The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-12-31

he could not hare been directly con.
cerned In the robberies-for inquiries
proved he had remained on deck the
whole evening-he certainly would
have been treated TO q private inter
view In the captains cabin.
Nothing further occurred TO excite
suspicion until the last day or two of
the voyage. Then, one evening after
dinner, word was brought to me that
three other staterooms had been rifed
In the same mysterious manner.
When the alarm reached me hap.
pened to be standing in my deck Office.
! had In my hand twenty sovereigns.
l didn't walt to lock up the gold; sim.
ply placed II on my desk. switched of
the light, and hurried away. had nc
fear for the safety of the soverelgns.
my door having a particularly intricate
lock, in which took care to turn the
key before leaving.
remained below for an hour OF so.
but. as In the other cases, was utterly
unable to make head or tail of them.
Vexed and bewildered. went back tc
my office, unlocked the door, turned on
the light. and-my little pile of gold
had vanished.
Then | managed to pull myself to
gether, and took look around my lit.
tie cabin. In the course of my observa.
lions my eye happened to rest upon the
portfolio, which stood wide open, the
weather being oppressively hot.
| went outside and thrust my arm In
through the opening, but my hand did
not reach within fully two yards of the
desk. SIN. it struck me as being the
only way by which a thief could get
the money, and ! determined to put
my theory to a practical test.
went straight up to young Ameri.
can gentleman, who knew had a great
many trinkets in his stateroom, and
was rather careless, too, IN the way he
left them lying about
Don't show any surprise" | whis
pered, glancing around at the other oc
cupants of the saloon, but might asl
whether your stateroom is loeked?"
1T Is"
"And the portfolio open"
Il should say sol l don't want t.
find the place as stuffy as the engine
room when ! go to turn in
well, just pass me your key. ]
want to try little experiment. Wait
till I'm gone and then stroll up Oh
deck. Let yourself be seen-on the low.
err deck particularly-but don't pay toe
close attention to anyone you may no.
tice lettering there
| went and shut myself in his state.
room, crouchlng down so that l coulc
just keep an eye on the portfolio over
the top Of the lower berth.
Suddenly as l glanced up at the port
hole, my blood ran cold. and in all my
life l never had such difficulty TO keeT
down a yell. In the dim light | saw a
long, thin, hairy arm thrust In through
the opening. The next moment a
small black hand had fastened upon a
leather case lying close to the window.
and withdrew 1t as quick as thought al.
most.
dashed up the saloon stairs and
made for the lower deck. There, just
about the spot where judged the
stateroom to be situated | came face
to face with the Brazilian De Castro.
Suddenly. happy thought flashed
through my mind. l turned round and
sprang down the saloon stairs, run
ming full tilt against the chief steward.
who was standing at the bottom.
Get me a handful of nuts-qulckr'
cried.
The Brazilian had moved away n lit
tie toward the stern. l went close up.
stood right in front of him, and then
began deliberately TO crack the nuts.
Presently l saw a corner of the cape
drawn aside. and behind a pair of
small, cleaning eyes fixed greedily on
me.
II was enough. My suspicious were
confirmed. The moment | laid my
hands upon him heard vicious snarl
under his cape: 1t was pulled suddenly
aside. and out flew a monkey.
When searched. Mrs. Melhurst's dia.
monds, Mr. Carriers cigarette case and
rings. and a miscellaneous collection Of
other valuablcs were found on him. In
his stateroom we discovered a perfor-
atcd box. apparently intended for the
use of the monkey. who was evident
ly quite as accomplished as his master.
-Elmira Telegram