The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-07-21
DURING HER MAJESTY'S
PLEASURE.
BY 8. a. Smith.

IL, my 1rlend, sdld DctectNe
~ Inspector Westwood, "it is al
very well for people who know abso
utely nothing about the matter Il
complain of the alleged inefiiciency Of
the police force, to call its members Z
set of bunglers, and all that sort OF
thing; but if they only took the trou
bic to find out all the particulars 0
our unsuccessful cases, they would soor
realize why the police are sometimes
completely at loss.
1T would not be reasonable to ex-
pect a man TO stand on nothing, in
space-now, would il? Yet often we
of the force have no more ground to
work on than the man in space has 20
stand upon, so il cannot be surprising
if we then effect nothing. admit
there are a great number of crimes
whose perpetrators are never brought
TO justice; but, as they furnish no clew
whatever, we are, of course, bafiled-
unless some lucky accident should re-
veal their identity"
HAS any such lucky accident oc-
curred to you in any of your investiga-
tions?" ! asked.
Il should rather think So" the in
spector replied. why, it is so one
of them that l owe my promotion.
Surely you have heard Of the incident?"
"Not to my knowledge" answered,
so you had better enlighten my ig-
norance."
"Well, two or three years ago there
was a series of petty robberies in the
mansions round Richmond, Kingston
on-Thames, and Henley way. 1t was
in the summer time, when people were
staying at their country houses. These
robberies were very mysterious, and
the remarkable thing about them was
that they were always committed in
broad daylight. The things mostly
stolen were valuable diamond rings,
brooches, and trinkets of that sort,
which are allowed by ladies to lie on
the dressing-tables of their bedrooms;
though on one or two occasions costly
bracelets set with gems, and diamond
necklaces worth fabulous sums, were
abstracted by the thief. Bulky valu
ables, such as watches and family plate,
were invariably left untouched; as
said before, it was chiefly the jewelry
of the ladies which was stolen.
"Of course, the police were communi-
Gated with, but as the thief-or thieves
left no trace whatever of their modus
operandi. they were unable TO accom-
plish anything, for one cannot consider
the absence of stolen goods as a clew.'
The superintendent, il is true, had a
theory at first that the robberies must
have been committed by some person
or persons in the respective houses,
but as all the domestics happened 10 be
)ld retainers of unimpeachable integ-
-ity and honesty, that theory was soon
exploded. The same fate befell anoth-
sr. which suggested that the thefts
we're committed by some stranger
itrolling unobserved into the houses,
or the articles were invariably abb
itracted from upstairs rooms, and it was
to suppose that the
hieves could have got in the houses,
rome upstairs, and left the premises
igain without having been Observed
in broad daylight.
''In spite of all vigilance and precau-
ions the thefts still continued. There
vas scarcely a house of any size in the
district which had not sustained some
oss or other. 1t seemed to be regular
pidemic Of losses. and that, with the
,reat heat of the season, formed the /
hief topic of conversation amongst |
he inhabitants. Public feeling ran
Ugh over the matter--naturally /
nough, perhaps, under the circum- /
the following, with but |
light variations, was the plant at all /
he garden parties and social gather
ngs:
"'Oh. my dear Mrs. Fitz-Blank, re-
lly do not know what is coming over
he place; one cannot trust a single
rticle of value out of ones sight. Only
his morning placed that lovely mar
uise ring, which was given me by
he shah of Persia, on my dressing
able while went into my boudoir
Or something or other, and when got
ack the ring was gonel Gone. utterly
although | turned the place
pside down to find IT. wouldn't have
1si it FOR worlds, either. There was
. one else in the room, only myself,
nd no one could have entered without