al, and was most politely glad to see
his old friend Betteredge wearing so well. But there was a sort of cloud
over him, which I couldn't at all account for; and when I asked how he
had found his father in health, he answered rather shortly, "Much
as usual." However, the two Miss Ablewhites were cheerful enough for
twenty, which more than restored the balance. They were nearly as big
as their brother; spanking, yellow-haired, rosy lasses, overflowing with
super-abundant flesh and blood; bursting from head to foot with health
and spirits. The legs of the poor horses trembled with carrying them;
and when they jumped from their saddles (without waiting to be
helped), I declare they bounced on the ground as if they were made of
india-rubber. Everything the Miss Ablewhites said began with a large O;
everything they did was done with a bang; and they giggled and
screamed, in season and out of season, on the smallest provocation.
Bouncers--that's what I call them.

Under cover of the noise made by the young ladies, I had an opportunity
of saying a private word to Mr. Franklin in the hall.

"Have you got the Diamond safe, sir?"

He nodded, and tapped the breast-pocket of his coat.

"Have you seen anything of the Indians?"

"Not a glimpse." With that answer, he asked for my lady, and, hearing
she was in the small drawing-room, went there straight. The bell rang,
before he had been a minute in the room, and Penelope was sent to tell
Miss Rachel that Mr. Franklin Blake wanted to speak to her.

Crossing the hall, about half an hour afterwards, I was brought to a
sudden standstill by an outbreak of screams from the small drawing-room.
I can't say I was at all alarmed; for I recognised in the screams
the favourite large O of the Miss Ablewhites. However, I went in (on
pretence of asking for instructions about the dinner) to discover
whether anything serious had really happened.

There stood Miss Rachel at the table, like a person fascinated, with
the Colonel's unlucky Diamond in her hand. There, on either side of
her, knelt the two Bouncers, devouring the jewel with their eyes, and
screaming with ecstasy every time it flashed on them in a new light.
There, at the opposite side of the table, stood Mr. Godfrey, clapping
his hands like a large child, and singing out softly, "Exquisite!
exquisite!" There sat Mr. Franklin in a chair by the book-case, tugging
at his beard, and looking anxiously towards the window. And there, at
the