Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-09-28
BERTHA DALf0Ws TRIUMPH
TUE history HBlssTORY Or AN OPAL IaINa
lO0Mtinued1


lC6ntiaaed-
Now that his hat was removed. Il was
seen that he had q shiny bald head. with
4 fringe Of close-cut, light-c0lo lored hair.
He carried blue cotton pocket hand
kerchief in the crown of his hat. This
he took out, polishing his head as he
'aYou come from Lord AipbibctouY
Pray sit. down." said Mrs. Dalton,
} Z Mr.. Riggs took o seat near the Soor.
placing his bat under the chair and TAX
ing a rapid survey of the room. In the
course OF which every article in It was
mentally .catalogued. - t1sri,y iisr
.Yes, marm," Mr.. Riggs replied.
I'm q detective constable. and I've
called to make some inquiries about a
missing ring, II you've no objection"
.None whatever said Mrs. Dalton.
in fiurrN but 4 really can't tell YOU
who, or whether ANYBODY took IT, I
think 1t much more likely that it's no
body, and that it's lying here in some
crev1ce. where goodness knows who's
TO get at it without pulling the house
down. ~ - fl'''fu'5-
Mr.. Riggs smiled-but then he was
always smiling. Lst -
There would be little employment
for us, marm, If PARTIES who lost prop
erty could always tell where to Law their
hands on it again" !" said he. .Will you
oblge me by telling me as nearly as you
can recollect what occurred on the
morning when you missed the ring?n
Each time she was called upon to re-
late the circumstances poor Mrs. Dal-
ton became more confused, and less able
to remember exactly what the lady was
like or what she said, though on each
occasion she became more and more
positive that she was correct in every
particular. She this time ended, as
usual, with the assertion that such an
agreeable, genteel woman as the widow
lady who had called upon her would be
quite incapable of taking the ring.
ibid any one beside yourself see this
person." Mr.. Riggs asked.
mo one but Sarah-that,s the parlor-
maid" said Mrs. Dalton. ''The other
servant had gone out. and Sarah and /
were alone in the house-and / was so
glad 1t wasn't strange man; always
tell Sarah never to let a strange man
come through the gate when 1 am
alone" .iiN8fs
II should like to put question to
Sarah, marm, if you wouldn't mind"
said Mr.. Riggs.
'Oh, certainly, you can question her
if you wish, !" returned Mrs. Dalton,
little hutfed. Bertha, my dear, ring
the bell"
Sarah appeared so instantaneousIy as
to suggest the idea that she could not
have been much further off than in the
front passage.
Sarah, this coed man wishes to ask
you few questions; answer him as well
as you can" said Mrs. Dalton, loftily,
leaning back in her chair and crossing
her hands, perfectly satisfied with her
share OF the information given.
Sarah remembered the strange ladv
quite well. She was tall-about the
height of Miss Lena-and her com
plexion was dark-rather sallow. She
thought there was something queer
about her. The lower part of her face
did not look at all old, nor did her man.
ner of walking, but she couldn't see her
figure, because she wore large mantle.
There was one thing she noticed as she
followed her; bit of hair had got
loose under her bonnet behind, and.
though the hair in front was gray this
was quite black, And 1 thought to my
self, y said Sarah, Its a many ladies
I've seed wear a dark front when they
have got gray hair, but this is the first
| ever seed wear a gray front when she'd
got dark hair"
YOU'RE a very sensible girl, nv
DEAR" said Mr.. Riggs, when he had ex-
tracted all the information that Sarah
had to give, land I wish you good
husband i.
''Lor,n cried Sarah, with giggle and
a toss Of her head, that's Just like YOU
menalways thinking we girls are on
the lookout for a husband. Better
without 'em-the most of 'em-I should
"You may go, Sarah,'' said her mis-
tress, with a reprOving look; and Sarah
returned to the kitchen to repeat to
Martha all she had heard in the parlor.
And now will you allow me to put
another question: said Mr.. Riggs.
"Who is that young gent who went out
of the gate just as / came in? think I
have seen him at Thompson & Cratch-
it's, solicitors
THAT gentleman returned Mrs.
Dalton, with an emphasis on the word,
lis Mr.. Fancourt, grandson and heir to
Lord Alphington.n m l4 M
"Ah, just as Supposed said Mr..
Riggs with a sort of inward chuckle.-1
Have you known him long? Did you
know him before he assumed the name
of Fancourt2p sst
mo- Mrs. Dalton replied, thinking
the man was going beyond his province
in asking questions from mere curiosi-
ty, II had never seen him before: he
also came to inquire about the ring"
"Humphl He came to inquire about
the ring, did he? Well, that was natu-
raj enough" allowed Mr.. Riggs. rising I
from his seat and fishing out his hat
from under the chair. Tt'Thank Zee. d
/ don't know that I've any,
thing else to ask just at present. I wish
you good-day, ladies;n and with duck
Of his head Mr.. Riggs withdrew. n EN-
II will walk with you to the gate,n
said Bertha, following Mr.. Riggs from
the room. rsaG
She had an irTepressible desire to con-
lide in this man some half-formed sus-s
picion, and yet was unwilling to lay
herself open to the reproaches Of her
mother and Lena.
II should like to tell You something I
noticed about Mr.. Fancourt, K she said.
rs she walked with the detective along
the path. "There was singular hest
tatlon Ia his manner when j asked him
i he recognized the person in the ON
niDqs a ] !. from my description; and then hs