The Portland daily press., 1894-09-26
NEATLY PLANNED.


name quite unknown to me-
Mr.. de WarreP" said my visitor,
shrewd looking, we'll groomed man, who
apparently had not yet touched 40.
THAI is my name" answered.
'tPlease take seat and tell me what I
can do for you"
II am in great trouble, :" said Mr.. Eng
strom. 1--WE had burglars at our house at
Lyndhurst, in the New Forest, the night
before last. They broke in while we were
at dinner, and several thousand pounds
worth of jewels are gone from my wife's
bedroom. But what distresses us most is
that a valuable heirloom, pearl necklace
of great value, that has been In our fami-
ly for 900 years, Ii among the plumber.
The other jewelry we could bear to lose
but not this. To tell you the truth" he
added, with sniles II must own to be-
ing little superstiHous, and there is a
legend in our family that this necklace
was gift to an ancestress Of mine by
Charles II, and whoever shall lose it his
days shah be very short and full OF evil.
1t Is said it was lost about the beginning
of the century, ana the legend came true.
My wife Is more superstitious than my
self. and am afraid If it is not recovered
1t may seriously affect her health. OF
course the police have been at work, but
have not very great confidence in them,
and up to the present they have discovered
nothing. If you can aid me, shall be
verv glad"
am willing to try, Mr.. Engstrom,
but perhaps you wlll give me some partic-
ulars Of t,ha affaif?''
II had better begin by giving you par
ticulars OF myself and family, I SUPPOSED"
Yes, Ii you please. Tt Is hard to say
what may and what may not throw light
on the matter"
ct am," said Mr.. Engstrom, ssthe de-
scendant of an old landed family, who have
lived in Hampshire for generations. We
are not as wealthy as once we were, and
find employment for my time by being on
the board of directors of several companies.
have only been married short time, not
quite year, and we have been living very
quietly. On Tuesday night, when the
burglary occurred, there were only five of
US at dinner. Besides my wife and myself
were fhe rector and his wife and Captain
Olyer, the son Of an old friend, whom I
lately met in the city and invited down.
He has been with us over week and
leaves to Join his regiment on Saturday.
I'VE had just reached dessert, and Cap
tain O1yW was inquiring Of the butler If
Wisden, his uEan servant, had returned
from London, when my wife's maid came
in gaspirg, oh, aa'am, your Jewels is
gone-rnbbersp and sank fainting on the
floor.
g Good heavensl' I exclaimed, and we
sprang UP.
C Let us search out of doors at once
said the captain. Bring US q light, john
he said to the butler, and rushed out. We
followed him.
sit was quite dark, and we had not gone
dozen steps before be Tell down. Look
out, he cried. The brutes have laid wires
They have caught one fool at any rate, he
remarked as he got up. went back for
the light, and. sure enough, there were
wires round that side Of the house.
THE captain was holding his nose. He
was but little hurt, he said, for luckily he
had fallen ON the grass. At the captains
suggestion summoned two mnn servants
lone of you ride to the station, he
said, and have any suspicious stranger
slammed and ask them to teleRTaDh to the
stations eacil way Anu you, TO the 9th
er, go for the police quick. Meanwhile, If
you have a lsateGns MT. Engstrom, we
will seaEuh the neighborhoed.
ST foyInd a aanteans and we searched the
grounds and the surrounding roads. We
found uDthing save ladder under one of
the Windows anA a small brooch the thief
or thieyss had dropped. No suspicious
looking rnrson had been seen in the vii
lage OF at tho station, and the two police
men who caaae could do nothing beyond
looking wise. called at the police sta
ton this moFning, but they have no clew,
nor is it likely rhsy will have one. All I
have learned from them is that they be-
lieve that two were engaged in the affair,
from the footmazszs."
1t wifi be too dark by the time we
could reach Lyndhurst TO Investigate, I
said, but I win come ON by the first train
in the morning"
1.-The train from Waterloo reaches
I will meet you at the station, - said Mr.,
Engstron. st is about two miles to my
house-The Beeches."
II wish you to promise nae one thing
not to mention to any one the object Of
my visit. Call me fellow director or any
thing you like"
lOuuu MP' Ei1f5oUroiA 1o oAlo 0otaoioA ViAo
next morning with dogaarS. I foTbore
to talk on the object of nay visit save to
ask one question:
why did you keep such valuable
necklace at home, Mr.. Engstromf"
II kept it in the safe deposit in Chan
Gerry lane, - he answered, ''aun only brought
it home last Saturday because my wife
wanted it at the county ball tomorrow
night"
l had some lunch and a pleasant chat
with my host and hostess, after which 1
asked permission to interview the serv-
ants.
Unless was greatly at fault in the
present instances, the servants had nothing
10 do with the robbery. They gave me all
sho information they could and spoke
with genuine sorrow Of the loss their en-
ployers had sustained, whom they evident
ly respected highly.
Are your visitors imp I asked Mr.
Engstrom.
Captain dyer is rabbit shooting with
the rector, but he will be in to dinner
''Oh, merely wanted to have his ac
count of what happenedi Now would yo,i