Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-22

r1hg at the front door. He looked in- quiringly at the man, whom was just going to introduce as Sarah's brother, when the latter anticipated me by say ing, quietly:
 From Scotland Yard, sir"
 Scotland Yard?" echoed MT. Raw ner. inquiringly. But the name did not seem new to him, as it did to me.
 ''Yes, sir; I've been sent after a woman named Sarah Gooch, from in- formation received that she was in your service. MT. Gervas Rayner, l believe, sirp''
 Why did he not own he was her brother? l thought to myself
 Yes. that is my name. But what on earth do you want with my servant Sarah Gooch?''
 The man glanced at me. Mir. Ray ner said:
 ''Go on. Never mind this lady; she is as much interested in the woman as l am. What do you want with my old servant SarahP"
 Suspected of complicity in the Den ham Court robbery, sir-some of the property traced to her."
 l started violently. This man, then, was not Sarah's brother at all. but a detective who had been trying to ex tract information from me by a tricki Mir. Rayner stared full in his face for a few moments, as if unable to find words; then he exclaimed, in low voice:
 'lmpossibler'
 "Sorry to shake your trust in an old servant. sir; but proof is proof.''
 But what proof have youP" asked MT. Rayner. earnestly.
 ' Iast Friday oftnrnoop hofvyoop half-past four and twenty minutes to five, your servant Sarah Gooch was seen to give the contents of a black bag to a man in Beaconsburg. The fact excited no suspicion. The man took the next train to London. travel ing second-class. But south of Col chester he was seized with fit; he was taken out at the next station, the bag he had with hi,n examined for his ad- dress, jewels found in it. and the police at Scotland Yard communicated with The man escaped; but. on inquiries be- ing made, witnesses were found to prove conclusively that the biscuit-tin which contained the jewels had been handed to him in street in Beacons- burg, on Friday afternoon, between half-past four and twenty minutes to five, by a woman who was identified as Sarah Gooch."
 l remembered seeing Sarah pass through the plantation on Friday after noon, on her way to Beaconslield, with the black bag. But l was too horror stricken to speak, even if I had not anxious to screen her as MT. Rayner himself was to prove her innocent
 Mr. Rayner still protested that he could not believe in Sarah's guilt
 The detective said that as the jewels had been traced to her the next thing was to see and question her. Mir. Ray ner told him he could see and judge for himself whether she was in condition to answer questions. He asked me to accompany him to the room and we went up together. Sarah lay moaning and muttering, feebly. A glance was sufficient to show tue detective that her illness was no sham. but he remained for some time listening to her mutter- ings.
 "You see," MT. Rayner said, as they left the room, "shc is quite unable Q speak for herself at present. You shall remain here all night and when the doctor comes in the morning he may be able to tell you when she will be able to talk
 A room was ordered prepared for the detective and MT. Rayncr treated him with much courtesy. Jane being ab. sent the work of putting the room in order fell upon the cook, at which she grumbled very much. Mr. Ravncr en- tered while she was complaining and said:
 II am afraid I have entailed a good deal of trouble upon you, cook, by thoughtlcssly giving Jane permission to spend the night at the farm if the fog grew thick; so I have just asked Mrs. Saunders to take her upstairs duties till Jane comes back, in return for which you will be kind enough to watch by Sarah during her unavoid- able absences.
 This silenced the cook at once. It was just punishment for her grumb- ling, for ther. was no duty she would not rather have undertaken than that of watching by the unconscious Sarah. even in her quiet moments. She said to me afterward that the nurse was very good; directly Sarah began to talk or grow excited, Mrs. Saunders always managed to hear, and came in to relieve her from the unpleasant task of listening to the sick woman's rav- ings.
 When tea-time came MT. Rayner en- tered with the detective. whom he now addressed as "Mr. Maynard" and treated as a distinguished guest. Mir. Maynard went to his room early, and when Mrs. Rayn"r had gone to hers I remained in the drawing room putting the music in order, as MT. Rayner had told me to do.
 "This days events have upset me more than you can imagine, child,' said he. passing his hand through his hair, wearily. That vixen Sarah has always seemed honest. and yet don't know what to believe.'
 And you know the portmanteau I found in the cellar,' 1 whispered, tim idly.
 Good Heaven, Ihad forgotten that! Or rather had dismissed it from my mind as fancy brought about by the !