Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-05-07

9 bit Especial pleading and q curious
anomaly at the same time he wished
to show that an obscure corner would be
a bad hiding place, and so worked out
his result At the same time he draws O
skillful thief who bafiled expert police,
and yet who hid his letter where the
first man with brains easily found it
This is the anomaly. Where the article
Is small. as is the case with this lost
ruby, there is but one safe place for the
thief to hide his stolen property"
"And that place ISL" asked Mr.. Mitch
Ell himself betraying interest.
Upon his own person, where at all
times he could be ON the alert to thwart
the searching committee
"Ah, you are forgetting" said Mr..
Mitchell. "that idea was not overlooked
by Edgar Poe. In the tale the man was
waylaid by officers in disguise, who
bound him and then searched him. If
the letter had been about him, it would
have been found"
mot at all The letter was placed
in an envelope, which had been turned,
and then mailed so that on the reverse
1t received the postal imprint. This
foiled the detectives when they exam
ined the letter rack. 1t would have
fooled them in exploring his pockets if
found with other letters similarly ad-
dressed. On the other hand, had it been
IN his pocket the man who finally OBJ
tained 1t could have done so by creating
a confusion in the street which attracted
the man to the window. 1t would have
been difficult for him even to guess that
1t was in the pocket. Besides with the
ruby it would be simple, since it is an
article that can be disposed of at q mo-
ment's notice"
Every true." said Mr.. Mitchell,
"but"- Here he paused for moment
and seemed distracted. Quickly recov-
ering, he said: "What was saying? I
have lost the thread Of our conversa-
ton"
M. Thapret suggested that the thief
could keep the ruby about him, !" replied
Mr.. Randolph.
"Ah, exactly Now / remember.
Well, I should say that it would be
hazardous undertaking. Ibelieve, had
stolen the gem-as, by the way, Ran
dolph, you suggested-I could do better
than that"
"Ah," said Mr.. Randolph, "this is
getting interesting. Come, tell us. How
should you hide the jewel supposing
that You had taken it?'
"That is a leading question, said
Mr.. Mitchell ~ prefer not to answer
it Walls have ears, you know" He
said this in q significant way that made
Mr.. Randolph Uncomfortable for 8 no
inent Mr.. Mitchell at once continued,
II will say this, however, that the
thief, whoever be Is, cannot profit by
his theft"
"Why not?" asked Mr.. Thauret.
because there Is not another gem in
existence save those two which are so
absolutely perfect in color. In fact, they
are the standards by which rubies are
valued. 1t is claimed that the expression
pigeon blood ruby owes its existence
to the staining of one of these gems in
the manner described. Dealers some
times cut pigeons throat to compare
the blood with the color Of gem being
appraised The significance of this is
that the stolen gem cannot be sold as it
is because it would be recognized, and
have notified all the great dealers in the
world that my Egyptian gem has been
stolen. If 1t were attempted to have it
cut up, the lapidary would at once re-
port the matter, as the reward offered by
me is greater than could be earned by
recutting the stone"
Suppose that the thief himself is a
gem cutter" asked Thauret.
even then the perfect color would at
once tell the first dealer to whom he ap-
piled that the Egyptian gem had been
recut."
"The thief might be a patient man,
and all things come to him who waits"
replied Mr.. Thauret.
"True," said Mr.. Mitchell "But
mark my words, the Egyptian gera'
will not be sold by the person who has
it now."
Especially if that person is your
self, said Mr.. Randolph.
"Just so," answered Mr.. Mitchell.
The conversation now drifted to Other
things, and shortly after, the dinner be-
Ing over, the three men separated.
AS Mr.. Barnes was about to leave the |
main dining room one of the servants
handed him note. Supposng it to be |
from Mr.. Randolph, he opened it at |
once and was surprised and chagrined to |
read:
When Mr.. Barnes next plays the eavesdrop- |
per, he should be careful to observe whether |
0 mirror reflects both sides Of portiere which |
he might suppose would conceal him.
Mitchell
"The devil take it'll" muttered Mr..
Barnes II wonder at what point he
discovered my presence. Was that last
part-about his having warned all the
aealers-thrown in gratuitously for my
benefit and to lead me tosuppose that
some one else stole the stone? If so, why
does he now let me know that he saw
me?"
fro BE Continued