Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-03-11

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Slowly, but surely, the dreadful confess
sion was wrung from him. Humbly be
had TO disclose the nature Of the loss he
firmly believed he had sustained. to ab-
jectly own that he had been robbed in
broad daylight, in his train perchance
-he. the astute, clever Cornelius-rob-
bed like common country pumpkin of
his poclzetbook, containing e3, 500 in
Bank Of England notes, which must
have been abstracted from his undercoat
somewhere between his home and Hat.
ton Garden, for when he reached his
office that morning it was gone.
Mrs. Vanderstroom listened in kind
of ecstasy Of female triumph to her hus-
bands agonized confession of male fall
libility. 1t was only after she had ex.
tractel from him vow that he would
never carry such largo sums about with
him again and that he would deliver
the e3, 500 into her safo keeping (should
it ever be recovered, which seemed hope.
less after all he had told her at break
fast about innocent holders Of stolen
Bank Of England notes'') and nevor ask
for the money back again unless the de-
mands of Business rendered such course
absolutely imperative--it was only after
these solemn promises had been drawn
from the unhappy Cornelius that his
good lndy turned him in an instant from
the most miserable Of mortals to tho
most joyous Of little men by showing
him his pocketbook with the notes in
tact MS she had found them in the hall
that morning, reposing snugly and safe
ly under her pillow. \
From that hour Mr.. Vanderstroom 8
reputation for phenomenal cuteness in
the detection Of crime, his dissertations
on rogues and roguory, as we'll as the
customary illusions to his distinctive
dexterity in the detection of ''put up
yobs," had to be confined to his city cir.
Gle Of admirers But events were ripen-
ing destined to shatter the diamond
neutrality-suspicious. for sharpness as
much abroad us at home.
1t was afternoon in Hatton Garden
Cornelius was summing his consequent
tinl little rotundity on his Office steps,
with his heavy ringed fingers thrust in
the Grmholes Of his waistcoat and his
dumpy little legs stretched Importantly
apart. A benevolent complacenoy suf-
fused his features, for he had just
lunched ard felt good. Moreover, he
had transacted q fair business in the
morning, and, among other dealings,
had got rid of parcel Of slightly "oif
color' diamonds to Gn amateur at close
on "water" prices, To add to his stroke
Of luck, he had just played old De Beers
at domiIos for his lunch at the Cosmo-
politan cafe, at tho top Of tho Gar
den, and won, Therefore, having had
it all his own way, tho street was just
then "a temporary garden of Eden to
Cornelius, with never snake in the
landscape.
Suddenly the little diamond mer.
chants attention was attracted to q
handsomely appointed mail phaoton
coming down the street from tho Hol.
bern circus end. Cornelius flattered
himself that he was something of a
judge Of horsefesh, having several
snowy animals at home. and when the
pair of high stepping bays attached to
this remarkably smart turnout pulled
up with q suddenness that nearly sent
them on their launches ut his own door
step he was free to confess that prettier
bits Of blood couldn't be met with any
where between tho Viaduot and Hyde
park corner. Tho American looking, SOL
dicrly gentleman who was apparently
the owner Of tho phaeton was not driv-
ing, which was nt once accounted for
when Vanderstroom observed that the
right sleeve of the strangers closely but
toned gray frock coat was empty and
pinned across his breast.
Military, by the cutw calculated
Cornelius to himself as he surveyed the
new arrival, marked the missing arm
and noted the cockade in the hat of the
neat, middle aged groom who so deftly
manipulated tho bays.
Guess this should about fix the To-
cation" cried the one armed, military
looking gentleman in unmistakable
Yankee accents as he descended from
his seat in tho carriage. scanned the
memorandum in his hand and then sur
veyed the house in which Cornelius had
his Offices,
American twang" thought the dia-
mond merchant, continuing his mental
notes. Yankee colonel or general, may
pc, who has made his pile i'll pork,
petroleum or wooden nutmegs. Iwonder
If he s after diamontsg'
Diamonds, beyond doubt! More luck
for Cornelius that day-for Wander
stroom's name was ON the strangers
lips as soon as his patent feathers had
touched the pavementl
Waal, waal, and he was MIR. Wander.
stroom-waal, now, reallyi Guessed"
they had better ''sail right in." as he
wanted to inspect some stones for pres.
ent he contemplated ''springing" ON his
wife, Fact was he'd had bonanza
cable" from Arizona that morning tell
ing him that in his new mine they had
not only come upon fresh reef, but
they'd struck it 'tarnal thick. " "Cal-
culated" he wouldn't know where to
stow all the silver If Arizona crowded
it in on him so all fired fast" but
''guessed" that diamond buying would
help as quick as any other way "to
knock the bottom ont of Potshot Gulch"
With these and sundry other explain
atory interjections, by the way, all Of
them delivered with that unconvention.
al freedom OF speech and hreeziness Of
style for which your genuine down
easter" is held to be peculiar. the Amer
lean and the diamond merchant found
themselves in the first floor office.
Cornelius Vanderstroom impressively
took bunch of keys from his pocket