to ignore- hor and rivet my attention on hor jewel. It was a large ornament of diamond."*, fret in a conventional pattern roiiiul a grout central htone— the sort of oniiimcnb that can be worn at choico either un a brooch or as v pendant. Tho centre slono was tho size of a hhilling, and its many-pointed bnlliancy aitructcd my attention oven from the other side of the- dinner-table. It was a tiguro of speech to call the diamond blue, as its tint was rather the clear grey of a woman's «e«-coloured eyes. Tho Blue Diamond of Eililoune, as it was called, had nn eventful history beforo it passed into the hands of its' present possessors. It begun life as a Crown jewel in ltiusia at the end of the seventeenth century; at loust, thai was where it firslapI poarcd on the scene. It wns* then twice its present size. The Tsar, whose properI ty it was, made of it a present to n mistress, who soon afterwards made a journey to Paris. .She was intercepted by somo desperate charnclers, who overthrew her coach, turned her out into the snow, and made olf with the diamond. It was rescued from them by a gullant young .southern noble, who was on tho [ filuff of the Tsar in the character of n soldier of fortune ; but before ho could return it to its proper owners, ho becamo omimourcd of a fair lady who mado it the price of her smiles. 'I his cost him his J commission in the Tsar's army, his reputation as a man of honour, and — when tho lady failed to carry out her part of tho compact and eloped with anollier lover — his life an woll. This lady beems to have been a sort of female Jonnh to her suitors, for »ho had no sooner married the second thnn he lost all his fortune, and to wive him from penury she sold the diamond, Vhich disappeared for a while. Some yearn Inler, it reappeared as part of tho adornment of an imago of the Bleesctl Virgin in a Roman church. It was then stolen for the second time, tho thieves on this occasion making wifely away with their booty. When a Romnn j prince bought it somewhat later it wns much smaller than before, so it is to bo presumed that tho thieves mode two diamonds of it and sold them each as the original stone. The prince's valet fancied tho jewel, and murdered his muster to get po&sension of it. Ho was discovered, nnd mefc his dew its. But thereupon tho prince wns ascertained to have no heirs, till an ancient pew*on came forward and claimed to be a distant cousin. The lawsuit, which proved his identity took «o many yearn that it was his grandson to whom finally tho diamond was handed over. Tlo very wi«ply .sold it al once, and retired on « large competence. Tho stone was bought by a Paris jeweller, who re-sold it to Mt\rio Antoinette., that lover of jewels. During the days of the Revolution it pawwd from liand to hand with kaleidoscopic rapidity, each transference being marked by a crime of greater or less magnitude. It wns a blooelRtflinot) ( fltouo, nnd tho cause of more | offence against international law than anything o'*e of thft Kimo siao in tjxiMenco. Finally, one Willoughby Montoilh fl.iwi Homebody's life— this part of the history is oiucuro— and tho Homebody hoqueathj cd him the very questionnblo advantage of tho liluo lKimniid n» a reward. Tt had bppii sonic wvenl.v years in tho pos- | WMtion of tho Monteith*. nnd m this wiwi the longest timo it hnd ever remained in one country, it grow to bo known as tho Blu<» Diamond of Kildounu, so-called of ter tboir plaeo in Ayrshire. It. wiw a wry well-known «tone, owing to iU groat value n.s being unique, nnd, peiwonnllv, it w«* n possession I did not onvy Willoughby Montoith. It seems to mo that the responsibility, not to mention the danger, outweighed the pleasure. But my view of tln< oaae w«* not- goncrnl. Even nt dinner thnt night, 1 could see people gazing with envious eyes at it. Next to me. on Willoughby's left, euit Lady Irene Mnshnm, the Duke of SarumV* daughter. She wns a uebutante, onjy .eighteen, n simple little thing, whosoemed no if she ought always to bo rirefsed in white muslin and blue ribbons. Sho turned to me with a look of distress on her babyish faco. "Oh, dear; I nm breaking .tho Tenth Commandment «o !" she ejnminted. "Dreadful confession !" I returned, in the tone of n paternal banter which seemed 'appropriate from my age to hers. "To it your neighbour's hoiuw. or his wife, ,«• his servant that you covet, hi.«» other pos.