Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-10-08

morning when / examined 1t precisely
~ left IL when went asleep"
''Then no one could have entered that
way. What of the windows?"
Equally impossible. Look for your
self. "
I did so. His apartments were on the
fourth floor, and to reach his rooms
through any Of the windows person
would have 10 climb sheer wall Of
great height.
Entrance by that means is out Of
the question. "
$50 it is. Could any one have been
concealed in your rooms!"
IF so, he must have left by tho win
dow, which is impossible. Had he gone
out by the door he could not have left
tho bolt in place. not to mention the
key Of the lock being turned" "
Iglanced at the transom. Sandhusen
explained that he fastened it before re-
tiring and found it undisturbcd i'll the
morning.
Leaning back in my chair, tried to
think. He resumed his pacing up and
| down the floor. After two or three turns
he stopped in front Of me and said:
THAT won't answer. Brown. "
IL do not understand you.
lyon are asking yourself whether !
am a somnambulist and whether with
the thought Of the ruby ringing through
my brain did not get up and hide the
gem somewhere in the room. did not. !"
"Can you be certain:"
Never in all my life did walk in
my sleep. not even when my mental
trouble was tenfold rs great. Besides,
couceiving such thing possible. must
have left the ruby somewhere in my
rooms. have searched every nook and
| corner where it could be concealed, and
| 1t isn't in any one Of them"
There was one subject in my mind to
which did not dare refer. On the day
previous Sandhusen had made refer.
enco to Mrs Howard, in which an un.
charitable mind would have seen evil
dence that he was not stranger TO her.
1 Il
changed word with her or seen her
aftor left him. But he was man cf
family, Of the highest character, and
likely he would have considered the
question an insult. No hint Of tho kind
passed my lips.
my good fellow" said after n
minute or two Of meditation. "you must
have formed some explanation. some
theory Of this strange business. "
II have tried 10 do so. lut have given
1t up. IL is simply one Of those things
that are beyond my comprehension aud
yours, too, | judge "
"Yes, and | wonder whether Wittncr
will be able
Have you seen anything OF tho man
Howard:" broke in my friend.
Il paid him for the ruby this fore
noon
Il thought he was TO wait till the
latter part Of the week. "
such was the understanding. and he
explained that he merely called 10 learn
whether | had any news for him.
II wonder whether there could be
anything in tbat!'' remarked Sandhu'
sen, running his hand through his hair
and resuming his walk more thought
fully. 1T would have made no differ
ence in the payment, though. He left
the gem with you, and you delivered
the goods as per contract He has done
his part and was entitled to the pay
ment.
Unless he happens to have the goods
in his possession. "
How can that be-"
shrugged my shoulders
1T is beyond my ken. Nevertheless
believe no either has Mana Sahib's 5
ruby or knows where il Is. "
How would it do" asked Sandhu.
sen, rs if the thought was brilliant
one, ito offer to give him the price to
restore it to mei would be paying
twice for the thing, but even that would
be less than il is worth.
saw the absurdity Of this sugges'
tion.
If he il the man take him 10 be,
he would not admit his criminality, for
it would be nothing less, for three
times the sum. Besides how can he
know anything about this robbery"
In my fancy figure assumed form
between my friend and myself. 1t was
that of the dark eyed woman, the most
beautiful of her sex. l could not shake
of the belief that hers was the brain
that had played all this mischief, but
shrank from limiting my thoughts. II
she had pitted her mind against ours,
what triumph it was for her!
well, Geoffrey, remarked, rising
and taking up my hat, 1.-THE fog just
now is impenetrable. Neither you nor
can see our way out. Perhaps after We
have spent night over it and made
some Investigations We may hit upon q
clew. Come down to the store tomor'
row, and we'll see what we'll see. "
Ny yeaIning was to find Wittner He
delighted in such intricate problems a:
the one which confronted us and had
done several things so creditable in bis
line that / was hopeful that he would
help us in orr present dilemma.
/ sent special messenger to hi
home up town, but his wife replied tina,
be was absent and she could not say
when he would return. The message
from headquarters was less definite, be
ing simply that he was not there They
were too prudent to give even hi'
friends an intimation Of what he wa.
about.
To my delight, however, the fellow
sauntered into the store that same aft
ernoon, smoking his cigar and as non
chalant as usual. He had been to hi
home and learned of my message few
minutes after it was received and tool
his own Tins in answering it. He hat
not visited headquarters, for he dit
about as he pleased in reporting there.
, took him back into my. office, closet
! the door and told him the whole as
, founding story. feeling some impatieno'
! that he showed SO little interest in m!
words. Bus that was his way.
Forgetting his previous warning
against "theorizing," ! added:
, Now, / can't help believing tina
, that Mrs. Howard had something to d.
with the robbery-that, in short, 1t wa
, she Whats the matters" I demand
. ed, observing his smile and shake Of tn
, head.
There Is ono fatal objection to tina
theory"
"I should like to know what 1t Is. I"