The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-19

saw the signs OF apprehension, secret fears
when she was struggling to suppress. ..
Iris woman knows more than anyone else, -
he thought, and then he questioned Lady Darnel
about the contents of the cabinet
Yes" she SAID dreamily, as if only just re-
membering the fact, there are some bank notes
there. The money Sir Allan had drawn for our
travelling expenses" her voice faltered a little
as she recalled her delight in the idea of that
journey, the sweet expectation of happy days
with her beloved in lovely land and now a
grave yawned before, darkest, direst fears
crowded upon her soul
"a large sum of money!" inquired Penwern.
"Three-no, think it was four hundred
pounds"
Have you the key of the babinet Lady
Darnel!'
my husband and have duplicate keys-but
doubt if Sir Allan locked the cabinet that
night. He had taken out his pistols i'll order to
examine them-he was excited, tired, and did
not put the pistols back in the cabinet"
Twill you be good enough to see if the notes
are still there, Lady Darnel" asked the de-
tective.
She started, looked at him curiously, and then
sudden flow of crimson swept over her cheek
and brow
What difference can that make!-the notes
are safe, of course" she said
mot if there was burglar in this room-and
he was clever enough to secure his booty before
Sir Allan interrupted him. You don't suppose.
Lady Darnel 1 take it that Sir Allan got up
out of his bed and came to this room to shoot
himselfp
Il suppose nothing-I know nothing, except
that my husbands life is in danger"
"The law wants to know great deal more
know my poor brothers life came to be en-
dangered."
"Oblige me by looking for the notes. Lady
Darnel,' said the detective. 1.-THE obvious
reading of this sad business is that Sir Allan
was shot by burglar-who managed to escape
before you re-entered this room. If so, the
burglar must have come after something, and
with some definite purpose. Please try the
cabinet"
He could see that she was reluctant, curiously
reluctant. to obey; but she went slowly to the
old Italian cabinet and opened the doors to the
widest She had been right in her conjecture
the cabinet had not been locked since Sir Allen
took out the pistol case.
DO you find the notes, Lady Darnel" asked
Penwern when she had been standing there some
minutes, examining shelves and drawers, and
secret-nominally secret-receptacles at the
back of the quaint old piece of furniture
mo, they are not here-at least, L cannot find
them"
'Do you know if Sir Allen had taken the num-
Der of these notesW
Il think not. He only drew them from the
bank the day before the accident. He was out
with the hounds early next morning-he was
engaged with his steward all the afternoon"
1--WE can get the numbers from the bank, |
dare say" said the Colonel.
'"True. But they will be of very little use to
u.s. Bank notes and diamonds are the Bread and
cheese of the burglars trade. The thing is to
find out who did this. have an idea that [
could put my hand upon the mantle hero of
good many portico robberies."
pray what is portico robbery!" asked the
Colonel.
"Almost every country seat has portico-the
better the house the bigger the portico" ex-
planned the detective Nothing easier to scale
than handsome, classical portico. No ladder
or ropes, or tell-tale apparatus wanted. The
burglar watches his opportunity. generally finds
it at dusk when the family are at dinner the
servants all occupied down stairs. He scales the
portico-there is always, at least, one window
above it. He gets quickly in at the window
sneaks along corridor to my lady's dressing
room, or bed room; of course he has learned the
geography of the upper floor beforehand, finds
her jewel case, pitches it out of the window to
friend or friends below-catcf who catch can
and as quietly sneakS out of the house, and off
to the railway station, where friends have
gone on before with the trap If he is met in q
corridor after the fact there is no property in
his possession-he rushes past bewildered
maid servant-gets clear off before she can col
lect her senses"
And you think that this was portico rob-
berry," said the Colonel.
Il know Of only one mana distinguished ar
tist in that llne-quick enough and audaciouS
enough to manage this business in the time in
which it was done, replied the detective. Pray,
this room before you heard the pistol shotH
IA very short time"
give mnutes?'
'Rather more than that-nearly ten minutes
perhaps"
'Ah, the man mean could do a good deal
more than ransack that cabinet in ten minutes.
After you heard the pistol shot, did you lose
much time in getting to this roomW
Not an instant.
"And when you came in there was no one in
the room but Sir Allan?"
mo one"
"And you did not think of looking out of the
window after the assassin"
81 thought of nothing but my husband"
"A pity Yet, l don't suppose you would have
seen much if you had looked. Did nobody think
of examining the grounds round the house that
night"
mo one," answered Colonel Stukey eve
ought to have hunted the scoundrel-but we
were all half out of our wits. The only thought
was of Sir Allan, and getting the DOCTOR"
$50 the man had his chance, and got clean
off. He must have left the neighborhood by an
early train, and got back to London. [ dare say
| shall be able to hear something about him at
the station. BY the way, Lady Darnel, do you
remember If there was any conversation about
those notes between you and Sir Allan that
evening-anythingt that could have been over
heard by person standing outside the balcony"
Sir Allan spoke of the notes before he put
them away"
WAS the window open at the time!"
eyes, there was a window OPEN"
THANK you. Lady Darnel, l don't think /
need trouble you any more. Be kind enough to
lock that cabinet. and keep the key in your pos
session. 1t is good lock, suppose"
ut is a brahma lock, which Sir Allan had put
on three years ago." said Dora.
Lady Darnel sank into her chair by the
hearth the pretty partcolored basket chair in
which she had sat on many an evening chatting
with her husband when the rest Of the house
hold had retired for the night. She sat with her
hands idle in her lap, her eyes fixed and fearless
lost in painful thought. Yes, the notes were
gone-and she knew too we'll whose hands had
taken them. She could understand it all now,
her sons persistent demand for three or four
hundred pounds He had been standing out on
the balcony by the open window while Sir Allan
talked about the notes, he had seen where they
were put. He would have got them from her, if
he could, induced her to rob her husband for his
benefit; it was towards that point he was urging
When Grace's summons called her suddenly