Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-06-17

night and q report put about that the
silly old man has gone into the country
''Oh, dear! there is the property to
dispose of, is there not?''
''Uncut diamonds tell no tale,'' said
this sallow neighbor, of mine, in his
deep voice, laughing loudly. Nothing
could have been luckier than my wit
Messing that little scene between your
uncle and our fat neighbor over the
garden WALL
In an ordinary moment should have
felt keenly the insult conveyed in his
remark, but my feelings were too high
wrought for it to touch me then.
But Polly pressed my hand and muir
INJURED, ''The horrid villain?''
minutes more. We heard Malden's
wife heave deep sigh. She was hu-
man, then. I had scarcely thought it,
II can't bear to think-it is too
dreadful!' she said her voide trembling
for the first time during the CONVERSE
ton.
Again her husband laughed loudly,
and said, in theatrical tone. "What!
my Lady Macbeth trembling! Come,
Well to sleep. We are yet young in
deed.''
In moment more we heard the door
of the apartment closed. We three sat
and looked at each other, blanched and
speachless with horror.
Ann was the first to recover her pres
ence of mind. ''Shall I go and fetch
the perlese. sir?' she said in subdued
voice.
'Oh, don't leave me Ann!' sobbed
my poor wife, yielding to her pent-up
emotion and clasping our servant
around the waist. This was the first
time in her life that she had been so un-
dignified.
7'You 90, Joram,' she continued.
Then sudden fear seized her. "But
we shall both be murdered while you
are gone.' The poor soul wrung her
hands and began to laugh Historically.
felt that everything depended upon
my controlling my nervous system.
Polly was beginning to get silly, and Ann
might at any moment break down, too.
l took out my pipe and slowly filled
and lit it in order both to steady my
self and impress these women with my
self-command.
"rll telegraph to Chittick-that will
> be best, l said, after pacing the room
once or twice.
''You can't telegraph tonight. sir
the office'll be shut said the practical
Ann.
Mr.. Chittick was an Inspector in the
detective force at Scotland Yard.
After some internal debating l
decided that it would be better to wait
till the morning, and then telegraph,
than to 60 off to the local police station
that nj ght. l have often since Won
dered at my courage and calmness.
, The wife and servant seemed to catch
something of my spirit. We were
unanimous that to go to bed was
impossible; so Mrs. Fogg lay on the
sofa, Ann in sofa chair which we
wheeled out of the next room, and ]
sat up in my good armchair, prepared
to watch the night through.
Happily nothing transpired during
that tedious night to create further
5 alarm. In the morning, when the
postman called, got him to take a
telegraphic message, which simply
urged my friend, the inspector, to
come as early in the day as he possibly
, could, as wanted to see him on bust
ness of a very pressing and extraordi-
nary character.
About noon he came. Not a soul
had stirred from the ncighboring
house, and had, therefore, the salts
faction of feeling that the delay would
not Illustrate the ends of justice.
oil I +o1I +1o or
of Mr.. LEAFS eccentric conduct; his
disappearance after his nephew had
seen him show me the diamonds in the
garden, and, finally, the strange con-
versation we had overheard the night
before. At first my friend was merely
politely attentive but as I went on he
!, took out his notebook and carefully
wrote down the words we had over
!; heard. He asked for particulars, too,
of the appearance of Maiden, of his
wife, and of the murdered man.
''Do you know anything of the bust
ness or profession of Malden?" he then
asked.
!. could only admit that on this point
I was entirely in the dark.
''But has not your maid learned any
thing on this subject from your neigh
boris servants he inquired; servants
arc always gossiping, you know
1.-THE woman next door is a foreigner
; "a German-I Think
Inspector Chittick pursed up his
mouth and tapped his notebook with his
pencil.
''That looks like a plan,' he re-
marked, after momcn's meditation.
''That fact in the strongest point in the
7 case. 1t seems as though it were dc.
, signed that nothing should transpire
, through the clatter of servants"
"Yet surely the real point is the con.
t fession of murder which we overheard
5 I urged deferentially.
THAT has to be Proved he replied
7 ''In the meanwhile, must compliment
2 you on your shrewdness in sending fo1
me in this quiet way. I shall at once
2 telegraph for one of our men to stay
} with you here, and for another to b,
t posted within convenient distance O
, the house,
t Day after day passed and nothing
/ TRANSFERRED to clear up this mystery
At length, after an interval of nearly =:
fortnight, we had, for the first time, :
5 communication from Inspector Chat
tick in the shape of a telegram:
l shave made an unexpected and start
ling disc> ,ery in the Maiden case. viii
, call this afternoon, and hope to do bust
ness. Maiden is at home; intends leav
7 home tomorrow with wife and German
, servant.''
, did not show this message to Polly
for l knew it would upset her. My
nerves too, were a little unstrung, and
| actually: trembled when Ann usherec
T Mr.. Chittick into the front room
l After greeting me he gravely took 8
| newsnaner from his rocket and passed