The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-13


"You did wisely, Sir Charles. but may
ask II anyone has left the house even
for walk since the will was read?"
mo one that / am aware OF. The
ladies have kept closely to their own
rooms The funeral took place only
the day before yesterday"
"And how many inmates does the
house contain at the present mo-
There is my stcpmother. the
Dowager Lady Ellesmere-my wife,
Miss Craley, poor protege OF my late
father. but shd doesn't count, and the
servants. Goddard. the butler, has
known me from baby, and so has the
upper housemRId Nelson. The others
have been changed several times since
my father remarked. ! know little or
nothing Of them"
will you describe these jewels TO me,
as accurately as you can, Sir Charles2"
Certainly. The centre one was an
enormous emerald-that was surround
ed by circle Of large br!lliants-those
again by emeralds and rubies-then
brilllants. l can hardly describe the
effect OF them to you. They hlazed like
fire, and have told you their estimated
value"
"TOo valuable and remarkable for
any common person to NEEDLE with"
| observed. IF they have been stolen,
It has been done by practiced profess
sionai thieves. or-or-"
"Or-whom demanded Sir Charles
you don't imagine woul: steal my
own Jewels. do you?"
Not exactly, Sir Charles But sup
pose you know II will be necessary for
me to examine everybody who may be
in the house. separately, and TO make
thorough search and investigation OF
all the property contained In III"
~ suppose 30. With whom will you
begin?"
well, the next person of importance
after yourself would seem TO be the
Dowager Lady Ellesmere. Would II be
convenient for me to interview her be-
fore proceed to the others?"
Certainly. believe she Is expecting
you with some anxiety. Will you ac-
company me TO her boudoir?"
1 rose and followed him from the
room. He did not appear TO entertain
any suspicion OF his stepmother, with
tlced eye II seemed as clear as daylight.
However. one OF our first rules 10 never
to be prejudlced by the story of one
witness, but to keep our heads clear
until we have heard all there Is to tell,
The young baronet preceded me to
the boudoIr. and simply saying, This
Is MIR. Busby, from Scotland Yard, Lady
Ellesmere." left me alone with his step
mother. Heavens. what beautiful
woman she was! AS she rose 10 re-
ceiVe me thought l had never seen
anything SO handsome outof a picture.
Her appearance made quite reVulsion
In my feelings regarding her. Her voice.
too. when she spoke was as soft and
musical us flute.
you are the detective for whom Sir
Charles has telgraphed?" She COM
menced by saying,
Yes. piy lady, l am" replied, and
then she waved her hand towards a
chair in the most graceful manner, and
said: Pray sit down." Upon which I
did as she desired me, and she resumed
her own seat.
"This Is n NOSE unfortunate affair.
Mr.. Busby," she commenced, and / re-
piled:
without doubt. my lady. It Is"
ITO happen at such moment, too,
when we were all so distressed about
the poor dear baronet'S death, makes
It doubly annoying!"
but, as your ladyshIp must per-
ceive, such an impudeEt robbery Cuuld
only take place nj n time or distress
and confusion. The thieves have count
ed on that, TO allow them TO make of
with their booty"
but l trust you will stop them" she
said, with faint smile.
~ hope so. but in order to do II I
must Hsk you to afford me all the help
in your power. Lady EllsGmere, by tell
ing me everything you can about the
theft and the circumstances in which
It must have been carried out"
"Of course. ] quite understand that.
but there seems very little TO tell, When
the solicitor, Mr., Gator, unlocked the
safe after my late husbands will was
read, In order to deliver over the, Jewels
into the keeping OF Sir Charles, they
were gonG-not vestige Of them any
where. That is all that anybody knows
about It."
But want to know what took place
before your husbands DEATH In order
that may Judge II the robbery were
PINNED or unprecedented. VIII you