The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-10-29
SOMERSET. Pa, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1890.

How awfully pale Eleanor Grant IS to-
day" And moment later she nodded q
Good morning. Eleanor to one Of the
clerks.
So that one is Eleanor Grant, I noted.
mentally. A moment later heard, in q
low, sharp undertone, the call, Jennie
Greyish ~ Jennie started nervously, and
quickly folded some cards Of valuable la
ces. Evidently the girts were afraid Of
the customer at the counter.
/ watched the customer narrowly. She
was apparently wealthy, and judging
from her actions little cranky on the
subject of. fine laces. She wanted them
ali, though she could not possibly use
them. So oyermastering was her passion
that she would gladly have bought up
every piece ia the lot, had she felt at lib
erty 70 spend that amount of money on
them.
But she was not the thief The question
with her Was, how far husband would al
low her TO go. She had no tho ght Of
theft However the girls did not seem TO
understand her, but they might be par
doned any obtuseEess, for they were so
filed with apprehension as to be ready to
accuse any and every one.
Having the names Of the clerks, lost
no time in finding their addresses, and
early that evening 1 called on Eleanor
Grant. To save all preiiminaries and un-
necessary delays wore my uniform with
my number plate, and gave my name at
the door.
When .he girl entered the room 1
watched her closely for any sign of guilt,
but there was not the slightest. She
started little, then came frankly for
ward, saying;
Did the proprietors send for you ~
%They employed me-" l answered,
and now l want to learn all can from
YOU
She seemed gladly eager.
"Oh, do hope you will be able to find
out.' she cried, Offering me her hand,
We were seated, and for an hour kept
her talking steadily aboutthe matter, not
only her own surmises and suspicious,
but also of her customers, taking notes Of
all names as she mentioned them.
As l arose to go, said
suppose you have never had any
suspicion Of Miss Grevish ?''
"Of Jennie?" she cried. Oh, no, not
Of Jennie :" Then, in thoughtful tone !:
q suppose We might any of US be tempt
ed, but-oh, no, l could't believe it Of
Jennie -
See that you mention this interview
to no one" l said, decisiyely. Success
may depend on perfect silence"
You may depend on me, SIR she
said. ~I'Il do anything to help clear up
this trouble. The suspense is terrible to
me-"
took rspid strides when once outside
the door. l must see the other girl be-
fore any possible conference, and have
their stories for comparison.
found Miss Grevish at home, in an
humble but tidy, CHEEKY little place, and
introduced myself directly. She drew
a deep sign, and said, in half whisper !:
"0h, am so glad l won't tell NAM
ma OF the trouble because it would fright
en- her so. and it does seem to me some
times that 1 can never stand another day
of such dread and suspense"
1t was ten O'Clock when our talk was
over, and | went directly home, and to.
bed.
"I'Il look over these notes by day
light" l muttered TO myself, and posi-
bly, may then be able to find a thread
somewhere. l see nothing so far to lead
10 suspicion.
But my guess was wide of the mark. l
found absolutely nothing.
Then began thorough search. shad-
owed lace purchasers to their homes,
bribed maids 70 give me descriptions of
the laces owned by their mistresses
got myself introduced into wealthy fami-
lies, that might observe the family laces
oh, l was lace you may rest
assured by this time, snd, in fact, l left
no scheme untried, but seemed no near
er a solution. Meanwhile another valu-
ble piece oflace disappeared.
this thing isn't put stop to i'm
mediately, I'll discharge every one Of
you" Mr.. Cash declared. in towering
passion and remarked to him that in
case did not soon ferret out the thief, /
would discharge myself.
Perhaps may as we'll say by way Of
explanation that l had studied for the
legal profession, but before l had my
shingle fairly out had been put on some
pretty blind work, and my success had
been such that quite little stir had aris-
en- among my friends, and l had been
urged to devote my time wholly TO 6e-
tective work.
About this time q wealthy old uncle
had died, leaving me his heir. Although
this made no difference with my profess
sion, yet imperceptibly difference in
my social standing had been brought
about. l had been invited to houses that
l had not formerly visited. Certain young
men of tone had made advances, and
certain young ladies Of the upper ten
thousand had intimated their willing
ness to accept me into their charmed cir
Gle.
Among these l had found, or believed
l had found, my ideal Tall, blonde and
beautiful, with charming, regal ways,
gracious, yet ii seemed unapproachsble
to all the world save myself To me she
had been sweetness itself, from the first
No wonder fellow, just out Of his books,
should have fallen blindly, madly in
love, and-yes, / may as well put the
whole miserable matter down-and for
get the little girl that ne had been desot
ed to since their old high school days,
when both were in their teens.
To Miss Ruby St. Giles had fallen an
easy prey. Not that it had ever occurred
to me to put it that way. for fully be-
lieved ours case of mutual ''lOve at frst
sight"
Ruby knew nothing Of my detective
work. supposing that was following in