The Russellville Democrat., 1889-06-20

tradition that it had been constructed a century before by missionaries from the East All that Mir. Grandis or his daughter could tell about it was that it was on the ground when the land came into possession of it's present owner, some ten years before.
 I went through the house from cellar to garret met the two servants. John Lawns and Miss Peggy White, interviewed them. and then, after hearing Irene's story, sat me down to mediate on the situation. The Hindoo idol had stood always on the little bureau in Irene's room Peggy White knew it was there. had in fact often taken it in her hand and | admired it. She and John Lawns were on good terms, and it might be that the two had conceived and exe- cuted the plan of possessing themselves of the valuable image.
 The two however, had been faith ful servants in the Grandis household during twelve long years. Strange, that with the gold image in the house for years neither had thought Of ap- propriating it until now!
 It was not likely that either servant l hal stolen the Indian idol. l The unexpected often occurs in de- tective experience so I was not ready to accept the theory of the guilt or in- nocence of Peggy and John. l ex- amined Irene's room, and soon made the discovery that it could be entered from the outside by means of tree covered with vines, that grew close against the house, within easy reach of the window. Doubtless this was the way the thief had taken.
 But not a soul knew of the exist ence of the image outside of our fami- l ly." avowed Irene, when pointed out the probable manner of the robbery
 You are quite sure of this?"
 Quite sure, sir. ."
 ''It may be that the thief entered for the purpose of robbery, and found the idol by accident
 'I would think so but for one req son"
 And that?n
 "On the night the image disap- peared my wallet lay on the bureau, not foot from the image, containing over one thousand dollars-not our money, understand, for we are not so well situated, but the money sent my father by an acquaintance in the East, who wished him to invest it for him, We would have been ruined had the money been taken. l shudder when l think of it.
 And the wallet was untouchedP"
 This is the fact, sir; only the image was taken, and card that lay beside 1t"
 "A cardP"
 A photograph of myself"
 "Ahi"
 She seemed to guess the meaning of that monosyllable, and hastened to explain that she had no lover. and that no one among the Western rangers had thought of paying court even to Peggy.
 Well" 1 said. after time, "Tll do the best I can, Miss Grandis, but at present the outlook does not point to immediate success"
 ''Oh, sir, hope you will find and re- turn the image; it's the only keepsake have from dear Frank. "
 'I shall do my best"
 And then l left the house, refusing to accept Miss Grandis' offer to return me to Rock Ridge. l resolved to remain in the vicinity for time and shadow every person who promised any thing in his appearance.
 A single thread will sometimes lead to wonderful and startling results. l had not found oven so much as thread in the present case on which to hang a theory.
 My inward questioning ran like this: Why had the image been taken and the wallet, with the one thousand dol lars, left untouched2 Was it possible that the thief had overlooked the greater prize? Yes, it was barely pos sible, but not at all probable.
 In detective work l usually prose- cute my plans on probabilities. and have found that in ninety-nin cases out of a hundred have not erred.
 In the present case. then, the thief had not stolen the Indian idol for gain. This l promised. and on this theory proposed to work.
 Although Irene Grandis had asserted that she had no admirers among the sterner sex l was satisfied that she was mistaken in a partial sense at least. On this supposition proceeded to work.
 For several days I hung about the old stone house without making any discoveries.
 One morning entered the house to find its members more deeply excited than ever. The invalid, Mrs. Grandis, was nervous to prostration, and Irene met me with pale face and troubled, half-starved expression of the eyes.
 We've been visited again." she said.
 .'Visited?"
 "Yes, by the idol thief"
 Then sho turned about and showed me where q large chestnut curl had been severed from her head.
 1t was done last night" she ex- plained. When I felt the cold steel against my head l awoke and saw q human form darting away. He went through the window. l nearly tainted from fright, and feel almost afraid to live another night under the roof n
 l was puzzled but fully satisfied that the perpetrator of these strange acts was an admirer of Miss Grandis She apain osserted. however. that she had