THE CRIME AND THE SIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7329, 15 February 1902, Page 2

THE CRIME AND THE SIN.

(New Fork Sun.) The Malcolms accepted tfce unexpected visit of *heir Uncle Cadmus with commendable grace. It -was not reasonable to suppose that they could be enthusiastic over the return of one not heard' of since Archibald was a little child, and everthereafter referred to as the black sheep. Still, VJien Judge Marcellus-, to whom he had '* presented himself in the guise of an an- ■'■ dent marine*, brought him out to the family home, he was welcomed decorously, and an indefinite invitation extended' which, ■ from, all signs, was to 'be construed liberally on his part. 7! This acquiescence was all tine more • f praiseworthy, 'because, just at this time, v ' the Malcolms had troubles of their own, among which even so close a relative must . 'Mem an intruder. Into the old home had «ome jealousy, disappointment, suspicion and xesentment, all springing from that ■ most prolific source of evils, a will. And yet, their father.'s testamentary proTiiions, as read 1 with due formality by Judge Marcellus, seemed reasonable enough at s first to the two children, who (had known ■•'• before that but a remnant of a once great ~- fortune remained. Archibald was to 'have the homestead and farms on easy terms ua- ' til his sister Mildred should marry, she c (living "with ham the while; and theo the - «rtate was to be divided "between them, ' lie having a preference to purchase, which, except under one circumstance, would be more visionary than, -real. 1 ■ Undoubtedly:, should he draw the famous diamond necklace, which, for so many generations had passed to* the family by * Jot, he would use the proceeds for such a purchase, despite Mildred's horror over the t. possibility of it being considered' other than v \ an heirloom; but fchea the girl,- impracti- : cable and 1 strict, might draw it herself. And so, when the decisive moment arrived, ■ Archibald 1 Malcolm realised that his future f, success depended on his present good luck, sinoe no help could be expected from her. The scene at the drawing was quite im- ■«■•> prosdve. The Judge placed 1 the glittering .•* fwaxe, in its ancient case, on the desk beP' fore, him, and then, pointing to the: ends of £' two slips that stuck" out from his pocketed book, announced!: "flutfe he would at once, de- * liv«r oven the gems to the child/ drawing 6 the longer one. At one ride of the room eat Archibald, heavy, phlegmatic, obstinate, •with his pretty, vivacious, bright-eyed wife, Justine, next to him. On the other side &i sat Mildred, pallid, calm yet intense, with 7S her accepted lover, Walter Cray, leaning over the back of her chair. ' fjfl ''Come, Mildred, come Archibald," said ji the Judge. fa. The two advanced and drew and silently .i& compared slips; and then the lawyer ; with an old-fashioned bow, delivered the diamond necklace to the latter, confirming his title with legal phrase equally obsolete. . ,:; Archibald handed the jewels to his wife <?..< with a gratified smile; 'at the same time, {dancing triumphantly over to his -sister. j She was clearly disappointed and hurt in o: her pride, yet her tremulous lips began, to frame words of congratulation and good -•s feeling. . . 21 These were never uttered, however; for Just then there came cries from the rear which sent them all out into the garden, Walter Cray first of all, then the lumbering <3.'V .Archibald and then the two young women. ; . The cause of this alarm was more mysteri- ] ous in its source that serious in effects, <<- being nothing more than the blaze of some J!l rtibbish in an unused stall of the stable • and ?"'»b," as soon as they could escape^frorir the angry protestations of Patrick, the man-of-A ajl-work, that some evil-minded person must have set it afire, since he hadn't " smoked onct the mam," they were back again in the library. Perhaps family harmony might v- have been established by the few well-timed - remarks which the Judge evidently; con- " templated; but all such friendly offices? frustrated by a sudden cry of dismay, from Justine. . "The necklace, the diamond necklace! ihe exclaimed, holding tip the empty ease. J*lt i* gone, it is gone 1" -Justine told her 'story in. a few words. ■- She had tossed the. necklace under some y. fancy work on tho.sofa, when, at the alarm, she had followed thej men out into, the . garden. Surely Mildred must remember her . doing, so, for she had been just behind. "No," interrupted Mildred, "I didn't ' notice; I had no further interest in it. 'V Justine smiled incredjiilously, glancing ■:.. over her left shoulder to the edification of ■ her husband. Then the servants were summoned one v: by one and examined closely by Judge Marcellus. One had been about this duty, another about that; and a comparison of i w~- times and places made it clear that they.! were all in the stable before the;, house ••■•' people and remained there after the others ihad left. . _ ■'„■'■ "You have an interest in the necklace, Mildred, for all you say," growled Archibald ; " you would do anything rather than let it be sold." "That is too bad, Malcolm." snapped falter Cray. "Of course, I must leave the house if he j apeaks to me in such a way," said the girl, appealing to Judge Marcellus. " Of course you must, my dear," returned the Judge protectingly, "and he must profide for your proper support elsewhere." But this TTas not at all to. Archibald's r mind, which was frugally inclined. " I mean nothing, Mildred," ' he blurted fiullenly, " except that you have never sympathised with my plan of selling the neckface if I had the power. Why should you now add