Griggs courier., 1890-10-03
Are you sure she Is the thief?,

asked.
'sOf course am."
'"rhen you will have her arrested q
once?r
.'Well. Iought to. and shall, unless
she returns the stolen property"
(Which is very valuable?''
Eyes. Did Walter see you? I am
glad Of 1t, although am sure the girl is
the thief. Come in, Mr.. Deering, and I
will tell you all about it"
entered the parlor, and the widow
was soon explaining the situation. 1t
was about as the nephew had stated II,
only Mrs. Goodale assured me that she
had found ring that she had lost at
the came time as the idol, in her maids
trunk.
'She got red enough when I told her
where I found the ring, " proceeded Mrs.
Goodale, ''and tried to screen herself
by saying that I was meddlesome
woman to go shopping into her trunk.
I squelched her, though, and If you
think it best will have warrant is
sued at once. The girl may leave the
city, you know"
II have little fear of that" said.
''At any rate, permit me to investigate
this affair first, Mrs. Goodale. 1t may
be that you wrong Miss Darling by your
suspicious.
''You will undertake to find the GRIM
inal. Mr.. Deering?"
"Your nephew has employed me-"
sIndeedl He pretends to think that
Jessie Darling is innocent, but how he
can is more than understand"
The widow then led the way to her
room. showed me the dresser on which
the Indian idol had rested for these
many years, until the previous night,
when it had mysteriously disappeared.
"This ring I lost three days ago." said
she, holding up diamond circlet for my
inspection, land found it in the bot
tom of Jessie's trunk"
"But you found nothing of the Indian
god?'
"No."
"You are. of course, sure it is not in
the trunk?"
81 am. I went through it in thor
ough manner"
''Then we must look elsewhere for the
AOSo AOOAs NCl0 SOu dOSouV 1EOu uOuc
at any time yesterday?"
eyes; but the idol was in its accus-
toned place when returned at night. :"
care you sure?"
81 am sure.'
"How about this Window"
'It is always securely fastened"
"And the door?"
II always secure that the last thing
before retiring"
regarded her keenly.
'Then. how do you account for the
maids entering the room without even
interrupting your slumbers, Mrs. Good
ale?"
II can't account for that, unless she
has duplicate key"
"That is not likely, unless the girl ia
a professional thief" said.
"Oh, she's not that I know Miss
Darling has good mother. and-but,
you see, found my lost ring in her
trunk. and that seems conclusive evil
dence."
"What did she say when you told her
about the ring? How did she explain its
presence in her trunk?"
''Oh, she did not attempt to do it, only
burst out crying. suppose she thought
that would soften me, but it didn't, nor
make me think her an innocent Great
ure. think she's the thief fast
enough, but hate to lose the idol. and
II you can scare her into confession,
and return of the stolen property, l
shall be very lenient."
II will see." was my only reply.
I was now quite positive that Miss
Darling was not the thief. I was, how
ever. undecided as to whether Mrs.
Goodale had "put up job on the girl,
or had really been robbed.
Ispoke to Walter, and suggested the
former theory, at which he secuted,
having full confidence in his aunt, no
matter how much she may have disliked
the thought of his, Walters, advances
toward the maid.
''Well," said /, ''permit me to carry
out little plan of my own, to do which,
must have free access to the house day
and night"
''Of course that is granted" said the
young man.
"And. mind you, say nothing of this
to your aunt"
Gas you please"
Thus it was settled. Jessie mad gone
to her home, making no attempt to fee;
and her trunk was sent after her.
Twas given room in an unused quar-
ter of the house, which occupied only
at night, quite unknown to Mrs. Good
ale. Walter gave me keys to all the
rooms, so that l could roam about at
will during the slumbers of the inmates.
could not get over the idea that Mrs.
Goodale had plotted to disgrace her
maid for purpose, and I meant to trap
her if possible.
had not long to wait.