The Portland daily press., 1894-02-20
THE REAL CULPRlT.

uSS6Cblfc, was Sl1llnS5 aAOhO III LILY SAiiSN
when a fine looking, well dressed man
about 90 or 80 years of age entered and
asked to see Mr.. Carbon, the detective.
~ am the person named and at your
teryice, sir, - replied. "Please be seated. y
81 do not wish to be interrupted in what
propose to tell you," he said, glancing
around, ''nor do / wish to have any lis
tener except yourself"
I arose and locked the door, He hesitat-
ed little, colored somewhat and then
said:
"From my air of mystery l suppose you
think l have something to relate of great
Importance, but though it is important to
me and will be to you, if you trace out the
real facts, yet / assure you, to begin with,
it is nothing more serious than the loss of
a diamond ring However, Iprize the ring
far beyond it's nominal value as heirloom
of the family, which has come down to me
through several generations, it having
been presented to one of my ancestors by
the then Duke of Cambridge.
1.-THE ring" hs proceeded, "came into
my possession as the lineai male heir on
my twenty first birthday, and though
have since worn it at times l have always
watched it with the most jealous care and
never left it out of my sight except when
locked up in my safe, where kept most
important papers and a few valuables.
Now cor1es the mystery. My safe has
a cora hinstion lock, and that com bination
not living mortal knows except myself,
not even my wife ann positive that the
last time mad the ring, showing it to
friend, j returned it to the safe. That was
a week ago today. and when I yesterday
unlocked the safe to get private paper l
II ;ssad TIE ring from the little iron box
wnere always kept it. Startled at this,
] began to search for it. took out every
thing in the safe and examined every spot
aad paper with the greatest care, but with
OUT andiag the precious jewel. The ring
was the only thing missing, and 1 found
that nothing else was disturbed. The loss
of the ring grieves me, and the mystery
perplexes ma, aad 50 Ihave come to you to
see if you can suggest anything to relieve
me- Understand that intend to pay you
well for your advice, and if you ever sue
coed in recovering the ring your reward
shall be e400."
tsWas the ring so valuable as that?'
asked.
sIntrinsically, 49," he answered, "and
yet to me invalna bic for the reason have
named. The actual cash value OF the ring
would not exceed e200, and yet would
give e1, o0o--.ay, ca, o0c-rather than
lose it. Beci5ss, there is legend in the
family thai vhoezer parts with it will sui
fer some graa5 misfcrtan..".
syou had it weak ago, you say-you
showed it 80 friend, you locked it up in
your safe, aud you have not seen it since?"
"That is ray statement"
10 xx-hn 7nrJ
showed the rlng?"
Godfrey Percy, who has been spending
few weeks at my house as my guest"
Is he with you stilig'
stHe is | will be frank with you. My
sister and I met him in London few
weeks ago, and he is now engaged to her
and will remain my guest until after the
wedding, which is fixed for a week from
today
ssWas be with you when you locked the
ring in the safe?''
ssWhy this question, Mr.. Carbon?"
'sWell, for anything you like. Ii you
are to question my questions, fear we
will not get on very fast. If he was with
you, of course he saw you lock it up, and
you have proof that you did what you
think you did"
L LEX yOut pdI0Oh, I'LL Val UOhs
thought your question might imply some
suspicion of my friend on your part, and
I would Just as soon have you suspect my
own wife. Yes, he was present and saw
me place the ring in the iron box, lock
that and afterward lock the safe, and he is
as anxious as I am to have me solve the
ngstery by the recovery of the precious
jewel"
far than hav
servants of course?"
Eyes, six-two men, boy and three
women
itYou do not suspect any of them?"
'sHow can / when no one knows the COM
bipation to my safe lock but MYSELF"
'sIt is mysterious affair."" said l, land
/ can get no clew from anything you can
tell me. To make start in the matter it
might be necessary for me to be an inmate
of your house for few days, and even
that might amount to nothing"
II would like to try anything that
he anxiously rejoined, with an air of de-
preston.
''Then suppose become your guest for
few deys?" ] suggested.
'tIf you will. "
Dub LOU as al OLlCOl-aoo III Lily lCdl
character" proceeded. ''You must in
troduce me as friend of yours just come
to town-say William Perkins from Bos-
ton--and not even your wife must know to
the contrary"
every well. will arrange it, and to-
morrow at O'Clock will meet you and
escort yeu home to dinner"
Fer three days l was an honored guest
In the mansion Of Mr.. Howell, and during
that time closely studied every inmate,
got the minutest details from my host
concerning everything l wished to know
rnd then TOOK my departure in an open
rnd informal manner, without leaving a
suspicion behind that | was other than
what seemed. / then set my agents at
work among the pawnbrokers of the city,
and the day before that fixed upon for the
wedding of Godfrey Percy and Miss Vir-
ginia Howell called upon the brother of
the latter and handed him the missing
ring.
GOOD heavensH' he exclaimed, fairly
clutching it in his excited eagerness. at
is indeed the coveted prize. Where did you
find its''
"At a wnbroker's."
citizen it was really stolen?"