scandal to all my other troubles?" And so a truce, if not peace, was declared, end it was generally agreed that the ordinary routine of the home should be resumed ? without further publicity, pending such secret investigation as the Judge might deo. tide to institute. g it was on the following day that Uncle v Cadmus, a somewhat belated prodigal, re- - turned to his mildly rejoicing .kindred. fc- There was nothing obstreperous about the * old fellow. In a week's time he was as * much in his place and as little in the way * as the Mayflower clock in the hall; smok- -- ing his pipe the livelong day on the side T verandah. | It is such a restful, contented tempera--3l ment as fcis that invites confidence, even • as a shady nook insures peace. Almost against her will, Mildred, proud and eelf*G contained as she was, found herself relating & her woes at his smoky shrine; telling how ,4' bard ib was to see her brother so indifferent ix to family obligations ; how intolerable it was to endure the suspicions he dared not *'* frame. The oracle did not have much. to t£ return, after the fashion of oracles'; yet there was comfort in the voice rumbling !/ through the incense cloud. ,;! "Be patient," it eaid, "the future belongs I^' iq innocence. Since you do not know, do not seek to explain ; for explanation^ like excuse, implies self-accusation." Pretty Justine, too, stopped to chat poutJo ingly with the old man about the horrid i,i trouble. Of course, she didn't think for one that Mildred took the necklace; ej oh, no, of course not. Still, she needn't 1 be so indifferent about it, when she was the o last one in the room. Well,- it took all •v kinds of persons to make the world; thank c.'o goodness, she herself wasn't so. rigid and maa tellectual. Wasn't it strange. that such a ■ whole-souled, lively fellow as Walter Cray ■:= should fancy her? My t he would have to walk straight should he marry. her; for ."' Mildred wouldn't forgive the slightest slip. "You women folks are much alike there, \i«* I reckon," reflected Uncle Cadmus. ■ "Not at all," protested Justine. "I would «•■'■' forgive anything in a man who loved me, -< ' iuet as I wouWl do anything for a man I •-loved." ,<■;•■■ '-"Happy Archibald," murmured Uncle Cadmus. but Arohibald in nowise looked happy, ' ■:■-.■ when, an hour later, he came to grumble to his aged relative. Everything went against him, he claimed. Here he was the last of an ancient line, expected to keep up the dignity of the family, yet without an extra cent to bless himself with, now that the diamonds were gone. A mysterious loss, ney? Oh, yes ; but he could make a shrewd guess just the same, were Judge Marcellus " ; less prejudiced. . . '. Sometimes fanaticism was as lawless as^

cupidity, he had noticed. The worst of it was that no one sympathised with him ; even his wife merely laughed, as she did at everything else for that matter, and said he should have- been an only child, since he | stood so ill the eccentricities of a fiister. Well, there was something in being born under a' lucky star, though the Lord knew he wasn't speaking from experience. Take Walter Cray, for instance; everyI thing seemed to come his way just at the [ right time. He had been in, wofully deep Waters a few weeks before, but some relative or other had turned' up his toes after remembering him with a substantial legacy, and now he was tossing about money as lavishly as ever. What kind of fellow was he? Oh, he had his good points. Wild, of course, before Mildred was supposed to have reformed him; a great hand for women, wine and cards; but men liked him. He must say, he was the only one who had come to the front with an offer of help; that was how he knew about the legacy. Patrick, the man-of-all-work, as he trimmed the vines around the verandah, could not refrain either from airing his grievances to one so companionable as Uncle Cadmus. It wasn't right, so it wasn't, he maintained, for the old Jidge not to pay more attention to tihe fire in the stable. For why? Well, thin, becuz, in the fust place that rubbidge pile was so out of the way that it cudn't hey' caught fire unless it was set, and even thin such stuff wud smolder a long time. An in the sicond place, becus he himself had been wukkin' that mam' for two full hours at the side of the stable and not a livin* cowl hed gon' inside. What did ."is prove? Well, if it proved anythin', it proved that the thafe had been consaled 1 up in the loft, amd whin he had mcd' the smudge, had slipped out the rare and into tie libraary during the confusion-. " It is strange," suggested Uncle Cadmus, "that none of the family should have gone to the stable that morning. .1 see some of them in and out of there all the time." "Who said anythin' about the family?" retorted Patrick. "Ay coorse, . Misther Archiball was in about the oats and fodder, and Mrs Archiball to pat the colt,, and Miss Mildred with the feed' for the hins, and Misther Cray a puttaa' up his harse; but what's that got to do with the thafe, I'd loike to know? Savin' your prisince, it's a poor hand y'ar, so y'are, at anyjaTgymint." " ' • ' ■■■■■■•"{ Last, but not least, came Walter Cray to smoke his oigar in the cool of the evening, while' waiting for, Mildred to^return from a church" meeting; For him alone the diamond robbery seemed to have no dis? tracting charm ; he never referred to it in his easy talk, dealing with things strange and foreign, in which a wanderer like Uncle Cadmus might well be interested. After a little, the old man; on his part, abandoned his habitual taciturnity, and began to relate adventures of Ids own ; -the wild, reckless doings of a scapegrace, -infatuated with gaming ; how he