The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1897-12-11
THIEVES ON BOARD.

tta
and would you please come down to
her stateroom Immediately"
l had just shut myself into my little
office Oh deck, having run through the
ships accounts before turning In that
night.
l had scarcely got my accounts fairly
In hand when l was interrupted by Il
slight tap at the door. | arose at once
and opened it. and there stood Mrs.
Melhurst's Canadian maid, with flush
ed face and nervous, agitated manner.
l switched off the electric light, lock.
ed the door, and hurried away after
her. When | got TO Mrs. Melhurst's
stateroom | saw ut once that something
had occurred 10 cause her serious anx
iety. The berth, the couch, and even
the floors, We're Uttered with the con-
tents of cabin trunks and hand bags.
In the midst of the confusion stood the
lady herself, looking decidedly perplex.
ed and annoyed.
"This Is very singular, Mr.. Morse
she said, pointing to al empty jewel
cas- which lay open upon the upper
berth. my diamond ornaments are
missing
"How did 1t happenT"
Il cannot possibly tell you. At din.
ner this evening l happened to men
ton to Mrs. Latimer that l had picked
up a certain crescent-shaped brooch on
the continent. She expressed n wish to
see 1t. When the tables were cleared |
came In here, took out the brooch, and
left the jewel case lying IN the berth,
but when l got back the case was
empty"
"How long were you absentT'
"NOt more than half an hour
you are sure you had the key OF
your cabin in your possession all the
time?"
Positively. l never let 1t out of my
hand while l was in the saloon"
1 examined the lock carefully, but
there was absolutely nothing to show
that 1t had been tempered with.
/ had just got to the head of the sa-
bounding up after me, three or four
steps at a time. ! turned and saw Mr..
Carter, who, by the way, had made sew.
eral voyages with us on previous occa.
sions.
Il say, Mr.. Morse" he said, taking
me c~onfidentially by the arm, you've
got some queer customers OH board this
trip"
"How SOP
why, someone's gone and walked off
with my silver cigarette case, a couple
Of rings, and a pair of gold"
'Tell me exactly what has hap
pened."
MY dear fellow, how can l? 1t is
enough to puzzle a Philadelphia law
yer. You see, l went to my stateroOm
after dinner--I can swear to that-and
l remember singing my cigarette case,
rings, and a pair of gold sleeve links
on the upper berth. Then l put on my
dressing gown, stretched myself upon
the couch, and had a downright good
snooZe. When l got up about five min
utes ago, | found my trinkets had van
ished."
l lost no time in hunting up the cap
tain, and made him acquainted with
the state of affairs. He was just as
much puzzled as I was myself. We
both questioned the lady closely, but
her replies did not tend to throw any
light on the singular occurrence.
For the next few days we had no
further complaints. The thief was evil
So .t..:.- lou. - ,.,oItinx ,,.ttI t.o.s
ouillity was restored before making n
fresh attempt. Meanwhile l kept my
eyes open.
We happened to have n passenger on
bOard-a Brazilian. named de Castro
who was a bit of a mystery to me all
through the voyage. But for the fact
that | had conclusive evidence to show
he could not have been directly con-
cerned in the robberies-for inquiries
proved he had remained OIL deck the
whole evening-he certainly would
have been treated to a private inter
view in the captains cabin.
Nothing further occurred to excite
suspicion until the last day or two of
the voyage. Then, n 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 l hap
pened to be standing in my deck office.
l had in my hand twenty sOvereigns.
l didn't wait to lock up the gold; l sim