•u'.vsions ns specified not being beforo you nl the moment? — "Thar diamond of Mrs. Monteith '«." sho niiMwred. "Did you ever sse anything 'more beautiful? I would give anything in the world to have one just like that." "I am wrry to hear tl>nt." T remarked, "for 1 am afraid your wi«h will never begratified. There is only one Blue Diamond of Eildoune in tho world. It is believed there was another, but it hns never been set'n." "I do po ]ovk> diamonds," went on Lndy Irene; "I am simply crocked about them. T never soo nny woman who has got lots without envying her." "I shall remember that when the time comes to buy you a wedding present," I returned. "Oh!" exclaimed Lady lieno with a delicious blush, which I saw with delight, for I thought such things were extinct .nowaday*. I nm sure, at least, that 1 never beforo mot a debutante who possessed the art. Later in the evening an old woman snid to me with a suppressed sigh, "Lucky woman, Mrs. Monteith !" "I quito agree with you," I returned heartily. "Willoughby is one of tho best follows living, ana I couldn't have wished anything better for one of my own daughters than to bo bis wife." "Oh, I didn't mean Mint!" returned my fair interlocutor; "1 wa» thinking of other possessions rather than of a husbnncl. Why, the diamond alono is a thing nny woman on earth would s-ell lier soul for." "A good many women haye — and mon, too, for Ihat matter," I remarked. "It montly brought them to bad ends, though. If 1 wcro Mrs. Monteith. I shouldn't hesitate- long between the diamond and Willowghby." "You me very romantic," sneered tho lady. "I thought my«elf very practical, not to s.iy mercenary," I retorted. "Personally, F should turn the diamond into hard ca.sli." Wo were a party of eighteen, staying at EVdoune for the Ayr meeting, und this wnf> the wcond night of our visit. The night after next we wore to go into Ayr for a ball, and I suppose Mrs. Montoith was wearing tho Blue Diamond as a sort of dvf*» rehearsal. During tho courso of ihp evening «no wns mv partner nt j bridge, and I remarked to her; "f admire your courage." ! "Do you?" .•'he replied. "Willoughby wiyj 1 play such' a timid game-. I hnven't much of tho gambler's spirit." "You hazard something bigger than ;»h\llii\g.s," 1 returned. She looked at mo vivjucly, evidently not understanding. I explained myself. "Aro you not afraid that history may repent itself, nnd .«onie- | body niurdor you for the sake of your dimoiid ?" She looked down on the jewel on her breust. und laughed.

"It's your deal," was all A\& .said. Wihi'P X en mo down to breakfast the nwit morning, ratlier behind everybody u'.wi', I hL once delected a si range element in tho iiir. Everybody looked mysteriously «t everybody olm>. and ili.splayed a feverifch inclination to talk volubly to the host. The !ioi>U'i,» \\a« not down. LittleLady Irene wore an expi«*»ion of unconcealed awo and ilislre.ss. People h&emt'd to break away from tho hrcnkfat>l-tnblo and mako groups o/ niyhtiTioas whisperers. Kven my own wife was engulfed in a vortex of this sort, and, nt sen my<<eff, but too tactful to ask loudly what was the matter, 1 dovoled myftelf to breakfast with an appearance of stolidity. Willoughby Munteith was the least perturbed of any one present, flo even looked cheuiful, and his small talk rippled on unconcerned. "How well ho bears it!" I caught, «s I inadvertently approached ono of the wliiapering groups. I began to conjecture that Mrs. Monteith had fled during tho night, though her pre-viou.<> liiMory did not lead ono to suppose her likely to do so, for she was a ii)o.st moral woman and devoted to her hu.sband and children. Her non-appear-ance, bow-ever, gave sonic colour to this scandalous supposition. I do not pretend to bo mure than mortal, nnd I admit that my curiosity was raging within mo like a burning fiery furnace by the time breakfast was over. Ihen we broke up, Willoughby disappeared, and 1 dashed nt tho group, vociferating : "What has happened ?" "J)o you mean to say you haven't heard?" was the aggrieved counter-ques-tion. "Tho diamond has been stolen. ' "J.s thai all?" I found myself saying — and "All !" was re-echoed in still more aggrieved tones. "Poor dear Mrs. Monleitb ! I don't wonder she doesn't feel equal to coming down," whispered Lndy Jreno; "I should bo crying my eyes out." "Mrs. Monteith is too sensible for that," remarked an older girl, meaning to snub. But Lady Irene was too young and too devoid of self-consciousness to see- it. "Wait till you have on absolutely unique jewel," retorted a married woman, quick to snub in her turn from her pinnacle of matrimony. "Then you'll see how you'll feel when it's stolen." "1 should like, to hear ali the circumstances," 1 interposed. These, however, it appeared, thnt nobody knew. I tried half the morning to unravel various confused accounts, and wns left bewildered when, nt about 11 o'clock, Willoughby walked into the middle of Ibo group aesemTjled in the large in nor hall that won used so much as a sitting-room, and tingled mo out for nolice. "Como for a walk with me, Louis, will you?" he Miid-^nnd I saw disappointment full, like a veil", over thu