The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-10
THE REAL CULPRIT.
From London Tit-Bits.

about 2S or 80 years of age entered and
oel-ed to see Mr.. Carbon, the detective.
i am the person named and at your
service. SIR I replied. "Please be
seated"
u do not wish TO be interrupted in
What I propose to tell YOU" he said,
gIancing around; NOR do wish to have
any listener. except yourself"
arose and locked the door. He hest
,oted little, colored somewhat, and then
said:
From my air of mystery suppose you
think have something to relate of great
Importance, but though it is imp ortant to
mo and will be to you, if you trace out the
real facts, yet ass ure you, to begin with,
II is nothing more serious than the loss of
diamond ring. However, 1 prize the
ring far beyond It's normal value as an
heirloom of the family, which has come
down TO me through several generations,
IL having been presented to one of my an
cesIOrs by the then Duke of Cambridge.
HTbe ring" he proceeded, lame into
NV possession as the lneal male heir on
nv thirty-tirst birthday, and though 1
bsve since worn it at times, have al
vavs watched it with the most jealous
care and never left it out of my sight
evcept when locked up in my safe, where
kept most important papers and few
valuables
Now comes the mystery. My safe has
a combination lock, and that combination
not a living mortal knows except myself,
not even my wife. l am positive that the
last time had the ring. showing it to a
friend. | returned it to the safe. That was
week ago today, and when yesterday
unlocked the safe TO get a private paper
missed the ring from the little iron box
where | always kept 1t. Startled at this,
7 began to search for it. l took out every
Thing in the safe and examined every spot
and paper with the greatest care, but
without finding the precious Jewel. The
ring was the only thing missing, and l
found that nothing else was disturbed.
The loss of the ring grieves me, and the
mystery perplexes me, and so | have come
TO YOU TO see if you can suggest anything
TO relieve me. Understand that l intend
10 nav you we'll for your advice, and if
Won ever succeed in recovering the ring
your reward shall be 94OO"
WAS the ring so valuable as that9"
asked.
"Intrinsically, no." he answered, land
vet 10 me invaluable for the reason have
named. The actual cash value of the
ring would not exceed goo, and yet l
would give Gl,000-nay, g., Godfather
than lose it. Besides, there is a legend in
the family that whoever parts with it
will suffer some great misfortune.
''You had it week ago, you say-you
showed it to friend, you locked it up in
your safe, and you have not seen it
sincel"
"That is my statement"
who was the friend to whom you
showed the ring"
Godfrey Percy, who has been spend
ing few weeks at my house as my
..Ts he with von still2O
He is. will be frank with you. My
sister and 1 met MIN in London a few
weeks ago. and he is now engaged to her
and will remain my guest until after the
wedding, which is fixed for week from
n to-day
Was he with you when you locked the
4 ring in the safeG'
Why this question, MIR Carbon?''
'Wel!, for anything you like. If 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
n you have proof that you did what you
think you did,
Il beg your pardon, Mr.. Carbon. l
thought your question might imply some
suspicion of my friend on your part, and
would just as soon have you suspect my
4 own wife Yes, he was present and saw
NE place the ring in the iron box, lock
4 thai and afterward lock the safe, and he
4 mystery by the recovery of the precious
Fl Jewell"
so far, so good. Now, then, you have
81 servants, of course2"
Yes, six-two men, boy and three
women"
You do not suspect any of theml"
How can |, when no one knows the
81 combination to my safe lock but myself?'
1T is mysterious affair." said [, land
can get no clew from anything you can
tell me- To make a start in the matter it
might be necessary for me to be an in
mate Of your house for a few days, and
even that might amount TO nothing
Il would like to try anything that
would give even the shadow of a hope''
he anxiously replied, with an air of de-
preston
Then suppose become your guest for
few days." l sugges led.
If you will"
But not as an of1cer-not in my real
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
the contrary"
/ Very WELL will arrange it, and to-
morrow at 3o'clock l will meet you and
+ escort you home to dinner
tor three days / was an honored guest
IN the mansion Of Mr. Howell, and during
d that time closely studied every inmate,
got the minutest details from my host con
corning everything l wished to know and
Then took my departure in an open and
informal manner. without leaving sus-
plclon behind that was other than what
IA ] seemed. | then set my agents al work
among the pawnbrokers of the city, and
the Gay before that fixed upon for the
wedding of Godfrey Percy and Miss Vir-
glnla Howell / called upon the brother of
The latter and handed him the missing
ring.
Good heavensl' he exclaimed, fairly
cutching at it in his excited eagerness.
III is indeed the coveted prize. Where
n CID you fluid it9'
VI "A pawnbroker's."
Then it was really stolen2"
Yes"
\ the thief"
Yes; I could put my hand on the
Who is he7"
did not say it was man"
Man or woman; who is the party?"
Perhaps, for your own peace of
mind you had better never know" 1
he turned deadly pale and trembled.
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