Louisiana capitolian., 1880-01-03

rythlnk was quiet IN the mousse, when
the watcher heard Mrs. SOiylil's cham
Der door open. He ut once opened
his own and awaited tn sec What fol-
lowed. A stream of light came into
his room, and the next moment the
old lady tapped softly at his door. III
n whisper lie asked what she wanted.
~ only wanted to tell you that my
man servant, James, says ho Is sure
that he has heard the soft tread Of
some person p'.ss his door once or
twice every night, but supposing it
was me, he paid no particular atten-
tion to It ut the time. But told him
that If lo ever heard II again to as-
certain whether it WIS me before he
permitted tho matter to rest on that
belief OF supposition. Therefore, DC
sure, Mr.. Varnoe, if you hear any
movement in the house during the
night to be the watch"
'Jiest assured on tl,ut point, mad
am," responded he. "S;Ould any one
but yourself roam about tie house l
shall keep my eye on the prowle'."
Thus assured, madam slipped into
her room again, and shortly after he
heard her got into her bed, and then
deep silence reigned.
Al about midnight, however, this
silence was broken ever 10 slightly.
Again lle heard the old lady's door
open, md presently she came out,
lamp in hand. She put the key IN tho
lock on the outside, closed the door
gently and locked 1t; then she passed
his door without even looking at II
and walked toward the stairway. He
looked after hcr until sho descended
tho stairs, then hc turned his atten-
tion tn the door Of her chamber.
"For," thought he, "if she is IN the
habit of leaving her room ut nights,
tho thief will probably seize TINT mo-
ment to enter by means Of u skeleton
key, and accomplish, his object before
she returns. Yes, that must be 'hc
manner in wl,icl, she loses her money.
All this seemed probable enough,
and could undoubtedly have been
done before she Thought Of sccrcting
the money in her stockings aud keep
ing them on her feet on retiring; nnd
surely she would not remove either
money or stockings during the tenn
porary absence from her chamber.
But how tho money could bo ab-
structed from The stockings without
awakening her would, In itself, be
singular; hut how the thief gained IN
entrance after she had retired and Sc
cured botl, door and windows, aud
left them thus secured after commit
ting tho theft seemed 50 utterly impOs-
sible that Varnoe was ut u loss what
to make of It.
However the old lady ,pturned from
her nocturnal errand, and re-cnte,cd
her room in 50 quiet y manner that IL
was not surprising that the servants
were not disturbed by her movements.
The watcher heard her lock and
bolt the door aud directly after retire,
and silence eigncd once more, Mnd Il
was not interrupted by any event dur
ing the night.
Varnoc was quite positive that no
one had entered her chamber during
her brief absence, and naturally pre-
sun,ed That her report in the morning
would would be Of % favorable char
actcr. What was his surprise, there
fore, when she informed him that the
usual programme had been performed!
The money had been taken out Of her
stockings!
She announced this in on angry tone,
and with her flashing eyes fixed on
those Of her nearer, rs though she held
him accountable for tho loss. The
perplexed detective could not only
stare ut the i,ate female in stupefac-
ton. "Was she quite sure that the
money had been concealed rs she sta
ted, and that ithad been taken away7'
asked he.
"DO you think that | do not know
what | am about I" demanded she,
angrily, then turned questioner her
self by asking, "and are You sure you
have not dosed on your post I"
The detective positively assured
her that he had been wide awake
every minute during his watch, and
urged this as u proof that he was a
faithful guardian of the night. 81 saw
YOU leave and enter the room, hence
must have been awake"
"Wcll, yes, ut that moment, doubt
less, admitted she; "but are you quite
positive that You have been Us wake
ful during the vholc night'" and she
eyed him most skcptically.
Varnoc thought her too unreasona-
bic, and he became impatient; he
thought her whimsical, and limited us
much. This led to an angry cont'o-
vcrsy, and for II period threatened Il
rupture between employer and en-.
plOyce. She accused MIN Of laxity OF
duty, and he expressed doubts of hel
remembering where she placed lel
money; that if she really concealed II
in herbedchamber, there itmusthe still
for no one, save herself, had entered
the door during tho past night.
In the midst Of their angry dispute
a sudden thought struck hiRl. 1t was
just barely probable that the thief
whoever it might be, might have
gained access 10 her room before she
retired, and concealed himslfuntil she
was asleep-l'c, perhaps, deepening
that sleep by means of cIlloriform-
then taking the money, he would re.
turn to his hiding place and wait until
the old woman left her room, when he
would also slip out at the first oppor.
tnnity that offered.
He mentioned this to MS. SOrdid
and she at once saw that suc;' u thing
could be done, but was not quite as
certain where the thief could hide
himself in the interim. The detective
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