The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-09-04
A STRANGE FOX-HUNT.

IA - hANUI IOA.uUlN L.
How Reynard and the Stolen Dia-
monds Were Found.
MY DEAR vANE: line in haste. II you
can possibly manage it come down here by
mond has been stolen. Don't bring dc.
tective; we will try 1t ours Ives first. Telc-
graph II you can come. Yours ! haste.
found the letter waiting for me Mt
my club one morning toward the end
of May. Go! of course should; had
nothing particular to keep me in town;
80 by the four o'clock train found my
self travelling south in much more
lively frame Of mind than had expert
enced in the morning, endeavoring to
while away the time with coniectures as
to what could really have taken place.
The diamond knew well. 1t was truly
precious stone. not only for its in
trinsic worth, but also from the fact
that it had been given by an Indian
Rajah to Mrs. Cargill's father, and, fur
ther, 1t was the last gift of parent
whose memory was by all who had
known him. Mrs. Cargill wore it
plainly set in gold as brooch, and
wore it more frequently than perhaps
most women would have thought it wise
to air SO valuable treasure. My friend
lived with his mother and little sister
in quaint old house with considerable
grounds, in a very quiet and unprc-
tending manner. The nearest village
of any importance was ut u stance of
some four and half miles. Often had
1 envied him the quiet peace of his
home. His tastes were artistic, like
mine; and, with such work as he might
choose to do, and the occasional super
intendence of his family acres, as might
be necessary to divert his attention, life
must have been very pleasant indeed.
My friend Harold was waiting for me
when reached the little station about
seven in the evening, and on the drive
home l learned few more particulars.
The robbery had taken place, as far as
could be judged, either during the night
before last or on the preceding day.
The house and the effects of the servants
had been searched without avail, and
Harold had only waited my arrival be-
fore taking further steps. We talked
the matter over mt great length both on
our way home and after dinner. That
one of the servants was guilty seemed
to me quite evident, but l could con-
vince neither of the others on this point
Mrs. Cargill left us soon to our wine,
and continued my endeavors without
avail to prove to Harold that strict
measures should ut once be taken with
all the servants. He contended that a
thorough search had already been made
"My dear fellow" said at length,
''vou should have allowed me to use my
discretion in the matter, and l would
have brought you down French detec-
tive or two"
''And what would your detectives
have donep Made up nice story, i'm
plicating one or all Of the servants, and
probably the gardener as an outdoor
agent, but not found the diamond.
Now, where is the use of Investigations
unless we recover the damondp"
A happy thought struck me as he
spoke. "If your object, Harold, is en-
tirely the recovery OF the diamond and
not the punishment of the thief, have
a suggestion to make; and it may be,
after all, that if wo discover the stone
first VIC may learn more afterward.
Let us have down this great mesmerist
and thought reader who is making such
small commotion just now. Wen tax
him (if he'll come) to conduct us to the
stone. 1t is probably still in the house:
the robbery was discovered so very
quickly that even with an outside agency
in the person of the gardener, whom |
grant you don't like, it is unlikely the
stone can have got so f..r as the village
yet"
On this suggestion (made half in jest.
half in earnestly we eventually decided
to act. The robbery had been dscov-
cred the morning before, and the serv-
ants had since then been pretty closely
watched, so that, after u further talk,
which, it is needless to say, went over
and over tho same ground ut least Il
score OF times, each OF us attempting to
prove to himself and to the other that
detective work was what Providence
had severally meant for us, we came ia
the determination TINT We would ask
the great thought reader. Prof. Land.
Icy, to come to our assistance
The greatest secrecy, OF coarse. was
necessary. Not even Mrs. Cargill
should know at first who our visitor
really was; for our only hope OF success
lay in the chance that II one of the serv-
ants was the thief the stone might still
be hidden in the house, or, pehaps, bur.
led in the ground outside, till it could
with greater safety be removed when
the matter had had time to be partly
forgotten.
Iwcnt to town early next morning,
and called at once upon the learned pro
fessor, He was tout" but was to be In
again very soon. strolled about the
nolghborhood some time so as not tC
miss him, having shrewd suspicion
that he had not yet made his appearance