face of more than one lady. "I wont you to do mo a favour," ho remarked, o*» soon ns he was out of earshol of tho house. I absented, holding back by main force the questions which crowded to my lips. "It's not very inurh." ho proceeded, "only to keep evi'tybody quiet till I come back. I don't want them to worry the missus over this biuiincra of the diamond, do you kco?" I didn't pee. but I said I did for fear tho truth might act as a sudden chill on hi»» confidencca. "I'm fjoing up to London by n special at once," went on Willoughby. "I shall be back before breakfast-time to-morrow. I tell you, but you needn't tell anybody where I've gone. In fact, it is better they shouldn't know. Just buz/, round the miwus. nnd head them olf if they show any signs of wanting to worry hor. T know I can trust you to do thai. I have to go. It's all this diamond affair, you see." Here, on tho coiifinxw of tho grounds, wo nearly ran into a r<.*pecUibly-dr«sed mnn, who was loitering nbout in an undisguised fashion. Ho touched iiis lint to Willotifjlvbv, who promptly explained to him tliut he liirnsm was Koing rUnvit to tho .station, and thai "the gentleman" would ronie back alone. "Diamond again," said Willoughby to me, grinning. "I gcnuiully have these pluin-clotlicH follows hovering about, and of courMi> I wired for tin oxtra supply an soon ii.h f could." "And Hint wn« V T ventured, seeing him .so open and confidential. "This morning enrly." "I hnven't heard tho rights^ of the case." I remarked. "There aren't any, unites- you call bnrofoced thieving rights," said Willoughby. laughing. "The missus lmd sent her maid to bed. She took, off her dress and jewellery, and put the ornaments into their ensos. Then she came into my dromngroom to talk to mo while f changed into my smoking suit. When the wont linck to her loom the c.i«e with tho diamond in it wh» gone olf her dressing-table." "Extraordinary !" I ejaculated. "And you heard nothing?" "Not a thing." ho rejoined. "It must have been tho cat." And he laughed again. "Con.xid.ermg your most vnhinblo possession i« missing, you lake it very calmly," 1 retorted. "There is more in this, my dear Louis, than meets tho eye," ho remarked. The station M - as clow by, and ho said no more. I returned to tho house, and found everybody in the throes of preparing to go to the races. Mrs. Monteith was down, beautifully dressed, nnd bearing no traco whatever either of tho tears Lndy Irene conjectural her to have thed, or of any other trace of perturbation. She stood on the steps beforo the front door* laughing and talking «s if hor historic jewel were snfe in nev drepsing-ense. T saw look.'i of amazement verging on disapprobation enst at her by some of tho guests-. I took her gaiety to be the effort of a brave woman to mnkc light of her trouble, and 1 was genuinely sorry for her. I therefore hastened to her assistance, nnd look the brunt of the conversation on myself. My day at the races and my evening on our return were harrying in the extreme. Obedient, to Willoughby's request, I never left Mis. Monteith's neighbourhood all tho time, and I am obliged to say I think my old friend might have hnd more confidence in lib wifes power of taking care of hejself. She exhibited to the world a nonchalant front that was really admirable. But T knew it was all of no use, for it wns perfectly impo.ssiblo for mo to shepherd the whole party of eighteen in such n manner that not n single member al it Would have an opportunity of speaking to anybody outside its' select circle. Willoughby, ns he said, was back at breakfast-time, and my responsibility was over. Everybody, gi>Mi<ig bolder, besieg- . Ed him with enquiries as to what he was going to do about the diamond. He was succinct enough in his replies. Tho oflicial.s at- Scotland Yard, ho said publicly at luncheon, -had little or no hope of recovering the diamond, though they believed thoy hnd already traced it on its journey to Amsterdam, in company of a "cracksman" well known to the police. "ffnvo they already done that? They've been jolly quick, then," remarked a young man of the party. His comment, however, was not heard, because Willoughby was talking rather fast and loudly nt the time. He wns enying'thnt tho loss of tho diamond was not like the lows of a near relative, nnd need not keep the assembled company awny from tho ball, especially ■ as it was a good thing not to advertise the loss to the "county." I saw guilty looks on one or two of the guests' fnces at . iis ranurk. I My wife wns dressing for dinner, when there came a messages from Mrs. Monteith to «iy that she hoped «he would put on her bull array, ;ie ib gnve pleasure to tho 6»>rvuntß to see the Indies of the party dressed ivady fur thai function. My

