Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-04-02

black-eved, black-haired, compactly built,
with remarkably neat hands and feet.
She has saucy, laughing face, and her
hair is short, crisp and curly"
How about her voicey"
"Very clear and ringing. She does not
speak English fluently, but understands
every word that is said to her"
"Now about her little ways"
"a thorough Frenchwomen, with
knack of pleasing everybody. l don't
know when I've seen such an artless,
good, happy little girl"
Belts laughed uneasily, then bent his
head on his hand, his elbow resting on
his knee.
"Mr. Powers" said he at last, looking
up with peculiar flash in his eyes, am
going to take you into my confidence, but
you must be discreet or you will ruin me.
I've sworn to see this thing through or
resign my position. I'm sick of this in
fernal foolery Of calling myselfa detective
and letting Satan reign night and day all
over the city. The newspapers drive me
mad They know nothing about the
obstacles we contend with, and goad US
into premature steps, which cost us our
reputation, and end in failure. I've been
working in the dark these nine weeks,
but, by Heavens, | believe you've shown
me q glimmer of light"
Then, producing note book, he opened
ii at well-worn leaves.
"There have BEEN" he began, looking
at me with sort of smile, five great
robberies within the last six months, and
each one has these special features, char
acterizing it as the work of the same
hands as the other four:
src< hn nf III
eleven masked men, all adroit burglars !;
second, an isolated house is attacked, sure
to contain ample provision for success
full robbery; third, the thieves know the
premises fourth, the leader of the gang is
small man, of active habits, with clear,
shrill voice"
He stopped and looked at me.
81 did net know there was arecognized
leader,"I remarked.
He drew large book from his desk.
Here" said he, ais the full testimony
in all five cases. Run your eye over it,
and you will see that the general facts all
coincide. The small man gives directions
and leads everybody"
Probably some London craftsman"
Belts nodded, winked, then leaned for
ward, and whispered in my ear" suspect
it is woman"
Impossible! no woman has the nerve"
"a she-devil, then-something in a
womans form, at all events. The rest of
the gang are as free and easy with each
other as you please, yet no one ever lays
finger on this little one, but all draw
back to let him pass. He gives orders,
exerts himself when ingenuity is required,
but when strength is needed he looks on
while the others fall to work.
You have to Jump at conclusions
sometimes, and find facts to suit. AS
soon as / had mastered the details | was
impressed by the conviction that one Of
the thieves had been on the premises be-
fore. At Mr.. Stewards, for instance, the
safe is built into the wall, and false
panel in the wainscot is the only opening
to it; yet the first place the burglars dp-
proached sDos that panel aohich the little
fello,o slid aside at once. So set to work
looking for a suspicious character in the
house, and found all satisfactory till |
came to French governess who staid
with them six weeks last spring. Now,
sir, in each house entered by these masked
devils there has been during the past
twelve months some similar transient in
mate. At Wardwelrs it was a French
cook, in white cap and apron; at the
Lewises', the young lady's page, a clever
Buttons; at the Pratts', q protege of the
children, handsome vagrant Italian
boy, with violin. And now, Mr.. Pow
ers," continued Belts, bringing his hand
down heavily upon my knee, am
ready to swear that you have this danger
Gus inmate under your own roof, in the
character of your wife's maid"
! started as if had been shot.
"Impossiblel" gasped; imposstbIeP
But why, sir, impossible"
"1'he idea is monstrous. Marie is a
sweet little girl, playful as kitten"
"But, Mr.. Powers, you are man Of the
world, and know that a woman - not
proved honest because she bewitches
you"
"But, Belts, admit that though / am an
old fool my wife is a thorough woman,
and, as a rule, suspects all her own sex,
yet she is positively fond of Marie"
Marie is clever little puss. Wherever
she has lived, as man or woman, the
whole family have adored her. Has
Marie shown an interest in these bur
glaries"
There could be no doubt of her having
questioned me concerning them with in
| tense eaeerness and if / spoke to my wife
about any apprehensions while she was
present Marie never lost word.
"Does she know about your silver
Has she any charge of your wife's dia-
monds?"
| started That very morning / had
shown her my safes behind false book
case in my study, and asked her opinion
whether any one could mistrust those
innocentlooking encyclopedias, or sus-
pect the existence Of closet six feet
square between my room and the library.
| was ashamed of my own greenness, but
made clean breast Of it 10 Belts, who was
good enough to refrain from expression OF
| his opinion of my discretion.
"My word for it." he cried, "she has
! been waiting 10 find out that secret, and
now she will leave your house within
| forty eight hours. Her pretext will be a
reasonable one, and she will promise to
return, but when she does return she will
bring her gang at her heels TO rob your
house for you"
| The idea Of connecting our pretty Marie
with such outrages filed me with horror.
| rejected it strenuously.
Believe or not, as you like" he re-
| turned, with shrug, $50 long as you