Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
THE LOST JEWELS.

OppOI Ouu1Dy DIT liz COulll anu W uISCONCl
the whereabouts Of Of Lady Merton's jew
els, and of the man or woman who had
stolen them.
James Blayne was a promising young
member of the detective force, on the look
out for the lucky step that would lift him
above the level of his cOmpeors. and when
the Merton robbery was intrusted to his
care he thought he had got his chance at
asst.
1t certainly was rather an interesting
case About three week before the day on
which we record Mr.. Blayne's loss Of tenn
per, pretty Lady Merton, as might have
been gathered subsequently from the
newspaper reports, was spending a soil
tary evening in her house On Brook sire
Sir Robert was dining with an old friend
some little way out of town, and not re-
turning until morning and my lady had
intended going TO the play with some
friends. But late in the afternoon she
altered her plans, dispatched note beg
ging to be excused on account of a severe
headache from joining the party, and
with curious feminine idea of comport
and indulgence told her maid that she
would not 90 down stairs again, but would
have some dinner ION a tary" 10 her bou-
doir at 30.
At 10 o'clock she rang her bedroom bell,
and saying that her head still ached badly
and she should go to bed, dismissing her
maid, requiring nothing more that night.
Before going the maid asked If she
should go to the jewelers. the next morn
ing early, DIS had been arranged to take
there for repair a diamond brooch Of her
l11lCtraCC' ~ - a,liIpCr 30 har Al
opened the jewel case to take out the
brooch, "Oh, leave it till the morning"
The box was relocked and the key put
in its usual place IN one of the DRESSING
table drawers. The Lutler stated that at
lG:3C the house was shut up and every
one went to bed.
The next morning Lady Merton finding
her headache no better, kept her room
darkened till about 10 O. clock when some
tea was brought to her by her maid. The
latter then went to the jewel case for the
broken brooch, and finding the box I'M
locked with a key lying near, hastily
opened it and cried out her discovery OF
the robbery TO her mistress.
This was the story that In twenty-f W
hours was known to most newspaper
readers In this country and this was The
story that aboat three weeks later was
trying Mr.. James Blayne's temper. Again
and again lie reviewed the few heads OF
the case.
On July 25 Lady Merton went to bed
between 10 and 1880 .. m. The jewels
are then in their places, and she seeing the
box opened. told her maid net to disturb
them until morning. The maid locked
the box, replaced a key in a drawer ano
shortly went to her own room, fastening
the door-this last fact being attested by
the housemaids, who slept in an outer
room. The butler swOre to turning cut
the lights and shutting up a. 1890. Lady
Merton slept little and restless till 1870
when she got up and stirred the fire-this
fact attested 10y the cook, who slept III the
room above and was aroused by the sOunC
of poker. At 10 o'clock the next morn
the jewels were missing, and jewel case
stood In the dressing within, ano
only approachable through Lady Merton
bedroom.
Robbery from without Blayne rejected
after due examination, as an imposes bility
From within, by man, well nigh impos
sible, owing to The position of the jewe
case and to Lady Merton i restless state
during the night. 1t seemed a case Of
cherchez la femme, and Blayne has sought
carelessly, chiefly among the women of the
house, OF course, though here also the
great difficulty of crossing Lady Merton
bedroom unperceived by her was with him
more strongly in their favor than theil
employees. The iady's maid seemed his
only lnce, as, of course, she was fully
acquainted with the situation In all it
senses; and her football, which proved
to be light and to which, of course, Lady
Merton was accustomed would disturb he
less than any of any other visitors. Blu
the lady, while suggesting no other solu
ton of the problem, rejected this las
theory with some indignation, declarin!
that she had the utmost confidence In he
maid, and that she had scarcely closed he
eyes before midnight, after which hou
the housemaids pronounced it an impossi
bility, for the lady 5 maid to have crossed
that room nnnotlced.
So, Mr.. Blayne was little out OF tenn
per with his tagging luck, and he decided
to get two or three days leave, and then
having rested his riddle, bit, to star
afresh at reading it. Thus he found him
self on the afternoon of August 13-hi
request for leave of absence having bee,
granted-talking to a pretty, neat look
ing girl in a small semi detached villa o
the outskirts of the new and fashlonabl
watering place, Stonelay.
80 you've been getting on pretty vel
Ell, Nellie?" he asked.
''Oh, yes, Jem, very. The air her
seems to be quite setting me up, SO fame
| have been working a bit too hare
though | always said it was mothers nor
sence. It's true it's rather dull here, bU
then | often go into Stonelay and have
look at the smart visitors. So, even
Aunt Sarah is happy at times, don
mind. She's kind enough really"
''She couldn't have got anyone else
bring her here, so she ought to be. b.
the beastly water put an edge on tempe
like hers! Yes, | expect it's pretty du
alone with her. Poor Neily!"
ooh, don t mind; and we've got ne
neighbor"
"Old Mrs-what's her name?-you to
me of, gomez"
No. She's got new lodger-a man
good looking, rather. She brought him
one day to tea, and we n4et him no
and then on the road. But he doesn't s
out much.
Oh, hiding on some count, is he? aske
Jem rather snappishly of the pretty dres
maker.
'.Nonsence, Jem! he isn't hiding. {
Is drinking the waters, he says, and he b
very prttty sister.
Sister? Then they both lodge ne
door?"
mo She comes to see him. She is