The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-02-21
NEATLY PLANNED.

lunch one miserably wet day last No
vemb Der, when n visitor was announced
MIR Engstrom" was inscribed on the
card-a name quite unknown TO me.
"Mr. De Warrc?" said my visitor. q
shrewd looking. well groomed man.
who apparently had not yet touched
fCrty.
That is my NAME / answered.
please take seat and tell me what
can do for you
Il am in great trouble" said Mr..
Engstrom. I'VE had burglars at our
house at Lyndhurst, in the New For
est, the night before last. They broke
in while we were atdinner and several
thousand pounds worth of jewels are
gone from my wife's bedroom. BIT what
distresses Us is that a valuable heir
loom, pearl necklace OF great value,
that has been in our family Tor two
hundred years, is among the plunder.
The other jewelry we could bear to
lose, but not this. To tell you the
truth" he added, with smile, II
must own to being little supersti-
tious, and there is legend in our
family that this necklace was a gift 20
an ancestress of mine by Charles H.,
and whoever shall lose it his lays
shall be very short and full of evil It
is said it was lost about the beginning
OK the century, and the legend came
true. Ny wife is more superstitious
than myself, and / am afraid ii i. Is
aot recovered it may seriously affect
,er health. Of course the police have
seen at work, but [ have not very
eraat confidence in them, and up to
the present they have discovered moth
ing. If you can aid me l shall bs
very glad.
81 am" said Mr.. Encstrom, "the de-,
scendant OF an old landed family who
have lived in Hampshire FOR genera
tons. We are not as wealthy as we
once were, and find employment for
my time by being on the board of di-
rectors of several companies. l have,
pnly been married a short time, not
quite a year, and we have been living
very quietly. On Tuesday night, when
the burglary occurred. there were only
Eve of US at dinner. Besides my wife
and myself were the rector and his
wife and Capt. Olyer. the son OF an old
friend, whom / lately met in the city
and invited down. He has been with
Us over a week, and leaves to join his
regiment on Saturday.
I'VE bad just reached dessert and
Capt Olyer was inquiring OF the but.
Ter if Wisden (his man servanD had
returned from London, when my wife's
maid came in gasping: oh. ma'am,
your jewels are gone-robbersP and
sank fainting on the floor.
Goodness graciousr l exclaimed,
aud we sprang up.
Let US search out of doors at
once said the captain. Bring us
light, John he said to the butler. and
rushed out We followed him.
''lt was quite dark, and we had not
gone dozen steps before ne fell down.
Look out he cried. the brutes have
laid wires. They have caught one fool
at any rate he remarked as he got up.
I went hack for light, and sure
enough there were wires around that
side of the house.
THE captain was holding his nose
He was but little hurt, he said, for,
luckily, ne had fallen on the grass. At
the captains suggestion l summoned
two men servants.
II found lantern, and we searched
the grounds and the surrounding roads.
We found nothing. save ladder under
one of the windows, and a small
brooch which the thief or thieves had
dropped. No suspicious looking person
had been seen in the village or at the
station, and the two policemen who
came could do nothing beyond looking
wise. I called at the police station
this morning, but they have no clew,
nor is it likely they will have one All
] have learned from them is that they
believe that two were engaged IN the
affair from the footmarks-"
''It will be too dark by the time We
could reach Lyndhurst 70 investigate"
/ said. "but will come on b. the first
train in the morning.
~ wish you TO promise ne one thing.
not TO mention to anyone the object OK
my visit Call me fellow director or
anything youIike-
found Mr. Engssron at the station
the next morning with dog cart
forebore to talk on the subject OF ny
visit save TO ask one question
why did you keep such valuable
necklace at home, Mr. Engstrom?"
II kept Il in the SAFE DePosit IN
lane, he answered, and only
brought it home Saturday because my
vile wanted it st the county ball to-
night"
] had some lunch and a pleasant
chat with my host and hostess, after
which asked permission % interview
the servants
"Are your visitors in?" ! asked Mr
Epgstrom-
Capt olyer j, a rabbit shooting with /
the rector, but re viii be IN 20 din
ner."
..Oh. merely wanted 20 have his ac-
count OF what happened Now. would
you be 50 kind >. 20 have the wires /
srranEed round the house IN tic ex- /
act place the burglars left them
The gardner. who had izs1sn tbera 4
up. ur0uCnt them sgai-- IL wzs ane 4
but strong wire. fastened % the ground 4
ty ,Iaall iron pegs
"Are the wires n the exact placer
- put the pegs II the very holes
rsolicd the gardener. "You can see I,
the holes yourself. SIR.
And pow ] shouli Ike % be lef: /,
slo1. a little" ! said Il want 20 4
make sscza nf-ose Investigations
Nv wish was couUlie6 with. and I