The Portland daily press., 1874-05-09


woman"
'sYou have to jump at conclusions some
times, and find facts to suit. As soon as l
had mastered these details, l was impressed
by the conviction that one of the thieves hau
been on the premises before. At Mr. o'em
arts, for instance, the safe was built Into th
wall, and false panel in the Walhscoo 20 ths
only opening to it; yet the nrss ai"I which
burglars approached was ana on peneS So set
the little fellow slid aside at ONE. ~ ~ ~
to work looking for a suspicious cnarac. .:u III
the bonse and found all satisfactory I'LL l
came to a French Governess WnO sUaiu WV
them sx weeks last spring. NOW, SIT, III
onoh house entered by these masked deVlls
there has been during the past tweive
months some similar transient ihu'ate. ~
Warders it was a French cook, in white cap
and apron; at the Lewis's, the yonng lady's
mage. clever Buttons; at the Pratts pro-
tege of the children, handsome vagrant
Italian boy with a violin. And now, Mr..
Powers" continued Belts, bringing his hand
down heavily upon my knee, Il am ready to
swear that you have this dangerous inmate
under your own roof, in the character OF your
wife's maid"
l started as if / had been shot.
''Impossible!' gasped; ''Impossiblep
"But why, sir, impossible"' -
''The idea is monstrous. Marie is sweet
little girl, playful as kitten"
''But, Mr.. Powers, you are man OF the
world, and know that woman is not proved
honest because she bewitches you"
s'But, Belts, admit that though L am an
old fool, my wife is thorough woman, and,
as a rule, suspects all her own sex, yet she is
positively fond of Marie" seI
''Marie is a clever little puss. Wherever
she has lived, as man or woman, the whole
family have adored her. l have always
thought" he went on, with sort OF chuckle,
''that no fact about woman is more damnlng
than that the good ones are, as rule, the
dull ones. Put spirit, sparkle, intellect,
into any one of them, and she is certain to
| play the devil. Has Marie shown an interest
in these burglaries?
There could be no doubt of her having
questioned me concerning them with intense
eagerness, and if l spoke to my wife about
any apprehensions while she was present,
Marie never lost a word"
''Does she know about your silver? Has
she any charge of your wife's diamondsr'
started. That very morning had shown
her my safes behind false book case in my
| study, and asked her opinion whether any
| one could mstrust those innocent-looking en-
cyclopedias, or suspect the existence of a
closet six feet square between my room and
the library. | was ashamed ct my own green
ness, but made clean breast of 1t to Belts,
who was good enough to refrain from any ex-
PRESTON of his opinion of my discretion.
'My word for it, he cried, ''she has been
waiting to find out that secret, and now she
will leave your house within forty-eght hours.
Her pretext will be reasonable one, and she
will promise to return, but when she does re-
tnrn she will bring her gang at her heels to
rob your house for YOU"
The idea of connecting our pretty Marie
| with such outrages filled me with horror. l
| rejected il strenuously.
f.Beeve or not as you like" he returned
with shrug $50 long as you only follow my
| advice. just out of curiosity, take home a
little dog with you, and see if Marie does not
| set to work to bewitch it at once. Then the
moment she speaks of leaving your house,
| telegraph to me-"
Our interview lasted another hour. When
left him l went to dog-fanciers and
bought little yelping black-and tan spaniel,
and carried him home with me. 1t was ap-
preaching dinner-time when l arrived, and
my wife was in her room sitting before the mir
ror with Marie braiding her hair. I entered
as was my habit, and sat down by the fire.
and let the girl draw off my boots and bring
my slippers in her usual way. 1t seemed an
unmanly treason to suspect her as she NOV
ed about me with her bright smile and easy
grace, rarely spoke, unless actually addressed,
but her intuitions of any ones wishes
amounted absolutely to genius.
"Whom did you see in town?' inquired
my wife,"
fully about, as if the walls had ears, ''but 1
was with Belts, the detective. You must
not repeat what say, Marie.
''Never, monseurr' cried Marie.
ssThe fact ISL 1 proceeded, sinking my
voice into sepulchral whisper, that gang OF
masked burglars have been traced to New Or
leans, and may be arrested by this time"
''Then l hope, DEAR" said my wife laugh
| ing, ''that you will again sleep soundly in
| your bed. After you got up last night for the
fourth time to promenade about, pistol in
hand, decided it might be better to eat off
pewter and wear French gilt jewelry than to
lead such a life.'
1, too, laughed, and stretched my legs COM
fortably. eyes, 1 mean to sleep like Chris
ton hereafter, besides, have brought home
dog"
"A dog" exclaimed Marie, startled.
eyes" l turned and looked at her atten-
lively. s'Do you like dogs?''
She protested vehemently that she loved
dogs better than anything in the world; and
when Jingle, the spaniel was produced, it was
so pretty sight to see her playing with him
that was freshly incensed with Belts for
putting his cursed suspicious into my head.
She took the little beast to bed with her, l
believe, and next morning he would obey her
lifted finger.
That very day she received letter from
Madame De Sturges, her former mistress, ask
ing her to come in and pass few hours with
her before she left for New Orleans. Marie
carried the letter to Mrs. Powers. Madame
wishes to talk to me about Mile. Helene"
| pleaded the girl, with tears in her eyes. "TO-
morrow will be the birthday of the pauvre ange,
who lies at the bottom of the cruel sea-"
Poor Madame De Sturges," exclaimed my
| wife, touched at the thought of the sorrow
| ing mother; ''you must spend tomorrow
| with her Marie. Go in at o'clock and come
back at s."
Marie was grateful, and told melting stories
about the pauvre ange-her beauty, her plety,
her intelligence-and nothing could equal my
wife's sympathy, and when the girl went into
town the next morning she actually carried
note to Madame De Sturges, written in my
wife's very best French.
Meanwhile had telegraphed Marie's pro-
posed movements to Belts, and now, with
some nervousness, awaited events.
The detective had warned me that she
would win the dogs affection that she would
leave the house, promising to return, but
would not return. Two of these predictions
were already verified but if Marie came back
could laugh at his suspicious, and regard
them as fancy.
But Marie did not return at O'Clock; a
telegram arrived in her stead from Madame
De Sturges, saying that she had kept the girl,
and would write at length and explain.
Next morning letter was received from that
lady. She told my wife she was ill, yet
| obliged to travel, homesick in strange land,
| without familiar woman's face near her,
and that she persuaded, almost forced, Marie
| to remain and set out with her and her hus-
band for New Orleans that very evening. An
incoherent. tear-blotted note from Marie ac-
companied this, filed with protestations of
sorrow at the necessity of thus deserving us.
She was torn by conflicting feelings of love
toward Mrs. Powers and her sacred duty to
the mother OF little Helene, the angel child,
whom she had so dearly loved, and whose
voice she now heard calling to her from the
spirit world, bidding her remain and comfort
the lonely mother.
While my wife read this to to me with
tears, stood aghast at Belts predictions.
Theories are fascinating, but when specu-
lation turns into threatening certainties, and
there stares you in the face conclusive proof
that your house is about to be robbed, you
experience small pleasure in the accurate
fore-knowledge of any prophet.
instantly telegraphed TO Belts that I
would meet him at my son-in-law's Office at
10 O'Clock. then nronoSed tn nv wifn that she