The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-30

"As Miss Mason joined me upon coming
from the ladies' dressing room saw ON her
magnificent throat diamond pin that
recog lied at once from the description fur
niShed me by my chief 1t was the finest
OF the Judd jewels. You can imagine,
perhaps, what sort of an evening passed.
he next morning | rep 'rted to the
agency, sending my resignation and omit
ting all mention of the discovery | had
made. But fate stepped in at that juncture
IN my affairs. A newspaper reporter had
also seen the brooch, and, with ut know
ing what she was doing, described it as the
most remarkable jewel displayed on the oc-
casion. Both my chief and Col. Wilson, it
then transpired, were quite as alert as | in
this affair. Before ght received kilograms
In cipher ordering me to force Miss Mason
to confession.
You see me here now, so you know /
didn't yield to the temptation to blow out
my brains. l resisted that inclination, be-
cause no living creature could break the
awful news of detection to that poor girl so
gently as |.
THAT evening called on Miss Mason and
invited her to drive with me. Possibly she
thought-well, no matter now. She accept
ed the invitation, and | drove into as Sc
cluded IA road as l could find. Then told
her who and what | waS-a detective; a
man who had wilfully gained her conf
dence in order to prove that she was a
thief!
II can see her now, in my mind, living
crushed and fearless at my feet. She may
have pleaded first for silence, for pity, but
neither was at my command. Others held
her secret. She told me how she had been
overwhelmed with an almost insane longing
to own the jewels; a momentary impulse,
an instant's action, life of repentance and
morse. Then she spoke of her feeling for
me-her desire to appear well, and her Sec
ond yielding to that fatal vanity. She had
never worn single jewel of the lot before,
and she was impelled to put one on that
night in the blind faith that nobody would
remember it,
"Oh, well, that hour went by | prom
ised to do all | could to save her from open
disgrace, and so lett her. | found note at
my room telling me Of the arrival of Col
Wilson, and went at once to him. Itmay
be that he appreciated how l suffered. At
all events, he agreed not to prosecute Miss
Mason or publish the facts of the recovery
of the jewelry provided she would return
them. He was even kind enough to con-
sent to my acting for Miss Mason.
The following morning | called on Miss
Mason and told her what Col Wilson had
agreed to do. Without a word in reply she
left the room. didn't know whether or
not she would return. My own reputation
was in her hands, and for nearly an hour l
remained alone in that parlor where had
first thrust myself as false friend.
''She came back to me, carrying pack
age which | supposed contained the jewels.
| couldn't speak, nor would l, after one
glance ct her face, have opened that pack
age in her presence even to save my life.
Il took the parcel to Col. Wilson. Not a
jewel was missing"
"And the womanG
Miss Mason's departure was announced
in the society columns of the newspapers a
few days later. If still alive, she is visit
ing friends at the East l believe"