THE CRAIGMORE DIAMOND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XXIII, 5 December 1896, Page 156

THE CRAIGMORE DIAMOND.

BY MRS K. H. HOUGH. * J V’E got '-t, Nell ! I’ve got it at last—theCraigmore diamond !’ She came rioting into the room like a small whirlwind, impulsive, ambitious Amy. I could not tell, well as I knew her, whether it was love or ambition that sparkled in her eyes and animated her lovely face. ’ 1 don’t know whether to congratulate or commiserate you. Amy,’ I replied, as she dropped gracefully into a chair, and turned her bright, riante face toward me, as if expecting some comment. * You know the proverbial jealousy of the Craigmores. ’ ‘ And the beauty of their diamonds !’ broke in irreverent Amy. ‘ And the blissful fact that I have succeeded in securing the gem of the entire collection—the historic jewel, only used to deck the hands of their brides. When I saw’ it at the exhibition last winter, I made up my mind to wear it, some day, and uoila! it is accomplished !’ and she held up her white, dimpled hand, on one taper finger of which glowed the matchless gem—truly matchless, for there was not its equal for size and brilliancy in any collection on this side of the Atlantic. ' When 1 saw it then, I felt that I would give anything in the world to possess it—and all I have had to give is one little “ yes !” ’

‘ If your heart went with it, it is all well enough,’ I said, scanning her lovely face keenly, but having to acknowledge myself fouled in gleaning any intelligible interpretation from its expression. ‘ But there is one thing more you will have to give, or give up, now, and that is your favourite pastime of flirting. Felix Craigmore will not tolerate anything of that kind in his plighted bride.’

‘ Felix Craigmore will find himself grandly mistaken if he imagines that because I am engaged to him I intend to make a nun of myself for six months and reserve my smiles only for him !’ said Amy, with a wilful toss of her pretty head • Since he has done me the compliment of asking me to be his wife, he must do me the further compliment of treating me as a person worthy to be trusted, and as one having a just realization of and regard for my obligations toward him.’

‘ If you only will, Amy, I am sure he can ask nothing more, I rejoined, with a sigh ; for in her air and manner I could detect none of that deep, genuine affection which is at once a woman’s stay and shield. ‘ But vou are so thoughtless—so recklessly daring, Amy. What would be to you a mere mischievous escapade, or a bit of harmless pleasantry, might seem to one of Felix Craiemore's hasty temper and jealous disposition, like some sinister act or wilful bad faith—or, worse still, double dealing — and that beautiful jewel which you are admiring so justly, become a curse to you rather” than a blessing. I wish you would give up all intercourse with Mark Granthley, Amy. I cannot help feeling that he is destined to work you some evil yet.’

‘Well, really, Nell, with your customary astuteness you have hit upon the very last person in the world for me to turn the cold shoulder to,’ said Amy, with a laugh which from any one else than mv lovely, petted, thought less sister I should have resented as an insult. ‘ Why, he is own cousin to Felix, and the one to whom I am really indebted for this good fortune, seeing I made his acquaintance first, and through him became acquainted with Felix. Go lie down and rest your poor tired brain, and then you will be better able to make more sensible suggestions. Why, Mark is Felix Craigmore’s best friend—all the more reason that he should be mine. ' I am afraid you will discover to your bitter cost that he is a friend to no one but himself,’ I answered gravel v : for Amy’s good fortune, as she was pleased to call'it, seemed to have put her in a more wilfully perverse mood than usual. 1 But I have warned you—l can do no more.' ‘ Luckily for me,’ retorted Amy. •As for your lectures, they don't amount to anything, since I shall continue to do as I have done—just as I please. Au revoir, my dear Minerva!'

She danced over to me, and almost without stopping, bent down and dropped a light kiss on my cheek, then tripped out of the room like the child that she was, while I sat looking sadly after her, wondering if good or evil were to predominate in this change that had come into her life.

Of stainless life and character, and most exalted views of faith ami honour, Felix Craigmore was a man whose love would be indeed a true woman’s crown, but whose jealous suspicion, once aroused, would be apt to sweep everything before it, without that calm, dispassionate discrimination which might otherwise have averted a final catastrophe.

In vain I tried in a delicate way to win from Amy some word or sign that would assure me of her love for Felix, but either from perversity or from lack of any such sentiment, she baffled me at every turn. A week went by, and nothing occurred to mar the smooth current of their courtship. With Felix Amy was all that was sweet, amiable, and winning, while I grew to admire and appreciate his sterling worth more and more ; but I knew what he evidently did not know—that every afternoon Amy met Mark Granthley in the little arbour down by the lake, and my heart grew heavy with apprehension of coming evil.

, It came all too soon, and in the most unexpected way. Felix had gone to another town for a few days’ absence, when on the very day of his expected return’Amy came into the house with a strange expression on her face that I had never seen there before—a look of utter weariness, mingled with something like fear. • What is the matter with you, child ?’ I exclaimed, starting from my chair. ‘ I never saw you look so queerlv. Are you ill ?’

‘ Iguess not, but my head aches, sheanswered, putting her hand languidly to her forehead. • I fell asleep in the arbour, and I felt so queer when I awoke.’ ' Was Mark Granthley there with you ?’ I asked with sudden vague alarm.

‘ Part of the time,’ she replied, then pettishly : • Don’t talk to me any more about him—l hate him !’ ‘ Let me make you some lemonade, and then sit in this big chair while i fan you,’ I said, not knowing indeed what else to do or say. I fixed the lemonade and gave it to her, and then sat and fanned her for an hour or more, by which time she declared herself a great deal better, and assumed her normal gay, light-hearted manner. When Felix came in the evening there was no trace of agitation in her manner as she advanced to greet him ; but as she placed her hands in his—a form of salutation that he always insisted upon -he lifted them to his lips ; then in an instant dropped them, but without releasing them, and exclaimed in a harsh, unnatural tone : ’ What is this ? What doos it mean ? Where is your ring— my ring ?’ My heart seemed to stand still for an instant, and a ghastly pallor overspread Amy’s face ; then as she looked down at her hand, it faded to a smile.