had been cleaned out at Monte in Mexico, andt had. won a pot at baccarat in the officers' mess at Simla, and had been choused with clogged dice at Melbourne, and had played seventeen, the black, at Monaco until he could scarce bear away the napoleons in his clothes. ■"You're right," cried Walter Cray, with glistening eyes, "there's nothing like it. The best thing in the world is winning, and the next best thing is losing, damme if ib isn't!" And so Uncle Cadmus - smoked away the time on the verandah while Archibald bemoaned his fate, and Justine flitted hither and thither, butterfly-like, and Mildred went about her duties, greeting her careless lover with devotion, yet following aim with anxious eyes, until one evening brought Judge Marcellus, who invited them all to confer with him on a matter of importance in the library. The scene resembled that memorable one when the drawing for the necklace occurred, with the Judge at -the d«sk and the two- couples oh either side, except that now in a further corner Uncle Cadmus sat, discreetly 'huddled, in his shirt; collar -behind the reserve of his whiskers. The suspense, too, was different from that which waits on chance, for the Judge was grave, unu^aally gra^e with the responsibility of one bringing evil tidings. " 'Tis the Lord High Executioner," hummed Justine, irreverently. " It is my duty to; inform- you, Mr Malcolm," began the Judge, stiffly, "that as a- result of my investigations, I can apprise you of the identity of the diamond thief, who is one of the persons now assembled in this room. Having said so much, I pause to ask you to reflect whether under the circumstances, in view of the fact, too, that the diamonds cannot be recovered without the payment of a large pledge, it would not be well to accept the inevitable and forbid further consideration of the matter in. the interest of family harmony apd affection." ' ' " Let brotherly love continue," mocked Justine. "I especially ask this," the Judge went on, stern and unheeding, "because I am constrained to warn you, sir, that the revelation, if forced, will affect you intimately." " "I want the truth," asserted Archibald, doggedly. "I am tired' of giving this mysterious person the benefit of a Scotch ver diet of not proven." And he looked in dull anger over to where Mildred sat, composed, though with heightened colour. The .girl glanced appealingly over her shoulder at her lover. He was chewing the! ends of his moustache and staring blindly into space, like one caught between th*e sharp and penetrating ends of a dilemma. She moved a little so as to avoid his hand and said : " Though I am well aware that I must be the person to whom suspicion attaches, I, too, Judge Marcellus, demand a full statement from you." . • " Very well, then," replied the Judge, slowly, "the guilty son* I regret to say — " "Don't go any further," interrupted Walter, breathlessly, "I am pretty bad, I admit, but I N can't allow a woman, and least of all a noble' woman like Mildred, to bs unjustly accused. I am the thief ; I stole the difwmd necklace." ,- "He perji umself like a gentleman," murmured Jusi..;^. • Mildred sprang to h«r feet, with hand extended, her face, glorified by the appreciation of chivalric I'-votion. "You dear, goo d fellow," she cried. "I understand, but it will not do. O c you are as innocent as I am. we a ]l know that it was impossible for you. to take the diamonds, even had you planned to do so. You were the very first one cut of the room." But Cray shook bis head sadly. "I had an accomplice," he said. "It was all carefully planned. I started the fire in the stable, hoping it would give an opportunity. I broke up the necklace and pledged the diamonds here and there. - I was desperate for money ; had gambled away my inheritance ; was threatened with exposure ; but I loved you, Mildred, notwithstanding all." The girl did not shrink ; her hands were still extended; the glow of womanly compassion softened the exultation of hen face. "Is it, indeed, so?" she said, softly, "then we will bear the shame, we will retrieve the past — together." " That's what I call true love," exclaimed Uncle .Cadmus, most/ unexpectedly. "I predict a happy future for these young people." , The effect of this scene, so commented upon by the old man, was extraordinary on pretty Justine. Her expression grew hard and bitter, her eyes flashed with jealous passion. "Never," she cried, "never! What does this poor creature know about lovs-? Would she sacrifice herself as I have? Would she conceal the diamonds and deliver them over to him and fool you all, as I did, freely, joyously? Gome, now,- the truth is out at 'ast, and I'm glad of it, just as I'm sick ™ this poky life and stupid respectability. I'm off for good, or rather for bad ; who goes with me?" She tripped lightly to the door ; one glance of contempt for Archibald, biting his nails in dismay ; one glance of hatred for Mildred, now as spiritless as a broken

lily ; one glance of invitation, for Walter Cray — and she was gone. The man looked on Mildred. She had turned her back ; her whole attitude revealing that, true to her sex, she could forgive the crime but not the sin ; then he followed out into the world of shadows. " Yes, Abe," said Judge Marcellug in his deliberate way, as he journeyed home, attended by his faithful Cronkite, :now_ relieved of tlie antique vestments and whiskers of the superstitious Uncle Cadmus. "Yes, Abe, I am inclined to think there is something in your theory that it is only necessary to be freely admitted into a household to deduce its secret, just as I agree that the elemental passions are a powerful agency for reducing such deduction to proof."