wife, therefore, put. on her tinra and "dog-collar" — having intended to dino without thc&o heavy and choking ornaments — and not much later took larpLice among the rest of the paity, which wius awaiting tho inspection by the servant/a in the picture, gallery. Novcr before had J suspected Mrs Monteith of vanity. But to-night her actions seemed to jiomt to an iukeutiun of outdoing her gueats and triumphing before a very partial audience, She appeared cloaked, as none of the other ladies, werd naturally, dinner not having been announced, and the protpect of starting for tho ball still .some two hours distant; and she hecined strangely anxious that all the servants should bo prc&ent, and that they should all stand where they could see. "Js your maid hero?* la your servant hero? Which is she? Where is he?" she asked of each member of the party. Each of tho ladies, at her request, walked down the picture gallery through a double row of admiring seivants, and joined Ihu men of the party at the far end. Last of all, she herself advanced, still cloaked, till she stood immediately uiulcr the big central chandelier, with the light beating xlowu full upon her. Then who suddenly dropped olf her clouk, and wo at once saw tho reason of her wearing it. Amidit the luce in the front of her gown gleamed the well-known and unmistakable ornament, with the Blue Diamond twinkling, large as a hazel nut, in tho 'centre. Our ejaculations were instantly cut short. The drama was not over. "That's the nmn who has the diamond," exclaimed Airs. Monteith, pointing at a man slightly behind the others. As if from space, the plain-clothes detective Willpughby and I had encountered in the grounds tho day before, and two others .ike him, appeared, and closed round the man «t wnom Mrs. Monteith had pointed. Thore was a fuss and a I buzz of excitement, a few shrieks from maid-servants, and Mrs. Fanshawe, one of the gucsfa, exclaimed, "Why, it's my husband's valet!" and went into hysterics. The man himself seemed too dumb- j founded to protest or resist; his eyes were fixed on Mrs. Monteith and her Blue Diamond. Willoughby dismissed all the servants, nnd went out with the head detective; all tho guests crowded round Mrs. Monteith, with parrot cries of "What is it?" "Tell us alUibout it." Mrs. Monteith, smiling and triumphant, shook her {head at me. "Oh, Mr. Randolph, you thought mo very frivolous yesterday." I denied this accusation. "But, you see, I knew there was no cause for alarm. This," touching tho jewel, "is the real diamond. Tho other is only an imitation, but I keep it in the house, and it is almost always the imitation that 1 wear. Still, I did not want to lose even the sham diamond, for it is a very difficult stono to get well imitated — on account of the colour, you know. Besides, I couldn't have appeared at an Ayrshire ball without it. Bo Willoughby went up to London and got the diamond out of the bank, and we planned this little coup do theatre. Wo were sure the thiof must be somebody in the house, mid that when ho suddenly saw a diamond like his, he would start, or somehow give himself away. And that was what he did. It was easy enough to pick him out." Hero Willoughby, amid our exclamations, returned with a ens© in his hand. Tho detectives lmd had no difficulty whatever in finding the stolen gem among the man's possessions. We handed the sham diamond round amongst us, and Mrs. Montoith even unpinned the real jewel to place tho two side by side for us to we. It was indeed a marvellous imitation. "But," mud a stupid mnn, "Monteith said the Scotland Y«rd folks had heard M'horc tho diamond was, and that bomo well-known burglar had got it." "Of course, ttuib was only bunkum," returned Willoughby. "I know tho servants would repeat it, and I hoped it. would make tho fellow think we were off tho soent. Why, 1 never went near Scot-land-Yard. Why should I? There was no need. Of course, it would have been a good sell for the fellow whenever he found out ho kid got a sham, but I should hnvo felt done out of something if 1 had not .seen him .sold." Hero Airs. Monteith. who was looking at the imekK of the ornaments, gave a sudden exclamation. "Oh, Willoughby!" she cried. "Lost time wo sent the diamond to the bank we mndo a mistake, and sent the sham one. It was tho real diamond the- man got, after nil." Tho exclamations burst out afresh. I, for one; felt ulmost surfeited with sensations. Willoughby gave a long-drawn whistle. "My aunt!" he ejaculated;, "never say we hnven't been lucky." I think Mrs. Monteith was more enreful in the future She bad a good fright. Ayrshire does not know to this day the real story of tho theft, for Willoughby refused to prosecute the man. He thought the disappointment punishment enough. — Lady Helen Forbes, in M.A.I 1 .