Part 2 (2/2)

Mr. Jasper Lamotte is a tall man, a dark man, and a stately man. He is grave of speech, yet very suave and pleasing. He is open handed and charitable, and a very popular man among the people of W----. He will rein in his blooded horses to ask after the health of his factory hands, and doff his hat to the wife of his humblest tenant. He has been for many years a resident of W----. Years ago he was a great traveler, coming and going almost incessantly, but, after a time, he built the largest and newest of the W---- mills, and settled himself down to rear his family, and attend in person to his ”bales and shekels.”

Francis Lamotte is, what his father has been, a tall, dark eyed, sallow skinned young man, with a Greek profile, a profusion of curling dusky hair, a soft slow voice, a sweet and most pleasing smile; aristocratic hands and feet, a most affable manner; a very agreeable companion, and a dutiful son and brother. So saith W----. Such is Francis Lamotte, and being such, he is voted, with one consent, the handsomest young man in W----. Francis Lamotte, too, is popular with the people of W----; handsome and fascinating, the son of a father whose fortune is said to be enormous; he is welcomed in every household circle, and he brings pleasure and courtesy wherever he enters.

”Constance, my child, what is this that I hear?” exclaims Jasper Lamotte, taking the hand of Miss Wardour as she advances to meet him.

”Have they not exaggerated the truth? The village is full of rumors.”

”Constance, good morning,” breaks in Francis Lamotte. ”Father's head is a little turned by all this. _Have_ you had a burglar? _Have_ they stolen the Wardour diamonds? And _are_ you frightened to death? And,”

with a malicious glance toward Mrs. Aliston, who had forsaken her window and was rolling slowly towards them, serene, and dignified, ”did they bind and gag dear Mrs. A--?”

”Yes, yes! and no, no!” says Constance, cutting off the retort that was rising to the lips of her aunt. ”Be seated, Mr. Lamotte; sit down Frank.

I have 'had a burglar,' they did steal my diamonds. But--well, they did not frighten me for I was not aware of their presence, and they did not bind Aunt Honor for they--”

”Hadn't rope enough,” interrupts that lady, at which they all laugh.

”But seriously, Constance,” resumes Lamotte _pere_, ”this is a bad business; a _very_ bad business; good gracious! are we all to be robbed at the pleasure of these rascals? plundered whenever their pockets run dry? It's abominable! What has been done? There should be an officer on the spot now.”

”So there is,” breaks in Aunt Honor, with suspicious sweetness.

”Constable Corliss and Mayor Soames, are examining the library and dressing room.”

Mr. Lamotte retains his gravity, but after exchanging demure glances, and in spite of themselves, Constance and Francis Lamotte laugh outright.

”Then, my friends, let us await a revelation,” Francis drawls in the most approved ”camp meeting” fas.h.i.+on.

”Poor Corliss!” Mr. Lamotte smiles slightly; ”at any rate he will try to do his duty. But, Constance, you should have an officer here as soon as possible; I should not come here venturing my suggestions but I learned, accidentally, that your lawyer O'Meara, is absent; that is another misfortune. O'Meara has a long clear head; would not make a bad detective himself. As he _is_ away, and you need some one to act for you, why, I place myself at your disposal; if you have not already appointed an agent,” with another smile.

”I have made no move in the matter, Mr. Lamotte; indeed, I have hardly had time to think, as yet. I suppose, too, that we have lost valuable time, and yet we can't get a detective down here in a moment. Pray take what measures you deem best, and let us have the _best_ officer that we can get. I am especially anxious to capture the thieves if possible--and the diamonds--of course.”

”England expects every man to do his duty,” quoted Francis. ”Constance give me an appointment, too.”

”So I will,” retorted Constance, wickedly. ”I think you are eminently fitted to a.s.sist--Mr. Corliss.”

”Frank, be serious,” says Mr. Lamotte, with a touch of severity. ”Now Constance, let us do what we can to make up for this unavoidable loss of time; first tell me, as minutely as you can, just how this robbery was discovered.”

”It's a very brief story,” says Constance, smiling slightly, and then she narrates, in a somewhat hurried manner, as if she were weary of the subject, and wanted to have done with it, the events of the morning, omitting, however, to mention the finding of the chloroform vial, and the half square of cambric.

”Mr. Soames and the constable--and several more, were on the spot with great promptness,” finished she, with a comical glance toward Mrs.

Aliston.

”We overlooked their proceedings until we discovered that they would do no actual damage, but would leave everything exactly as they found it, and then--”

”Yes,” interrupted Francis, with a queer smile upon his lips, ”and then you found a more agreeable occupation.”

”And then,” continued Constance, as if she had not heard him, but returning his half-malicious look with interest, ”Dr. Heath called, and I told him all about it. He is very clear headed and sensible, and I was sorry his time was so limited; he might have been of some a.s.sistance, and--”

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