Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1890-10-02

asked.
mo one"
who was first in the hall this morn.
ing?"
Either William, the man sent for
you, or Mary, who sweeps on this floor.
But, dear me! never would suspect
either of them" she answered.
Yet they may be able to give infor-
nation that will aid me. Send up Will
iam." said.
Idon't believe that I had so much
confidence in William as Mrc. Harris
had.
When William came allowed him to
stand for a moment before spoke, and
he appeared to be very lily at ease.
Then asked: "Was Mary the first one
in the front hall this morning?'
II think she was" he said, ''for saw
her there sweeping when came down.
But, tell you, she never stole any
thing"
was little surprised at his answer,
for had aboutconcluded that he would
want me to think that Mary had taken
the jewels.
Have you searched for the dia.
monds?" I asked.
Indeed, we all did. and poor Mary
has been crying her eyes out because
she might be suspected"
Send her here" said.
Mary came, and it was quite apparent
that she had been crying; but have
had considerable experience with wom-
ems tears. She said that when she
went to sweep the hall she found the
handkerchief on the floor, but saw
nothing of the diamonds; and that she
was still sweeping when William passed
her on his way to clear the snow from
the front walk.
concluded that Mary knew nothing
about the diamonds, but was not quite
so sure of William.
did William go to the tablet" I in
quired.
No" she said. ''He walked apast
1t, on his way to the door,"
did he pick up the handkerchief for
your"
mo, he did not. had picked it up
before he came. He didn't p. elk up any
thing. And if he had picked up the dia.
monds he would have said sos
The girl was evidently shrewd enough
to see the purpose of my questions. And
her very shrewdness aroused my sus-
picion.
Now. Mary" said, do you say that
William pas,:3 through the hall with.
out stopping?"
''No, l don't" she answered, and l
noticed alittle color come to her cheeks.
What did he stop for?' asked.
perhaps because he wanted to-" she
answered, snappishly.
"Mary," said Mrs. Harris, "you must
answer the question. If William
stopped in the hall this morning you
must tell the gentleman what for''
'"rhen, If you must know. he stopped
to kiss me-" With this she ran out OF
the room.
now understood the relationship be.
tween the two servants, and why each
thought the other incapable of stealing.
l also saw motive for William wan !.
ing the money that the earrings might
bring him, and felt that it would be diff
ficult to either recover the diamonds or
discover evidence enough to convict the
thief.
The first thing was to put an assistant
on the track of William and to pump the
pawn-shops. He might have visited one
on his way to my Office. l told Mrs.
Harris that would return by Car, and
that she might soon expect to see me
again.
William showed me to the door.
After he had closed it behind me stood
moment on the step and glanced at
the front Of the house. AS / did SO l
caught sight of woman's head at a
window in the house next door. When
She saw me looking toward her she
sprung back and closed the blind. /
must have frightened her.
I rang the bell at Mrs. Harris door,
and surprised William by my sudden
return. | asked for Mrs. Harris, and
inquired of her how the door had been
locked the night before.
at was only on the night latch" she
said. ''Mr. Harris is out of the city,
and thought he might return, and
left the door so that he could get in"
at my request Mrs. Harris gave me
the night-latch key, and again 1 left
the house. looked at the windows OF
the next house, and saw no one Then,
stepping to the front door, inserted
Harris-house key, and was able to open
the door with it, l knew that the kew
of that lock would open Mrs Harris
door. The key was put in my pocket,
and rang the door-bell. There was nc
immediate answer, and 1 rang again.
Then heard a slight noise inside, as
though something had fallen to the
floor. The door was opened by the
same woman who had been at the win.
dow. [ walked in. On the floor was a
silver-plated card-receiver and mum.
Der of cards. The girl had evidently
thrown it from the table near by.
inquired for the lady OF the house.
and said that would take seat in the
hall until she came. The woman took
my card and assembled the stairs. The
! mistress of the house appeared to be in
no hurry. AS my card showed me to be
only detective suppose she though,
could wait. wanted her to know who
was
The minutes began to pile, and
amused myself by reading the names or
the cards scattered about the floor and
on steel-wire mat that was just in
side the front. door. I did not read
the names of any Of the flour hundred
on them.
One card on the mat that seemed tc
bear remarkably long name attracted
my attention, and picked it up. AS
raised it / dropped to my knees, TO,
near it, in the meshes of the mat, was
one of Mrs. Harris diamond earrings
1t was no sooner in my vest pocket thar
the lady of the house descended the
stairs.
l told her of Mrs. Harris loss-the
fact OF which she had heard before
through the servants-and said that ]
had called to learn if her employees
could give me any information about
the Harris servants. She proved to be
quite talkative and answarod all IF ~, q