Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-12-13
Lady ChetStOne'S Pearls
Story Of q Detective Who Never
Formed Theories.


2 Formed Theories. :
o-o.o.o.o-o-o-o-o-o-
perhaps the secret of my success, as
you are good enough to call il" remark
ed the eminent detective, Reginald Nor
timer, "lies in the fact that / never per-
NIT myself to form theories. In this
manner keep myself free from the traps
and pitfalls into which a preconceived
theory will at times lead you"
A maid entered and handed Mortimer
q telegram which had just been deliver
ed. Tearing open the envelope, he rapid
" glanced at the message and, with o
smile, passed it across to me.
took it from him and read:
Lady Chetstone's pearls stolen. Come down at
once and investigate. CHETsroNE.
Shortly after 10 o'clock on the follow
ing morning Mortimer and / stood upon
Hungerford platform, where we found a
carriage waiting to convey us to Love-
dale Manor.
A drive of a couple of miles brought
MS to Lovedale Manor, fine old English
residence beautifully situated in wood
ed valley. At the door we were met by
Sir Claude Gladstone himself, who re-
ceived us in a very hospitable manner.
Nor would he speak of the matter on
which we had come until we had par
taken of the refreshments ordered for us.
''There is really very little to TELL" he
remarked. my wife and / were at the
county ball on the night Of the robbery
and returned home about o'clock. Pro-
ceeding to her dressing room, Lady Chef
stone removed her necklace and placed it
upon the table, intending to lock it in her
jewel case. This, however, she omitted
to do, and she quilted the room, leaving
the necklace lying upon the table. In
the morning it had disappeared. There
II absolutely no clew as to what has be-
come Of it."
sis It possible for any one to enter the
room during the night without passing
through Lady Chetstone's bedroom" he
inquired.
at is quite possible" returned Sir
Claude. "There are two doors, one open
ing into the bedroom, another into the
corridor"
"Ah, indeed. Were any of the seryesss
likely to be about after you came Tome"
$50 far as / am aware ivy had all
gone to bed, with the exception of the
butler, who let US in, sad Mile. Valerie.
the French governe,s. l do not know
exsby she Hns cp~so late, but recollect
that as / passed the drawing room
heard her singing"
The dressing room was on the first
floor of the house. The table, which was
placed close to the window, was Uttered
with the usual array of chinaware with
which ladies love to surround themselves.
Near the edge lay half burned match,
which had evidently been carelessly
thrown down by some person after light
ing the gas. This match Mortimer at
snce picked up and examined carefully.
Ny companion examined the room thor
oughly, using his pocket microscope to
peer at things which appeared to me to
have no connection with the matter in
hand. In particular he spent quite a
time examining a large wardrobe which
stood near the door--a curious, old fash
toned thing with a lot of polished BRASS
work about it.
II presume nothing has been disturbed
since the robbery was discoveredw
Nothing has been altered. No one
has been allowed to enter the room since
we discovered the robbery. thought 1t
better to leave everything as it was until
you had seen it."
''That was right. And now, with your
permission, should like to examine the
servants"
One by one the servants came up to the
room in varying stages of Indignation and
fear. Mortimer keenly cross questioned
each. asking a number of questions which
seemed to me to be totally irrelevant, but
to which he appeared to attach consid-
cradle importance. Among the last to
appear was the maid who had charge of
the dressing room.
ut is your duty to keep this room in
order, l understand" said the detective
after a number of questions similar to
those he had already put to the other
servants.
eyes, sir, it is" replied the girl.
"Can you tell me when you were last
In it on the night of the robbery"
"About II o'clock, SIR"
"Ah, indeed. And, pray, why were you
here so late? ! understand that in the
ordinary course you would have no occa-
sion to be here after TO-"
"Well, you see, sir, l knew her lady
ship wouldn't be back till the morning.
and as had to go down to the village
put off doing the room till got back"
81 understand. ! think that will do.
By the bye, do you remember doing any
thing to this wardrobe?"
Eyes. sir. Her ladyship is very partic-
ular to have it kept clean and bright, and
I polished it very carefully. 1t was the
last thing did before leaving the room"
Mile. Valerie was the next to enter the
room. She entered in a somewhat
naughty and defiant manner and glanced
ut us in an indignant fashion.
"You are aware of the unpleasant oc-
cnrrence which has happened" began
Mortimer in his suavest tones. IL should
be pleased to hear how you spent the
night on which the robbery was COM
mitted-merely as a matter of form. OF
course" he added as mademoiselle's eyes
flashed anrrily