The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-08-11

.WA ~
l had just shut myself mt tna little
0tiices on deck, having funthrouehithe
ships ACCOUNTS before TURING Ia ljat
night. 1T ~ quite a mistake. by the
a Way, 70 think That we pursers have no
more onerors duties 90 perform when
~ sea than to watchyoyer the passen-
- seTs comfort, read prayers on Sunday,
y keep a store Of n&nticai informa-
ton at our finger ends for the benefit
% every curious vOyeger. Nowadays
the purser of q crack American liner
making perhaps a record passage OF
BIN days or so--hGs his work pretty
we'll cut out for him during the entire
voyage.
On the present occasion had
scarcely got my accounts fairly in hand
when | was interrupted by u slight tap
at the door. | rose st once and opened
IL, and there stood Mrs. Melhurst's
Danadian maid. with flushed face and
nervous, agitated ann
ls there anything wrong2" 1 asked,
yt9 with some surprise, when she had de-
livered her message.
There Is, sir" she replied, hastily.
' All know"
She was about to make some eager
statement but pulled herself up sud
denly and tripped along the deck with
f5ut another word.
/ switched Off the electric light,
locked the door and hurried away after
When | got to Mrs. Melhurst's
aQom, j saw at once that some
had occurred to cause her serious
>eES The berths, the couch, and
the floor were Uttered with the
ybnts of cabin trunks and hand
In the midst of the confusion
id the lady herself, looking decid-
~ perplexed n annoyed.
This is very singular, Mr.. Morse"
h said, pointing to an empty jewel
Hse which lay open on the upper
birth. My diamond are
Missing"
You don't say so 7" I exclaimed in
sheer amazement.
81 do say So" she replied sharply.
I"You can see for yourself that they
III are gone"
4 ~, "How did it happen ?"
u cannot possibly tell you. AT
dinner this evening, | happened to
mention to Mrs. Latimer that [ had
q picked up a curious crescent shaped
A brooch on the continent. h express
ed a wish to see it. When the tables
were cleared, L came in here, took out
the brooch, and left the jewel case
lying on the berth. | vas careful to
lock the cabin door, but when | got
back the case was empty"
"How long were you 6 bsent
"Not more than half an hour"
h mot more tina half an hour 2"
"You are sure you had the key in
our possession all the time 2"
"Positive, / never let,it out of my
hand while | was in the saloon"
L was fairly staggered. | examined
the lock carefully, but there was abso.
lutely nothing to show that it had
!, been tempered with. | could hit upon
no better suggestion than that Mrs,
Melhurst might possibly nave mislaid
-. ~ H.. ~,.,~1 IL lal ~,
sole effect OF eXasperating the lady &c
such q ~degree-for it seems that she
had already searched every hole and
corner in the cabin-that / was glad tC
beat q retreat in order to lay the mat
ter before the captain.
1 had just got to the head of the
saloon stairs when / heard some one
bounding up after me, three or -four
steps at a time. / turned and saw g
Mr.. Carter-who, by the way, had
made several voyages with us on pre-
yious occasions.
81 say, Morse" he said, taking me
confidently by the arm, you've got
some queer customers ON board this
ship"
GLOW so 2"
"Why, some ones gone and walked
OH with my silver cigarette case, q
couple OF rings and a pair of gold
1.-THE deuce 20
"Well, it looks uncommonly like as
If the individual you refer to had q
how any ordinary mortal could get into
ones cabin with the door boited on
the inside, unless he managed tC
squeeze through the portfolio"
Tel me exactly what has hap
pened ?"
"My dear felldw, how can - Its
enough to puzzle u Philadelphia law,
yer! You see, | went to my stateroom
after dinner, feeling a bit drOwsy. ]
bolted the door can swear to that
and ] remember iinging the cigarette
case, 4 ings and Il pair of gold sleeve
links on the upper berth. Then | put
on my dressing gown, stretched myself
VI good snooze. When / got up, about
five minutes ago, I found my trinkets
had vanished"
'Pon my word, things were beginn.
ing to look serious, and no mistake
j lost no time in hunting up the cap
tain and made him acquainted with
the state of affairs. He was just Us
first thing next morning he sent a mes
a to Mrs. Melhurst requesting 6
private interview In his cabin on deck
He also signified his wish that / should
be present. We both questioned the
lady closely, but her replies did no
- bSuu W JuEO" uhy llSuU upon tnS Sill
gular occurrence.
Nevertheless we determined to keeL
a close watch Upon the staterooms In
future. 1t was pretty evident we had
a" black sheep" on board-probably
81. an old hand at the business. For the
next few days we had no further com
plants. The thief was evidently "lyine
low" waiting until tranquility was re.
stored before making a fresh attempt
Meanwhile | kept my eyes open
observed the little pe~culiarities of the
different passengers and took particu,
=, lar note OF the manner in which they
i, occupied their time.
On board ship, when you find q man
who shows q marked preference foI
N. his own society above that of the
Aassers on deck Nor habitues of the
{ Sking room, one is inclined to jump
Me Conclusion that he has some
Sdsons for his exclusiveness If,
}altion to this, he happens to be oil
4ncommunicative disposition, with
Eack hair and swartby complexion,
yen to wearing u slouched hat and
g cloak, rightly or wrongly you put
10 down as ~ decidedly suspicious
aracter.
Now we happened TO bave a passen.
@EM|W| |I H. -. l~.-I a. D....l4-. 49, ~.