Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-01-24

icplleu, anu Was suO"h W iOOh'
There put on my dress suit, and after
brief talk with my hos, who explained
all as l have already related it, | went
down and was introduced to the guests.
Lady M--had received the cue and
saluted me as an old friend, as did also
the daughters.
81 looked around among the guests
who, by the way, had been kept in COM
plete ignorance of the robbery-an took
stock of them. That night l didn't
sleep much. lay awake thinkii Sir
George had put me in possession y all
the facts and had quietly inspected
Lady Ms apartments and all their
surroundings. | regretted that | had hot
brought with me young Scotchman,
named Watson, who bad been my assis-
tant for two or thiee years. and was
very shrewd, intelligent fellow. Next
morning, teiegraphed for him in ciph-
er, and instructed him to come as my
servant. He arrived the same afternoon
and soon made himself at home in the
servants, hall, where he admirably sus-
tanned the character he rad assumed.
"Now, as you may well understand,
had no easy tasE on hand. / had been
subaltern in a regiment of foot and
had served in India, so that it was no
trouble to me to associate with the class
of persons met at Sir Georges. l made
myself, as have reason 10 know, very
agreeable and was soon Oh excellent
terms with every one in tn. house.
There was no doubt in my mind that
the robbery had been perpetrated by
some one in the dwelling, 1t was equal
ly clear to me that it had not ben ac-
complished by domestic. My instrnc-
lions to Watson were to become intimate
with the servants of the visitors and to
learn as much as he could of the anteced-
ents and habits Of their masters.
THE FIGURE IN WHITE.
"Now let me- 60 back ana tell YOU
something which happened the first
night | was at Sir Georges. | am natu-
rally. as well as professionally of an in
ouisitiye turn, sc when all had retired
and the house was still, Iarose and OPEN
ed the door of my room. | may tell you
that the first thing | did on being shown
to my room on my arrival. was to oil the
| lock and hinges, so that the door would
open without noise had pursued this
course ever since one of the best laid
| schemes ! ever concOcted, was Illustrated
bv the grating of key in lock. Well;
| | opened the door noiselessly and looked
| out. The long corridor reaching from
the central gallery to the left wing lay
before me, very faint LIGHT was flung
from lamp at the head OF the stairs.
| As gazed without any particular object,
wondering However, behind which door
the secret of the robbery lay concealed
l-lor | was certain that some one of the
visitors was the thiec-a white figure
emerged from a room between me and
the gallery. istepped back and closed
the door. Then | listened. Some one
approached my door and paused.
could hear the soft footballs cease. Nay
could hear the breathing of the person
who paused and evidently listened at my
door. Then the footsteps departed.
opened the door an saw the figure In
white walking with downcast head To-
ward the gallery. 1t vanished in the
doorway from which lad seen it come
Was suspected, aud was this the thief
Had she come to 1econnoitre and fine
out what was about? Had her rest
less and guilty spirit intuitively fixed up
on NE, as the one being in that dwelliEg
whom it had to fear?
Next morning tried to select the
door out of which the figure had come
and through which it had disappeared
but in vain. At breakfast l glanced
around to see whose face gave signs o
disquiet or anxiety, but all appeared ga.
and careless.
AwALK AND ITS RESULT.
After breakfast | went into the smok
ing room and convelsed with one anC
another. Then | went to my room, hav
ing first, as already said, telegraphed fo
Watson. After an hour spent in thought
took stroll through the park. Tn
: air was frosty and bracing. The SUI
shone bright, and | was beginning T.
, collect NV thoughts, and decide on som
course OF acting. Where to begin wa
the question? As I sauntered down th
avenue / heard iootstep behind mt
1t drew near, and presently found Mis-
Gertrude, or more properly Miss NJ
Y Sir Georges elder daughter, alongside {
1 the. | bowed and made some remar
y about her being alone.
ooh she said, Il am going TO Wis
two or three of my pensioners, for whoI
n have a few nall presents
J. Il observ, ii that she held Il leatte
a bag in her hand. After few further n
marks between us, she excused herse
9 and fastened on. Whom did she r.
d mind me If as she passed away? Whe
?, / reached the gate and glanced along ii
n road toward the village, Miss M W;
out of sight, the road taking an abrul
/ turn. [ walked on In the direction ST
had taken for no particular reason, an
It soon came to the village. 1t consiste
y of two rows of small, unpretentiol
dwellings, with one here and there mo
e humble than t.e rest. | was already a
e preaching The very last dwelling, a 10
d matched cottage at the corner of y laI
leading through fields to a farmhouse
- the valley, when Miss M came for
y from the cottage and turned toward III
l- She DO longer carried the bag, and b;
If her vail down. She stopped for IN
ment and asked me which way was Q
" ing. know not exactly why, hut ] !
" solved to deceive her and replied l "
d. loing to see wnere the lane led, polnti
,e 10 that which ran by the cottage. s
! said it would take me to large po
where the village children were skatiI