Louisiana capitolian., 1880-01-03
A BIT OF A MYSTERY,
ny JOHNSON L. TURNER.

ny JOHNSON L. TURNER.
A woman past sixty, but hale and
vigorous, called on Varnoc one day on
u singular crrand. She WIS the owner
of d number Of small tencments IN
Bedford street, and always went IN
person to collect tho rent, being too
misery to pay an agent to attend to
It. (As var,,oe did not give her name
in his printed sketches, l shall call her
Mrs. Sor,lid, as the most appropriate
name for n person Of her avaricious
disposition.)
The detective was at his rooms when
she called, and she ut once stated her
business,9
"Thero il u bit Of mystery Mt my
residence which needs looking nto,'
said she, her little black eyes twink
ling like those Of n rat, which animal
she SO closely rescmblcd.
The gentleman requested her to
explain the matter, but she seemed to
be undecided in what manner to pro-
cced after having uttered c first
sentence; finally she said:
"Wcll, sir, sometimes | have n sum
of money about the house which comes
in too late for banking, and | usually
put it in n place where no burglar OF
sneak thief would dream Of looking
for it. Yet aoxt day il is sure 10 be
missing, and that is the lust Of It. This
has occurred four or five times within
two months, and am at loss to
even conjecture what becomes oi It ol
how tho thief could possibly have
found it's hiding place."
allow many servants have you IN
the house 7" asked the detective.
"But two; "a man servant and a
maid-0t-all llwOrk."
"Do you suspect either ~
"Well, no, ! can't say chat ! do. ]
have had them in my employ these
twelve years, or more, and never Ia Il
any occasion to complain of either
Mary Dunbar is u wcllcondlcted wo-
man, and attends to her duties, and
james Long is an industrious, tidy
and sober man. If they were other
wise | would not have retained them
in my service for so long u period"
ain what part Of the house did yoa
conceal tho money!"
ain my bedclmmber."
"And you sleep alone9"
"Yes."
"Have You bolts on your door,"
ayes; above and below, besides the
lock-"
ais there but ono door to tho room9'
"But one"
"How many windowse"
"Two."
ais this room on the second or third
hoorq"
"On the sccond---in the back-build-
ing"
"Do you usually secure the win
dows during the night ?"
ayes, by day and night"
"And after y"n were robbed, did
you find the door and windows as
you had left them on ret'rinsw
"Exacly rs had left them"
"And these mysterious tllcfts al.
ways take place during the night7"
$50 presume, for on the follow
ing morning the money would bt
gone"
"I'd advise you to change the place
Of conccalment,' suggested Varnoo.
'Didn't try that plan," cried she
in IL high key. 81 placed the none,
in my stockings, half in each, and
kept them Oh my feet. But next
morning the money was gone, aud
the stockings were on my feet"
Varnoe gave the woman q keen
glance; he was very much inclined tt
doubt her last statement; itappeane'
too strange for belief; he thought sh'
must be either u fraud or u lunatic
But she bore his scrutiny without tl'
least show of embarrassment. Sh'
must have noticed the incredulOu'
expression of his face, SO she remark
ed:
"This appears like witcl,craft t(
you, does it notW
sit almost passes my belief" re-
sponded he, thoughttully. "It is truly
"A Bit of a Mystery"
81 should say so," rejoiped she
"but will You, for u conilelation, mr
dertake to ferret out the pilfe,er9'
III cannot see any SHOW of sue
cess" observed he; ''but will, nev
ertlleless, undertake it,"
"Then come to my house tonight
and III manage to smuggle you il
without the knowledge OF any in tl,'
house. You will be required to kec,
watch all night, and take your res
during the day"
Then followed the question of pa,
for the services required. She offere,
him twenty-five per cent. Of all tina
had been stolen, if he recovered tha
for her, and twenty per cent. ofall h
found OH the person of the thief b