Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-11

ID
"when I was outside. nscertaining IL the
General had hurt himself, as l hearu
him fall. Then Clements, Tor une hise
| time l am almost positive. traversed sne
whole length OF the library to- the door
opposite. to the western corridor, IN oruer
to tell me that 1t was 'sentry-go!
'.Do you think the man could have the
villainy and audacity to steal the rins'
| excitedly queried Mr.. Gloster.
Surely not sir" I replied but OF
| this I am certan-I saw the ring last IN
| General Wylkyns's hand. That was WINE
| he was talking TO Sir Harry Beyneii, VINO
| was leaning over the table beside MIN.
| There was no other person near IL, eA-
cepting. perhaps, the first relief, Jones
sir As 1 was posting him Sir Pierce
came in, and I remember the man walked
| about the room while Sir Pierce was
| speaking to me- The third man. Tomiin'
was asleep up stairs; he didn't go on I'M
til %
AT this instance Sir Pierce and General
Wylkyns approached. accompanied Dy tne
local inspector of police and two OF MS ser
geants. .,.
cut mn. said to me. sternly: Now, Ser
geant- Major, do you know anything ABOUT
| this ring?"
| replied: "Only, sir. what mentioned
to Lieutenant Gloster just now. saw IL
| last In your hands"
The Inspector interrupted: Excuse me,
| General, but / must first search all con-
cerned-the Sergeant-Major. the sentries'
| and all the men Of the guard or honor'
| Assuming the first sentry TO have stolen
it. he may have passed the ring 10
comrade to avert detection. Sergeants
Price and Davis go to the riding-school
| and carefully overhaul all the soldiers
yaIises and pouch-belts. You, Sergeant
| Major. remain here and let your men fail
in as they arrive. And. please, don't
| allow a single whisper OF the supposeh
theft to transpire. A constable VIII be
| here Immediately to assist me, when
| each will be searched in turn. Ana,
| General Wylkyns, 1 must search you first
"Me. exclaimed the surprised Gene
raj
Eyes. sir. you may have placed the ring
| IN one of the pockets of your dress
suit"
Il assure you. examined it carefully
few minutes ago"
"still. there may be hole In the lining.
and 1t has slipped through. Stop, sir!
| Have you a valet here?'
NO" answered the General. "Sir
| Pierces man attended to the clothes L
| wore at the wedding. My dtess-suit.
which / had on last night. left on n
chair in my dressing-room"
who had access to your bedroom and
dressing-room after you left it this morn
ing?'
eve no idea: possibly housemaid or
a footman. But I give you my word OF
honor that I'm certain l laid down the
ring before | left the library last night
A rapid search was made OF the men,
including myself, but nothing came OF It,.
Clements stoutly and Indignantly denied
ever having seen the ring, except when
General Wylkyns was holding IL up for
inspection.
/ heard the General whisper to Mr..
Gloster: II wonder, now, If that satlrical
rogue Beynell has annexed the article as
practical joke? He's bad enough, but
surely not so bad as that!'
The missing ring threw a complete
danper on the conclusion Of our other
wise enjoyable outing, and all were glad.
consequently, wheE we entrained and
ratified off to London.
A day or two after our return to Horne
leigh and while the story Of the lost
ring was still the staple subject OF bar
rack gossip. a telegram reached our COM
mandlng officer from the Billoby Police
Inspector, which read as follows: Soldier.
description answering to Clements, sen:
off registered letter while here Arrest
him. Detective leaves tonight"
! Clements, while vigorously protesting
his innocence Of the charge against him.
was confined in the guard-room.
| When the Yorkshire detective, who had
charge OF the case, reached the barracks.
the prisoner was at once brought before
the commanding officer. The man adj
mitted having sent of a registered letter,
containing half a sovereign to his sweet
heart In London. whose business was that
of dressmaker, but who was out of a
situation, and required assistance. One
3 shillings ne had received from Lord
Dashciffe, and the other he had saved
out OF his pay. The registration receipt,
which had been found in his pocket was
produced by the sergeant of the guard
1t bore the name Emily Hawkins" with
the address, Care OF Mrs. Tucker, No
6l2 Park street. London"
The detective remarked: my In
formant at the Billoby post-office says
that the envelope you had registered
was bulky"
Yes" spoke the prisoner without hest
tation. IL sent off with the half-sovereign
two letters for Miss Hawkins TO read
that l had received from my cousins In
America. One contained an offer TO buy
my discharge | crammed them in the
envelope anyhow. Sir" continued Gle
ments boldly, addressing the command
ing officer. that night while on sentry
The matter OF the disappearance of the
ring lies between two-General Wylkyns
and Sir Harry Beynell."
The accused man was detained in Gus
tody until the detective made inquiries
in London. He speedily ascertalned that
Clements's story, in respect OF its main
details, was perfectly true. The half
sovereign when 1t arrived had been al
once paid by Miss Hawkins to her land
lady. The girls room was carefully search
ed. but nothing discriminating was found
Her former employers. when applied to
assured the officer that Miss Hawkins was
a young person OF unexceptionable re-
| spectability.
There being nothing to Justify the
further detention of Clements, ne was
at once released.
A dark rumor was now atloat-how II
originated, no one could teli-that Sir
Harry Beynel was the purloiner OF Prince
Ruperts emerald ring. An allusion made
TO the affair in a society paper pro-
voked an indignant denial from the baro-
net and threat to horse-whip the editor
The latter applied for summons; ano
Sir Harry. In consequence was bound
over to keep the peace. This episode had
the effect OF making still more public the
| evil report.
One day Clements applied for FUR
Tough, Many, including myself, were
| still of opinion that he knew something
about the ring, and l took the liberty OF
; | stating my views to the Colonel. Inc
theory that l advanced. was that th'
. man. or rather his sweetheart had th'
, article secreted somewhere ana that Gle
ments. when he proceeded on leave. meant
to realize what he could on H. anu c'ea'
! out Of the country.
/ | no nh