Nevada County picayune., 1891-08-20

l I cnueaVOrcQ, without success, to engage her in conversation. She appeared willing to talk, but her sentences were interrupted quite fre- duently by sobs, and she would raise her handkerchief to her face, evident ly to wipe the tears from her eyes.
 '''I was very tired, and fell asleep soon after the train pulled ont of Car l lisle. The stranger had not left the car.
 ] "'When l awoke, just before reaching Otis, she was gone, as were my gold watch and chain ard pocket book, containing several hundred dollars and numerous valuable pa pers.
 "'I learned that she got off the train at Laporte, and had no doubt she was the one who had picked my pockets
 '' was unable to recover my watch and chain and money, but the papers, of no value to anyone except myself, were several days later re- turned to me from New York city by mail.
 ]" On her left handlI had noticed a curious ring, and the day on which came to Clifton 1 saw it's exact counterpart on the hand of lady 1 who is at this hotel.
 '' Confident that two such rings do not exist, made inquiries of this lady relative to the one 1 had seen on her hand. I could only learn that it belonged to friend, who did not wish her name mentioned in con- nection with it.
 "'The person with whom this lady i is more intimate than with anyone else in Clifton is Mrs. Mary Ash leigh, whom l suspect to be the own CT of the ring, which have not seen since the time specified.
 "'You do not suspect that Mrs. Ashlcigh was connected with the burglary, do you?' the detective asked, in tone of surprise mingled with horror.
 And it is not strange that he was astonished and mortified at the idea of her guilt, Mrs. Ashleigh seemed to be one of the wcalthest as she was one of the handsomest and most attractive women Tn Clifton.
 '' I suspect only what 1 have told you,' l replied; and if you base your future investigation upon what l have said, 1 do not wish to public 1 ly figure in the affair | You shall not. And l will nros- ocute my investigation in such way that Mrs. A,hlcigh, if innocent, shall not know that the faintest suspicion ever attached to her.
 ''To make the story as short as posslble' In the cottage occupied by Mrs, Ashleigh were found nearly all the spells of the pocket-picking, the larceny and the burglary, be- sides burglars tools and innumera- bic articles for effecting disguise. Confronted with these evidences of her guilt, she calmly said'
 "'rhe daughter of poor but esti mablc parents, more than fifteen years ago left my home in disgrace, to get my living by my wits,
 " Eventually l attached myself to a gang of misoreants, and met with wonderful success as pickpocket and confidence woman.
 My face and manners easily won me the attention of gentlemen who implicitly trusted me, and whom in various ways yictimized without arousing their suspicious,
 For instance, the impossible teller of the bank in this place was fascinated by my charms, smiling as the words left her lips, and more than once has explained to me all that inexperienced craeksman need know in order to appropriate tho contents of the vault without leaving any clew to hls identity.
 "'I have wonderful faculty of remembering the names and faces of those whom l have victimized, and wherever go l am on the lookout for them. Learning that yeu,' ad- dressing mo, were in Clifton, fel, certain that you, seeing it, would recognize the ring which l carelesslY exposed to your view on the occasion when l relieved you of your valua- hles at once obtained It from her