The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-05-17

were sitting in Mrs. Furnival's library
where we had gone, as was customary, to
report ourselves to the principal on our re-
turn, when The doors were opened quickly,
and the head-teacher entered.
"Where is Mrs. Furnival?" she deman-
ded, sharply, and closing the door carefully
behind her.
1--WE are waiting for her now," 1 an
swered, surprised at her abruptness, for
Miss Morton was one of the slowest and
most apathetic of creatures. els anything
the matter?"
Matter!'' she repeated, in an unusually
sharp tone. "Only that the house has
been robbed, and most mysteriously so, with
in the last hour
"Robbed What in broad daylight? I'M
possible !" I exclaimed.
g If the principal had only been at home!"
continued the teacher in the same anxious
tone;" but now, ofcourse,I am responsible.
was sitting in the room, too, but an hour
ago. correcting the first-class themes, and
everything was quiet enough. I can't
imagine how it happened.
Before could begin questioning the poor
lady SO as to understand wAat had happen
ed, and hOW, the door opened, and in came
Mrs. Furnival, and accompanied by the in
spector of police, whom. to her astonish-
ment, she had met on entering the house.
The calm manner and precise questions
OF the official soon drew a comprehensive
statement of facts from the not too clear
headed Miss Morton.
This was the story: Mrs. Furnival had
the habit of drawing, on the Saturday morn
ing, sufficient cash to pay the rather heavy
weekly bills. This cash, amounting to over
thirty pounds, she invariably deposited in
the drawer of an old-fashioned escritoire
standing in her own private room; and the
key of this drawer she wore attached to her
watchguard, as the money remained from
the Saturday till the Monday morning,
when she paid it out regularly.
Miss Morton declared that she had seen
her put the money in the drawer as usual,
lock it, and take the key; she had noticed
it particularly, because the whole sum hap
pened to be in very bright gold sovereigns,
and it almost filled the small drawer. Miss
Morton had then gone to the study, occu-
pying herself with her usual duties, until
about six o'clock, when the principal still
being absent, she had availed herself Of her
privilege to see her room; and thither she
had gone, and remained till she quilted it
to head the tea-table. On her return she
found the room exactly as she left it, and it
was only by a mere chance that on passing
the escritoire she saw the important drawer
open and the money gone. The lock had
not been tampered with; there was no
sign of any one having entered the room;
but every one of the golden sovereigns was
gone.
Mrs. Furnival, on her part, said she had
certainly locked-up thirty-fo pounds, and
taken the key, which had remained safely
in her possession all day, and that she had
not entered the room since.
The lock was very peculiar. 1t would have
been easier to break it than unlock it with
any key but it's own. 1t was, however.
quite right, and the key turned in it easily
as ever.
Inspector S. examined lock, drawer and
room with great minuteness and official 81.
lence; then he examined the window be.
meath, then the servants, and finally the
young ladies, with the exception of Myra
Richardson and myself who had been out
all day; but, in spite of his acuteness, he
could find no clue to the robber.
He came back to Mrs. Furnival's boudoil
before he left; and heard him say in low
tone as he took his leave-"It is some on,
in the house, l am certain, or who at any
rate, has an accomplice in the house, How
ever daresay we shall ferret them OUT
Mrs. Furnival dismissed him graciously
but his last words did not tend to smootl