, 1884-03-16
. PERFECT TREASURE.


motive Tor my hospitality, but II IL exists IL
need not surely be objected to; 1t is I who
have to pay for the weakness, and not my
friends.
1t was not looking at my gold and silver
plate, l suppose, which made my mother-in-
law bilious; she might nave stopped a long
time at some other houses / could name, with
out getting the quality, or even the quantity,
Of food that would produce an indisposition OF
that kind. Mind, / don't blame her; she gave
way to an amiable weakness lit was t%rufies)
Last Wednesday we happened to ave
rather a large dinner party; l had been dining
out a good deal at various clubs lately, and
of course it was necessary to invite my enter
tainers in return.
The dinner had gone off uncommonly well.
The shield-shaped salvers had been very
much admired, and so had my new tureen.
The ladies had retired to the drawing-room.
and l had just passed the vine-leaf claret- jug
to Col. Twankay, when Bowles stopped down
aud whispered in my ear TINT a person wished
to see me in the hall upon very important
business.
ASK him what it is" said l. ait is impos-
sible that lean leave my guests"
Al did ask him, sir, and he refuses to state"
replied Bowles, confidentially. at is my
opinion he's a begging-letter impostor; but he
says he must see you in person"
1 was upon the point of saying, "Tell him
TO leave the house. when something or other
In Bowles' manner struck me SO decidedly
that I resolved not to do SO. Perhaps ]
placed rather too much confidence in my but
Ter. Actuated by a vague presentiment OF
distrust and danger, l rose from the table,
made a hasty apology to my friends, and
went with Bowles into tho hall. A shabby
genteel sort of person was standing by the
umbrella stall.
akVhat iS III Won want with me GirfN said /
in a magisterial tone.
Zone minutes private conversation with
you" ne replied, with a glance at the butler.
@You may leave us, Bowles," said 1; and
he withdrew accordingly, although, l am
bound to say, very u~nwillingly. The thought
flashed across me like lightning. "Bowles
has something to fear from this mans dis
closure and the next words of my visitor
confirmed me in the suspicion.
al am a member OF the detective police
force" said he, and / come to warn you that
there is something wrong in your house"
Nothing to do with my plate, l hopel" said
], with considerable anxiety.
Every much to do with 1t, sir" returned
he, grimly. "There is a thief harborei here;
and by this lime tomorrow you will not
have a silver spoon in your possession, unless
l find him out. must $40 every soul you
have got under your roof"
"A thief" said L; "irpossiblel l never have
even so much as a strange waiter. That
butler has lived with me for ten years, and
my two footmen even longer. l will answer
for their honesty
"Let me see 'em, sir; that's all l want
was the decisive reply.
alt is not BowlesP said l, appealingly;
don't say it's Bowles;" but, although it agi-
tated me beyond measure to think that |
Should have to trust a new butler with all my
plate, l confess that / had n horrible idea
that il was Bowles.
~ think not" said the detective quietly.
ILet me see the other men. 1 turned the
gaslight over the door as high as it would go,
and called them both into the hall.
at is not them, said he. "What other men
have you in the housei'
None but my guests" said l.; "here in the
dining. room"
"Do you know them all very well, sirl
Are none OF them mere acquaintance or
neighborsfr
WELL" returned l with. hesitation, and
feeling very glad that Mrs. Matcham was not
Il third party to this interview, a know some
OF course, better than others"
aust 50" said the detective, quietly; "then
i must see them"
This was a shocking proposal, and made
me feel hot all over; but still l was not going
w "a NAY AAEA a AnosS Dul
salvers. Maj. Pinkey, l now remembered,
had expressed a great wish to examine them,
and perhaps that fact had some weight In my
inviting him to dinner. Who the deuce Mai.
Pinkey was-except that he belonged to my
club certainly knew no more than the de-
~tective, and perhaps a great deal less. Still,
1t seemed a very base thing to open the
dining-room door and let this fellow scruti-
mis- my guests, in hopes to find a scoundrel
among them.
upon my life" said 1. NJ Detective, l
can't do it"
very right, sir-very natural" replied he,
smiling in his quiet way. at would never
do, wonld III But. look you, sir: I'm a
waiter, a hired waiter. Who Is TO know
that | have not business at your side-board
In one minnie l could run my eye over the
whole lot, and spot my man, if he's there, as
sure as taxes"
l did not like even this arrange
ment; but still it seemed the only
thing to be done. So, sending for
Bowles, 1 arranged with him the plan Of
proceeding, and then returned to the dining
room. After a period of anxiety no measure
OF time could Indicate, the supposed waiter
took his departure.
you've got a new man, 1 see," said DR..
Twistie, carelessly, with SO much plate
about, l hope you are satisfied about his hon
esty."
l was exceedingly glad TO find old Twistie
was honest, and had not been taken by the
shirt frill, and walked of to Bow street, but
of course did not tell him that.
"Please, sir, you're wanted again." whis-
pered Bowles as he brought in another bottle
of claret.
III the kitchen chimney is on fire, / am
glai we have dined," observed the major,
onnI- bp,norally are I oan 10 80 .n. au,.ua
pray command me-"
1 did not inform him what a relief it was
to me thas he was not wanted. but, remark
ing that it was only a little domestic matter,
l once more sought the inspector.
"The one Pm after is not among them, sir,
30 far as l know observed this official, Jerk
ing his thumb in the direction Of the dining
room. "Are you sure there a,o no more mon
in your house besides those I have seenf'
@Yes," said l; there are no more"
"1hen now l must nave a look at the
ladies'"
"The ladiesi" criod /, aghast at this pro
posal. "Youd don't want to go in the drawing
roomF'
at would be moro satisfactory" observed
the detective, coolly. my information is
very reliable. But, at all events, who is
theref'
well" said l, -my wife is there for one;
you have no Information against her, / sup
poser
He nodded satisfaction so far.
Then there's tho Hon. Mrs. Matcham and
her daughter"
"Safc," rejoined the detective, checking
them of on his fingers.
nITNII nIMT