The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-06-20

of my earlier years was to become an ar
list; and, though had long since discovered
the futility of this aspiration, my affections
still conferred lovingly on the implements of
the painters craft and much of my leis-
ure time devoted to sketching and
painting hideous daubs, which at least one
person in the world believed superior to the
finest masterpieces.
Lily Nichols was an orphan; her father
and mother had died when she was still a
child, and she had been thrown upon the
care OF maiden aunt, who had brought her
up carefully and we'll Lily and l had
known each other from childhood, and we
were only waiting until | could provide
comfortable home to get married She
a fair, delicate little thing, with mild blue
eyes, ami trusting, chdlike air; but she
possessed Il stout heart too, and many
time when | have had a fit of the blues,
which caused me to look at things with de-
spending eyes, she has cheered my spirits
and talked hopefully of the bright days in
store for us.
Late one evening was called to the office,
where the chief in few brief sentences,
made ms acquainted with the outlines of
the case which had just been brought before
him, and which it was my duty to conduct
to a successful issue.
The information he had received amount
ed to this: Situate few miles to the south
west of the metropolis was Dangertield
House, the country residence of Roger
Courtier and his wife Esther The Courtiers
had the reputation of being enormously
wealthy. and they had always moved in the
most select circles of society.
That very evening they were preparing to
attend a neighboring ball, when Mr.. Cour-
tier was suddenly startled by a scream
from his wife, who had just discovered
that her jewel box empty. After
wasting precious time vainly endeavoring
to find the missing property he had sent
to headquarters, and the chief had select
ed me to go down and unravel the mys
terry.
This was the very thing 1 wanted; it
distracted my attention and gave me some
thing to think about. Returning to my
room. l made the few simple prep
arations that were necessary, and at once
went to bed in order to get good sleep
Early the next morning l arrived at Dan
gerfield House, and was at once shown into
the breakfast ROOM where the husband and
wife were finishing their morning meal.
Roger Courtier tall, fine soldier
ly man. with a frank, open face, and free
chivalrous bearing. His wife was a
sweetly pretty woman with, 1 should
Judge. just such tender winning ways as
my own little girl, and the remembrance
of Lily made me take to this beautiful
lady instnctively.
They received me courteOuSly, but l no.
ticed the part of Mrs. Courtier
strange hesitation and reluctance to dis
cuss the subject of the missing jewels.
She seemed to shrink from the matter
Struck by this peculiar conduct, L watched
her narrowly. and became more and more
convinced that the robbery was nothing
like so simple a matter as appeared on
the surface.
1t was now Thursday morning, and on
Tuesday night the diamonds had been safe
in her jewel case. In order to reach the
room, the thief must have passed through
her boudoir: there other way.
Mr.. Courtier had been out on Tues
day, and returned rather unexpectedly ;
She remembered leaving the boudoir, where
she sitting with her maid and going
down stairs.
And the maid?" 1 asked, fancyng
could begin to detect glimmer of the
truth, was she left in the room when you
went to meet your husband?'
oh she exclaimed, eagerly. 81 assure
you the girl is above suspicion but as a
matter of fact, she left the room before
did,
In Difference to my wishes, the maid
Anne Denton-was called into the room.
She was young, good looking, evidently
devoted to her mistress. but just a trif1e
over-confident. She knew nothing beyond
what Mrs. Courter had told me; but her
manner convinced me that both she and
her mistress knew the secret of the miss
ing jewels
Nothing could be extracted from the 9TH
er servants and yet a careful examina ton
showed that the house had not been forci-
bly, entered; consciously, or otherwise those
inside had enabled the thief to secure his
booty.
One other thing gathered from my visit;
the diamonds were no longer on the prem
Uses. Before returning to London / ran
over the few facts l had been able to
CLEAN. On Tuesday night, during the time
Mrs Cloutier and her maid were alone in
the boudor, the jewel case was lying on
the dressing table. Later on, the room
was left, unlocked and empty. From that
time, until retiring to rest, when the case,
H.
no one was observed in that part of the
house, and yet the jewels must have been
stolen during that interval
That night 1 drew up list of gentlemen
known to ME, likely to have effected such
a haul, and instituted Inquiries in the
proper quarters, but nothing came of them
and. as L sat by the fireside, long after
my landlady had retired to rest, felt quite
sure that nothing save a lucky accident
would put me on the right track
That Mrs. Courtier coL.l give me the
right clue l realized instinctively, and, if
so, it was worse than useless to search for
the culprit in the usual quarters. Having
resolved to return to Dangerfeld house in
the morning, l knocked the ashes out of
my pipe, turned off the gas, and went
slowly upstairs, my head still full Of the
strange problem had to solve.
My waking sensations thesnext day were
very agreeable; in some strange, mystic
rious manner / had found the clue How
curity l know not; but the fact remains
that / descended to my rooms confident
that the solution Of the mystery was in
my hands.
1t was a chance remark of the servant
that, as it were, opened the flood gates of
my memory. DO you know Mr.. Cameron
she asked that you left the gas burning
last night?''
MOI l answered, in surprise, ION the
contrary, / have clear remembrance of
turning it off before going UPSTAIRS
"Then it must have been after you came
down the first time" she decided prompt
ly, lat any rate, it was still burning this
morning
At once the events of the night swept
Into my mind with vivid distinctness, and
I turned eagerly to the portfolio that con-
tanned my drawings and sketches Yesi
there ii was; no dream, but an actual real
ity! The girls evidence that had left nv
room during the night was conclusive, and
this picture, which l held in my hand.
whence had it come?
I had gone to bed harassed and perplex-
ed, and it was not wonderful that my rest
had been broken by all kinds of absurd
dreams in which the missing diamonds
played a prominent part. In one of these
scenes, created by the vagaries of a rest
less brain, was sitting with Mr.. and Mrs
Courtler, when a strange gentleman join
ed us. The next thing I remember distinct
ly was being compelled by some superior
will to go to my room and make an accu-
rate copy of the strangers features.
Obeyirg the dictates of this occult force
] must have crept downstairs and uncon
sciousy drawn this likeness. There could
be no other solution to this strange erig-
ma, for the picture was not in the port
| went