The Penn's Grove record., 1888-03-10
THE BIG DIAMOND ROBBERY.

pointed. He had been in the private in
quiry business for over fifteen years, and
never before had he experienced such a
reverse. 1t was an affair that had at
rracted the greatest public interest and
attention. A success in it would
have established his reputation as a
detective forever. But he had failed
utterly and ANONYMOUSLY.
he was called in by Sir Henry IIeavi-
side to investigate it. On November
18th Sir Henry was away from home.
On that night his wife, Lady Helena,
supported by her father, the Marquis
of Doltshire, had given a little dinner,
which was followed by a reception.
Her ladyship had, as usual, been rather
slow In dressing, and, wien the dinner
hour arrived, she was greatly pressed
for time. In her haste she had neg
lected to replace her jewels, which she
intended to put on after dinner and
previous to the reception IN the cafe,
and contented herself in locking the
door OF her boudolr and putting the
key into a drawer in her bedroom.
After dinner she found the key where
she had left 1t, aud re opened the door.
On opening her boudoir. she discovered,
to her amazement, that the window was
wide open. A moments investigation
showed her that all the jewels she had
left upon her dressing table when she
hurried down to dinner were stolen.
Their value was close upon seven
thousand pounds.
This was, 1 repeat, how the matter
stood when Mr.. Wylie was called in,
and practically 1t was in the same stats
when, after six weeks laborious inves.
tigatlon, he gave up the inquiry In
despair. He suspected much. hut he
had discovered nothing. 1t "a clear
to him that the robber, whoever he
might be, was perfectly familiar with
the house and with Lady Helena's care
less ways. 1t was also clear to him
that the window found open-which
was twenty-five feet from the ground,
and which showed no evidence of
having been forced-was left open as a
ruse to misIead the detectives. He
felt quite sure that the robber had en-
tered the boudoir by means of Lady He
lena's key, and that, if he left the house
at all, he went out by the side door,
which was fastened only by a spring
lock. He was inclined, however, to
believe that the thief was one of the
household, and that the Jewels were
still in the house. Acting on this be-
lief. he searched the house from top to
bottom, examined all the servants
boxes and cupboards, and watched
diligently all their movements; but,
after six weeks thus employed, he had
found nothing to implicate, or even
throw suspicion on any n in particu-
lar. He confessed himself utterly baf-
fed.
As, one day seated in his saDctum,
he was mournfUlly turning over in his
mind the question of his failure, there
was a knock at the door.
"Come in" he cried out.
The door opened and the office boy
put in his head.
"Lady wishes to see you, SIR"
"Show her in"
The next moment a tall, stately,
thickly yelled woman was ushered into
the detectives private office. Mr..
Wylie offered her a seat which she
silently accepted. AS soon as the door
was shut again, she raised her veil and
showed a handsome, refined face. Then,
without much NOR ado, she intro
duced herself.
N am Lady Noodle" she said,
"wife of the banker of that name"
The detective bowed.
"And / have come here" her lady,
ship continued, Sin very great trouble,
to see If you can assist me-"
you may rely upon it, madam, !"
said the detective, in his politest man.
ner, that | shall use my utmost efforts
to do 3d."
81 will tell you," Lady Noodle went
on without noticing Mr.. Wylie's re-
mark, 'the whole story as shortly as
possible. Owing to my health l had to
winter last year in Florence. My hus-
bands business and parliamentary
duties would not permit him to join
me. While living there by myself /
met an Italian gentleman, with whom
l formed rather an intimate friendship.
You should know" she added hastily,
shat there was nothing Improper In
1t, though much that was imprudent. :"
II quite believe you," said Mr..
Wylie.
Lady Noodle seemed rather irrltated
than gratilled By this assurance.
"Thinking," she continued after a
pause, ''that he was an honorable man,
l frequently wrote to him, and some
of my letters-one or two of them at
any rate-would, l am afraid, bear to
a jealous mind a very different mean
ing from that intended. When l re-
turned home, he followed me. By my
influence he was received in society
here-not only so, but l assisted him
from time to time with money. At
last his demands became too extortion-
ate, and l refused them. Then the
miserable scoundrel turned upon me,
and threatened that II / did not comply