The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-08-13
SE 49, = =
WHO WAS THE THIEF /?

ami WOulQ you picuSS SCihS No"u u
her staterOOm Immediately :"
had Just shut myself into my littl
office ON deck, having run through the
Sims accounts before turning in tha
ulpht II is quite II mistake, by the
wn, to think that we pursers have III
,,,., ,,ueroua duties to perform wbeI
,l zen than to watch over the pnssen
.crg' comfort, read prayers on Sunday
and keen a store OF nautical lnfOrma
lion al our iiugrr ends for the benefit
OF every curious vOyagcr. Nowadays
the purscr Of Il crack American liner
making perhaps 4 record DHssage ol
six luys or sU-has his work pretty
well cut out for him during the entire
voyage.
On the present occasion ! hAu
scarcely got my accounts larry III hund
when | was Interrupted by i slight tap
At the door. rose 1T once ana opened
it, and there stood Mrs. Mclhul'st's =
Canadian maid, with lushcd lace and
nervous, agitatcu manner
els there anything wrong;:" asked,
with some surprise, Whtn Snc h'tu ue
Iivcrcd her message.
''Thurc 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
out another word.
switched of the electric light,
locked the door and hurried away after
her. When | got to Mrs. Melhurst's
statcrOOm, | saw at once that some
thing had occurred to cause her serious
anxiety. The berths, the couch. and
even the floor were Uttered with the
contents OF cabin trunks and hand
bags. In the midst OF the confusion
stood the lady herself, looking decid-
edly perplcxed and annoyed.
"This is very singular, MIR. Morse"
she said, pointing to an empty jewel
case which lay open on the upper
berth. "My diamond ornaments are
missing"
'Iou don't say so ~ | exclaimed in
sheer amazcment.
81 do say so,' she replied sharply.
You can see for yourself that they
are gone
How did it happen"
:" cannot possibly tell you. At
dinner this evening, | happened to
mention to Mrs. Latimor that l had
picked up Il curious crescent shaped
brooch on the continent. She express
cd Il wish to see it. When tho tables
we're cleared, | 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 CmptY.'
How long were you hsent ~
Not more than half an hour"
Not more than half an hour ?"
on arc sure you had tho key In
your possession all the time ,"
Positive, | never let it out of my
n
was fairly staggered examined
the lock carefully, but there was ubso.
lutely nothing to show that it had
been tampcrcd with. | could hit upon
no better suggestion than that Mrs.
Mclhurst might possibly have mislaid
the jewels somewhere. This had the
sole encct of eNaspcrnting the lady t.
such n dcgrce-fur IL seems that sh,
had already searched every hole ant
corner in the cnbin-that was glad t,
beat a retreat in order to lay the mat
tor before the captain.
| had just got to the head Of tho
saloon stairs when | heard some on'
bounding up after me, three or fou
MIR. Cartcr--who, by the way, ha,
made several voyages with MS on pre-
Vi0us occasions.
- | suy, Morsc,' he eud, taking mI
confidently by the arm, "youVc go
some queer customers ON board thi:
ahip.'
" How SO ,"
"Why, some ones gone and wtlkc,
oil with my silver cigarette case,
couple OF rings and u pair OF gold
"Thr deuce ~
'Well it looks uncommonly like AZ
If the Individual you refer tu had ,
hand in the business, for | don't Sc,
how any ordinary mortal could get int.
ones cabin with the door boited On
the insidc, unless he managed 1t
&4ureHr through the portholo."
TELL me rNnrtIN what haH hur
rrIlru %'
" My dear fellow, how Gun ! IT.
enough 10 puzzle a. philudclphia In"
yer Nou see, went to my statorOOl
after dinner, feeling a bit drowey.
bolted the door can swear to that
and | remember ilinging the cigarett
case, rings and a pair Of gold sleev
links on the upper berth. Then | pu
on my dressing gown, stretched mysc
upon the couch, and had dOwnrigl
good snoozc. When l got up, abol
five minutes ago, found my trinkeI
had vanished"
pon my word, things were beginl
rs W. iooh SSi iouoi ttuu Ho y
lost no time in hunting up the Cal
tain and made him acquainted wit
the state OF affairs. Ho was Just 8
much puzzled as | was myself. Th
first thing next morning he sent me-
sage to Mrs. Melhurst requesting
private interview in his cabin on decl
He also signifed his wish that | shoul
be present. We both questioned til
lady closely, but her replies did n
tend to throw any light upon the 81
gular occurrence.
Nevertheless we determined to kct
close watch upon the staterooms
future. 1t was pretty evident we hi
black shocp" on board-~probat
an old hand at tho business. For t
next few days we had no further co
plants. Tho thief was evidently "lyi
low" waiting until tranquility was
stored before making q fresh atlcm
Meanwhile / kept my eyes open.
observed the little pecularitics OF t
different passengers and took parti,
lar note of the manner in which tn
occupied their time.
On board ship, when you find Il III
who shows Il marked preference
his own society above that OF
loungers on deck or hahitues Of t