Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-07-17
LOST JEWEL MYSTERY.

|b.aou journal.
| LOST JEWEL MYSTERY.
James Blayne was a little out OF tenn
h. For more than fortnight he had
Successfully devoted all the oppor-
|nity at his command to discover the
6ereabouts of Lady Merton's jewels,
a Of the man or woman who had
6len them.
james Blavne was promising young
Ember OF the detective force, on the
{,kout for the lucky step that should
! him above the level of his compeers,
4 when the Merton robbery was in
as.ed to his care he thought he had
lii chance at last.
/, certainly was rather an interesting
About three weeks before the day on
ich We record Mr.. Blayne's loss of
pper, pretty Lady Merton, as might
,e been gathered subsequently from
newspaper reports, was spending u
iary evening in her house in Brook
fet Sir Robert was dining with an
friend some little way out of town,
not returning till the morning, my
had intended going to the play
some friends. But late in the
moon she altered her plans, dis
Fbed note begging to be excused
Bccount of severe headache from
ing the party, and with a curious
|aiue idea of comfort and indul-
v told her maid that she would not
5wn stairs again, but would have
dinner con tray" in her boudoir
o'clock she rang her bedroom
and saying that her head still
Eibadly and she should go to bed,
tssed her maid, requiring nothing
that night. Before leaving the
asked if she should 60 to the jew
sthe next morning early, as had
arranged, to take there for repair
iamond brooch of her mistress.
s. adding as her maid opened
jewel case to take out the brooch,
leave it till the morning."
he box was relocked and the key
in its usual place in one of the
sing table drawers. The butler
I'd that at 1920 the house was shut
Nd every one went to bed.
lleneyt morning Lady Merton, find
her headache no better, kept her
darkened till after 10 o'clock,
some tea was brought to her by
maid. The latter then went to the
!-case for the broken brooch, and
Png the box unlocked with the key
Lear it hastily opened it and cried
he robbery to her mistress.
lls was the story that i'll twenty-fou1
was known to most newspaper
t's in the country, and this was the
that about three weeks later was
games Blayne's temper. Again
AGAIN he reviewed the few heads OF
July % Lady Merton went to bed
cen 10 and 1920 p. m. The jewels
then in their places, and she, see
me box opened, told her maid not
'SSHrb them till morning. The
locked the box, replaced the key
lEawer, and shortly went to her
room, fastening the door-this last
'ealAs attested by the housemaids.
Sept in an outer room. The but.
sore to turning out the lights and
aing up at 1890. Lady Merton
little and restlessly till 1890,
SHE got up and stirred the fire
aeS attested bv the cook, who slept
utter room above and was aroused
T. sound of the poker. At IL
4 !Ae next morning the jewels
missing, and the jewel-case stood
ufessing-room within, and only
e aenable through Lady Merton's
Ioe,rsy from without, Blayne re-
a.; after due examination as an i'm
E , ,;y From within, by man.
( Ish impossible, owing to the
~! OF the jewel-case and to Lady
~ ,a restless state during the night.
be- sea a case of cherchez la femme
d D'asne had sought ceaselessly
y -. among the women Of the house
lt though here also the great
NY ,9,, Of crossing Lady Merton's bed
cd Isatpereelved by her was with hin
s aa.ongy in their favor than theil
'u' ,G Characters from their EN-
1he lady's maid seemed hi
ID n nance as, of course, she was fully
n 4'ea with the situation in all it
i, ana her football, which b.
inf y DC light and to which, o
ID LADY Merton was accustomed
r r; her less than any of any
ID t i;nators. But the lady, while
nd mug no other solution of tn.
leA ;na: rejected this last theory witt
op ssun'.gnatlon, declaring that sh'
IL J, utmost confidence in her maid
, bs " sue had scarcely closed be-
uaa midnight. after which houl
>, ''N1alo pronounced itsn impossi