Jennette Lee

“ In the open jewel-box the necklace flashed to him.
"Oswald!" she cried. "My necklace! It has come back! Some one has put it back! It is here!"
He sprang to her, and, leaning on him, she came to the table and they stood looking down at the jewels lying in the box. Suddenly she sank into a chair, great sobs shaking her, and the man stood looking down at the broken figure. The son had not moved from his place. He seemed to watch some strange, inexplicable scene in which he had no part, and to which he had no clew.
The woman raised her head and looked at his father. ”

“ Then she had bathed and dressed and gone for a walk through the grounds, and had come back to find her breakfast waiting on its tray. . . . They were all late this morning, and she had eaten her breakfast and taken up her knitting. Her thoughts were busy with the lives that belonged to this gracious house and the mystery that was lifting from it, withdrawing its shadows before the coming sun. ”

“ The son was looking at him with solicitous glance. "Did you rest well, father?"
The man assented with quiet look. "I rested—yes." He waited a minute. "I rested—but I did not sleep. I got to thinking. . . . Your mother is late this morning." He glanced across to the empty place.
"Shall I speak to her? She's never late!"
"No." He held up a hand as the son made a little move. "Don't go," he said. "She will be down directly. I stopped at her room—to leave something for her. She was in the dressing-room. ”