Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-09-20

missing ring, IL you've no ODIccIlCn.
None whatever said Mrs. Dalton,
in a furry; ''but 1 really can't tell you
who, or whether anybody took it. I
think it much more likely that it's no.
body, and that it's lying here in some
crevice, where goodness knows who's
to get at it without pulling the house
down"
Mr.. Riggs smiled-but then he was
always smiling.
There would be little employment
for us, marin, if parties who lost prop
erty could always tell where to lay their
hands on it again. said he. "Will you
oblige me by telling me as nearly you
can recOllect what occurred on the
morning when you missed the ring?"
Each time she was called upon to re-
late the circumstances poor Mrs. Dali
ton became more confused, and less able
to remember exactly what the lady was
like or what she said, though on each
occasion she became more and more
positive that she was correct in every
particular. She this time ended, as
usual, with the assertion that such an
agreeable, genteel woman as the widow
lady who had called upon her would be
quite incapable of taking the ring.
Ibid any one beside yourself see this
person." Mr.. Riggs asked.
''NO one but Sarah-that's the parlOr-
maid" said Mrs. Dalton. The other
servant had gone out. and Sarah and I
were alone in the hOuse-and | was so
glad it wasn't a strange man: I always
tell Sarah never to let strange man
come through the gate when l am
alone"
II should like to put question to
Sarah. marin. if YOU wouldn't mind"
said Mr.. Riggs.
"Oh, certainly, you can question her
If you wish" returned Mrs. Dalton, a
little huffed. Bertha, my dear, ring
the bell"
Sarah appeared so instantaneously as
to suggest the idea that she could not
hay been much further off than in the
front passage.
Sarah. this good man wishes to ask
you few questions: answer him as well
as you can" said Mrs. Dalton, loftily,
leaning back in her chair and crossing
her hands, perfectly satisfied with her
share of the information given.
Sarah remembered the strange lady
quite well. She was tall-abOut the
height of Miss Lena-and her COM
pleXiOn was dark-rather sallOw. She
thought there was something queer
about her The lower part of her face
did not look at all Old, nor did her man
ner of walking, but she couldn't see her
figure, because she wore large mantle.
There was one thing she noticed as she
followed her: bit of hair had got
loose under her bonnet behind. and,
though the hair in front was gray, this
was quite black, And | thought to my
self" said Sarah, Its a many ladies
I've seed wear a dark front when they
have got gray hair, but this is the first
! ever seed wear gray front when she'd
got dark hair"
You're a very sensible girl, my
dear" said Mr.. Riggs, when he had ex-
tracted all the information that Sarah
had to give, land [ wish you a good
husband"
"Lor,n cried Sarah. with a giggle and
a toss Of her head, that's just like you
men-alWays thinking we girls are on
the lookout for husband. Better
without 'em-the most of 'em-I should
say
tress, with Il reprOVlng look; and Sarah
returned to the kitchen to repeat to
Martina all she hld heard In the parlOr.
And now viii you allow me To put
another question:" said Mr.. Riggs.
"Who is that young gent who went out
of the gate just as | came in? [ think [
have seen him at Thompson 81 Cratch-
it's, SOIicItWS.n
That gentleman" returned Mrs.
Dalton, with an emphasis on the word,
sis Mr.. Famcourt, grandson and heir to
Lord Alphiugjou.'
"Ah, inst Us | supposed" said Mr..
Riggs with q sort of inward chucllle.-
"Ilaye You known him long? Did YOU
know him before he assumed the name
of Fancourt?'
"No," Mrs. Dalton replied, thinking
the man was going beyond his province
in asking questions from mere curiOsi-
ty. Il had never seen him before; he
also came to inquire about the ring"
"llumph! He came to inquire about
the ring, did he? Well. that was natu-
raj enough" allowed Mr.. Riggs, rising
from his seat and fishing out his hat
from under the chair. "Thank zee,
marin. | don't know THAT I've any
thing else 10 ask Just ut present. | wish
you gOod-dav, ladies'" and with a duck
of his head Mr.. Riggs Withdrew.
81 will walk with you to the gate"
SAID Bertha, following Mr.. Riggs from
the room.
She had an irrcpressible desire to con-
ilde III this man some half-f0rmed sus-
plclon, and yet was unwilling to lay
herself open to the rcproacheS of her
mother and Lena.
II should like TO tell yOu something
noticed about Mr.. FanCourt," she said,
as she walked with the detective along
the path. "There was a singular hest
tation in his manner when asked him
If he recognized the person in the ON
mbuS from my description; and then he
said 1t was a man who had once been a
sort Of servant of his. And, when
mamma told him about the strange
lady, he Immediately asked if she was
tall or dark, bat aftcrWard said he had
made guess at random. may be do
ing Mr.. Eancourt an injustice, but
cannot help thinking that he fancied he
knew her, and l thought l would tell
YOU
Thanks, young lady" said MIR.
Riggs-"every hint is useful. 1t is on
ly by putting this little bit and that lit
tie bit together that we sometimes find
the end of the clew. GOOd-day, miss"
Mr.. Riggs walked away, and Bertha
returned slowly up the garden path.
She felt grieved for Lord Alphington-
grieyed for the disappointment that
awaited him. Was that vulgar, scamp
lsh-looking man the grandson for the
proofs of whose existence Lord Alph-
lngton had been longing? Was he the
one destined to bear the hOnors of that
ancient houSe2 Alas for human hopes.
Alas for the good old man, who was
even then probably counting the hours
till he could clasp the hand of the last
scion of his line, and hid him welcomed
When Mr.. Riggs left Ivy Cottage, he
directed his steps to the nearest cab
stand, where ne hailed a hanson, and
directed the driver to a certain street
leading out of FitZrOy Square. Here
he discharged the c9b, and knocked at
the door of a house where one of the
windows in the first floor had been
raised, indicating its use as an artists
studio.
Having received an affirmative an
SYer to the query as to whether Mr..
s.. Lawrence was at home, Mr. Riggs
assembled the stairs, and knocked at the
studio door.
After receiving permission to enter,
he heSltatcd for few moments when
he opened the door, and found st. Law
renee not alone. Douglas had just
dropped in for a chat, as he did almost
every day or evening. for the two Young
artists were fast friendS-none the less,
perhaps, from the difference in their
characters.
Come in, Riggs" said st. Lawrence.
This is my friend, Mr.. Douglas. You
can say anything you have to say be-
fore him just as if Iwers alone. l told
you, Douglas, | had put my affairs in
TO tie hands of the police. Mr. Riggs
has 1t in charge to make wrong right,
IT II is in the power of mortal man.
Have YOU ANYTHING to tell me, RiCCsp"