The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-01-27

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pened only season or two ago in that
select section OF the fashionable world
known as Society"
A lady OF title. Lady Barmouth, re-
quested me to call on her one morning
about the beginning of June, the Lon
don season being then at lie height.
81 want your help, Mr.. Love- she
began, and then stopped awkwardly.
s'Perhaps you are not aware that at
several balls and dinner parties this
season there have been jewels and or
naments stolen. 1t has. of course,
caused great deal of unpleasantness.
In several cases trinkets have been
actually taken from the wearers, with
out their knowing how 1t was done,
or who did it..
heard several wild tales OF articles
having been missed at fashionable
gatherings, and there was some spec.
ulation as to who was the culprit. The
articles were not, as n rule, of i'm
mense value, and they always disap-
peared singly, consequently no public
notice had been directed to the mat
ter. In one or two cases the police
had been consulted, but it was impos-
sible for them to help. There could
be no doubt that the thief was a per-
son who mixed in society as On equal I;
probably women, who had allowed
her love of iewelry to tempt her to
dishonesty.
81 presume, then, that the--er
thief is a guest-a person in society 2"
/ said inluiringly.
81 am afraid SO. Two or three
things were missed at a dance which
gave last week. Now, l am giving
another dance next Thursday. and /
am, of course, most anxious it should
not occur again, at any rate in my
house. ] thought l would engage
your services for the evening, to see
if you could detect anything sus-
picious. OF course, you would be
treated as q guest.
made arrangements about terms,
and it was agreed that should be in
troduced as an American, by name
Captain Burke.
81 suppose, Lady Barmouth," ]
said carelessly, "you don't suspect
anybody in particularly"
"Oh, no." she said. but l noticed
what thought was look of anxiety
on her face, and made mental note
of it.
AS / was leaving, Lady yarmouth
said: "Of course, Mr.. Lowe, you quite
understand, there must be no expose.
If you make any discoveries, they
must be treated as secrets. 1 can't
have scene Of any kind. 1t must be
hushed up."
/ returned to the Office impressed
with two ideas. First, that my task
was one of those delicate cases that re-
quire all your tact and yield very lit
tie credit; secondly, that Lady Bar
mouth knew more, or at any rate,
guessed more. than she cared to tell.
Thursday evening arrived, and /
went to Merton House. Practically,
my duty was to mingle with the guests,
enjoy myself, and keep my eyes wide
open. Nothing seemed to be more
improbable than that there should be
thief among the brilliant throng
that crowded the rooms. Everything
was conducted in the most sumptuous
and luxurious style, Hungarian band
discoursed the sweetest of dance
music, and the guests were among the
highest in the land.
For long while nothing occurred
of tho smallest significance. But at
about 2 O'Clock in the morning, while
| was sitting in snug corner of the
conservatory, where cigarette smoking
was permitted, l noticed couple take
up position in the opposite corner,
They were both young, and evidently
very much in love with one another.
The girl was handsomely dressed, and
wore some valuable jewels. In par
ticular / noticed a pair of diamond
ear drops, which had just come into
fashion agein. Without being con-
noisseur OF g. ous stones, l under
stand them enough TO know that