‘ Why, on my hand, you stupid bov! Is vour sight failing ?’ ‘I could almost wish it was -any alternative rather than the hideous truth it reveals,’ he answered, still in that strident voice. • I see a ring on your finger, but not the one I placed there —while oue far less familiar with the subject than I am could tell that yonder paste imitation bears not the faintest resemblance to the Craigmore diamond !’

With a sharp cry Amy tore her hand from his grasp, and held it close to her eyes. His words were but too true. The circlet resembled the one he had given her, but it needed no experienced eye to detect the counterfeit stone that usurped the place of the flashing jewel she had showed me so proudly only a few days before. ‘ Speak, woman !’ thundered Felix, as she stood white and mute. ‘ What have you done with the jewel—the time-honoured gem of our family—that never until now has decked an unworthy hand ! Where has it gone ? I demand to know the truth—the whole truth !’

‘ God help me, I know not I’ Amy answered chokingly, but at the same moment there crossed her face a look of guilty fear that belied her words. ‘ I—l cannot tell you !’

‘ Which means you will not!’ exclaimed Felix in a transport of jealous passion. • I heard some thingswhiie I was away, however, which may give me a clue to the mystery ! Hark ye, woman ’ —he came closer and gripped her shoulder—• the law cannot touch you, but a more deadly foe shall! I give you just fourteen days to redeem and restore me that ring; then we will go our separate ways, and I will not expose you ; but if it is not restored in that time, your name shall be blazoned far and wide for the worthless creature you are; never again shall it be coupled with aught save contumely and scorn !’

And he strode from the room, while Amy sank half delirious in my arms. ‘ Oh, God pity and help me !’ she moaned. ‘ltis mv punishment—my awful punishment, Nell, for I did love him dearly—dearly ! though I would not let you know it. But, Nell, I have a horrible presentiment of having given it— given it, Nell, under the influence of some horrid spell that I could not resist—to him—Mark Granthley I I cannot recall it clearly, only that strange hallucination remains I Well did you tell me he was my enemy ! He has wrecked my life—ruined my hope forever !

There was no time to think or plan about anything the rest of day or night, save how to quiet her, and hold back the reason that seemed well-nigh leaving her, but when she was at last asleep under the influence of some opiates that I knew how to administer, I wrote a letter to Mark, commanding him to meet me at the arbor. Something seemed to whisper to me that I could force from him the restitution that alone could save mv sister’s good name. But though I waited and haunted the place by day and night, he did not come, while Amy, having recovered from her first frenzied condition, seemed to be fading away in a hopeless decline.

Finally, one night, after bending my steps to the arbor with a species of fascination that nothing could allay, or reason me out of, I was coming back to the house, with an aching heart and throbbing temples, when my unwary foot struck against a stone imbedded in the path, with such force as to dislodge it entirely and throw me upon my knees. As I was raising myself, something about the ground caught my attention —a bit of fine white cloth, protruding from the ground. With both hands I dug and scratched, until the object was revealed—a fine white handkerchief with ‘ M.G.’ in one corner, and opening it there rolled into my hands the missing Craigmore diamond. Yes, there was no mistaking it ; there it was, ring and all, and after pressing it ecstatically to my lips, I sprang to my feet and flew toward the house.

‘ Amy ! Amy !’ I cried, never stopping to shut the doors behind me. ‘ Look up, darling I you are saved ! it is found ! it is found I’

‘ Found ?’ Amy echoed, raising herself from the sofa where she was lying. ‘Yes!’ she clasped it for an instant in an ecstasy, then with a burst of tears : ‘ What worth is it to me since it cannot restore his love—that most precious jewel of all !’ ’ It can—it does !’ exclaimed a voice as some one rushed past me, and clasped Amy to a close embrace. ‘ Listen, darling, until I tell the rest of the story. Three days ago a letter summoned me to Mark, fatally injured in an accident, and he revealed me the whole dastardly plot. How he had long coveted the diamond, ami used his mesmeric power to make you give it to him, having provided himself with that counterfeit substitute. How he feared to take it with him immediately, lest it lead to his detection, and so buried it in the garden, planting a stone to mark the spot. How he intended after the search had ended and I had gone away, as he surmised 1 would, to comeback and get it,and compel you to marrv him, and so keep the secret. But he was foiled in his wicked plot. The very train on which he fled away met with a terrible accident, and when he found at last that his injuries were fatal, and his days numbered, he sent for me. He told me, moreover, that he had circu-

lated thoseshameful stories concerningyou, that deepened my suspicions. I would as soon have suspected my own brother, I trusted him absolutely, and in the light of my own grievous mistake, I acquit you, darling, entirely. I got back a few moments ago, and going to the garden to prove the truth of his words, found that some one had been there before me ; then I hurried here, coming in just in time to hear those words from your lips that were worth more to me then all the gems in the world, for they told me what I never felt fully assured of before—that my darling truly loved me. Can I believe that still, Amy ?’ For answer, Amy wound her arms around his neck and laid her face on his bosom in a shower of happy tears, and I stole quietly out and left them. But they brought me back very soon, and in three months from that day, clad in the elegant robe that was my new brother’s wedding gift, I stood beside the bridal pair as a maid of honour, while Felix placed the broad golden circlet upon the finger where once more shone and shall sparkle while life should last, the Craigmore diamond.