Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-08-13

|
and Immediately took possession of the
dropped pooketbook.
| When the diamond merchant returned
from his business to his suburban home,
he was strangely altered man.
There was no sleep for him that night
until his bedroom had been turned into
star chamber, with his wife az grand
inquisitor and the bed for the rack.
Slowly, but surely, the dreadful confes-
sion was wrung from him. Humbly he
had to disclose the nature of the loss he
firmly believed he had sustained, to alb
jectly own that he had been robbed in
broad daylight, in his train percbanoe
he, the astute, clever Cornelius-rob-
bed like common country pumpkin Of
his pocketbook, containing e3, 500 in
Bank of England notes, which must
have been abstracted from his undefcoat
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. It was only after she had ex-
tracted from him a VOW that he would
never carry such large sums about with
him again and that he would deliver
the e3, 500 into her safe 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 never ask
for the money back again unless the de-
mands of business rendered such course
absolutely imperative-itw was only after
these solemn promises had been drawn
from the unhappy Cornelius that his
good lady turned him in all instant from
the most miserable of mortals to the
most Joyous of little men by showing
him his pocketbook with the notes in
tact as 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 roguery, as we'll as the
customary allusions 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
merchants reputation for sharpness as
much abroad as at home.
1t was afternoon in Hatton Garden.
Cornelius was summing his consequent
tial little rotundity on his Office steps,
with his heavy ringed fingers thrust in
the armholes of his waistcoat and his
dumpy little legs stretched Importantly
apart A benevolent oomplaoency suf-
fused his features, for he had just
lunched and felt good. Moreover, he
had transacted q fair business in the
morning. and, among other dealings.
had got rid of a parcel Of slightly "off
color" diamonds to an amateur at close
on water" prices. To add to his stroke
of luck, he had just played old De Beers
at dominos for his lunch at the Cosmo-
politan cafe. at the top Of the Gar
den, and won. Therefore, having had
it all his own way, the street was just
then a temporary garden Of Eden to
Cornelius, with never a snake in the
landscape.
Suddenly the little diamond mer.
chants attention was attracted to a
handsomely appointed mail phaeton
coming down the street frem the Hol.
born circus end. Cornelius flattered
himself that he was something Of a
Judge Of horsehesh, having several
snowy animals at home, and when the
pair of high stepping bays attached to
this remarkably smart turnout pulled
up with suddenness that nearly sent
them on their launches at his own door
step he was free to coufess that prettier
bits of blood couldn't be met with any
where between the Viaduct and Hyde
park corner The American looking, SOL
dierly gentleman who was apparently
the owner Of the phaeton was not driv-
ing, which was at once accounted for
when Vanderstroem observed that the
right sleeve Of the strangers closely but
toned gray frock coat was empty and
pinned across his breast.
Military, by the outr' calculated
Cornelius to himself as be surveyed the
new arrival, marked the missing arm
and noted the cookade in the hat Of the
neat, middle aged groom who 80 deftly
manipulated the bays.
"Guess this should about fix the To-
cationr' cried the one armed, military
looking gentleman in unmistakable
Yankee accents as he descended from
his seat in the carriage. scanned the
memorandum in bis hand and then sur
veyed the house in which Cornelius had
his offices.
American twangp' thought the dia-
mond merchant continuing his mental
notes Yankee colonel or general, may
pc, who has made his pile in pork,
petroleum or wooden nutmegs. 1wonder
if he's after diamonts?"
Diamonds, beyond doubt More luck
for Cornelius that daF-for Wander
stroom's name was ON the stranger 8
lips az soon as his patent feathers had
touched the pavement!
Waal, waal, and he was MIR. Wander
stroom-waal, now. really! "Guessed"
they had better "sail right in," as he