News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-10-04
Mr.. DARTS JEWEL.

1t was about five minutes after the
second and last whistle had blown at
Darts shoe factory when Annie Velga
came running mp the street, painting
and red III the face. John Dart. stand
ing on the steps talking with two strang-
ers, smiled as she came up, and said in
slightly surprised tones:
You are late this morning, Miss
Velga-sOmething never before known. d"
Yes, sir. am sorry. but oversight
myself.
up late last night-had beau, per-
haps T" suggested Join. -royuishly.
NO, sir, le5-~v~lS1iie, promptly
and rather snappishly, for, even though
ne was the nephew of William Dart, the
great shoe man, and the prospective
heir TO all his wealth, she considered he
was taking a liberty, especially before
strangers. Perhaps pretty and prim
little Annie had some other reason, too.
for resenting his remark.
''Pretty girl,p said one of the strang-
ers after she had passed.
"Yes, assented John, "and about the
neatest, quickest girl in the work ROOM"
and then the stranger began talking
again very earnestly, as before Annie
came up the steps.
-"Well," said John, ''of course YOU
may satisfy yourself, but / can tell YOU
beforehand there is not one of our girls
whom we do not trust. 1t may take you
about all day, for they live in all direc-
tlons from here, If You have to search
their rooms. As uncle says | must 90
with you IN that case, the sooner it is
over the better it will be for me-" Then
they all three went up stairs to the girls
work room.
"Will those who stopped at Dingus'
jewelry store last night on the way home
from work, please stand mp z" said John.
Over half of them stood up, while John
took down their names and the numbers
of their rooms, and the detective watch
ed each face keenly. So far no one was
disturbed by a guilty conscience. After
ascertaining beyond a doubt that all
who had been at the store reported,
John announced:
1--WE have receive word that a valu-
able amount of jewelry was stolen from
this firm last night ut about the hour
you were there, therefore suspicion has
fallen upon you, and each girl must al
low her room to be searched if the
goods are not previously found up II
her person.
So the search began. A quiet, trusty
girl, much older than the others, and
who had not been with them the even
ing before, was appointed to conduct the
personal examination in another room.
One after another left the work room to
return III few minutes declared inno-
cent, until the officers were satisfied
none Of the goods were at the factory.
'NOw," said John, when the last girl
had returned, "will each of you give me
your keys in turn. for / must accompany
this officer in his search while the other
remains herel"
"Not this morning?" spoke up Annie
Velga quickly, while the smart detective
felt the jewels in his grasp, so to speak,
and the reward in his pockets. John
looked surprised-some said he turned
a trife pale as he looked into Annie's
flushed, guilty face
''Yes, of course this morning." he an
swered gravely. "What difference is it,
Miss Annie %
None, answered Annie hastily; but
as John took her key, the detective
thinking 1t best to search her room at
once instead of IN her turn, she burst
out crying and seemed so broken down
that the remaining officer felt justified
IN placing her under arrest.
John had visited Annie's room before,
Just once, not many evenings before
He had taken her book TO read and a
small basket of fruit, thinking that as
neat way to begin his courtship as
any. He had thought as he lett that
evening 1t was the prettiest, brightest
little room he had ever seen, far exceed
ing any III his uncle's grand mansion.
he had little thought the next time he
climbed the stairs to room No. 81 would
be upon such a painful crrand. He
could not believe sweet little Annie /
guilty until it was proved. yet he climb (
ed the steps unWillingly and with more
unwilling fingers turned in the lock the /
key Annie had surrendered.
When the door was open he stood for
n moment irresoiute. The room seemed
the same, vet not the sane, either.
Where, the evening he had called.
pretty japanese scr en- had stood, was
now a rather shabby though scrupu-
lousy clean little stove, and thereon a
skillet with few potatoes left from the
morning meal and dainty bed, with
covers thrown back and pillows airing,
was drawn out where had stood sma
book cabinet he had particularly no
ticed. John reassuTe himself he was
in the right room by several little arti
cles on the walls, and while the busy
detective was diving around in Anuie's
one trunk and the bureau drawers look
ing for the lost treasure, John WAS look
ing around at tb;s little jewel of