Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-08-18

BEFORE returning TO headquarters to
give instructions to his men, the Off
Ger said to Ruth, with great earnest
ness: Miss Arnold ours is an hon
orable profession, in spite of all that
may be said to the contrary, and
should you ever desire to make use
of the ability which you possess, 1
shall be only too glad to assist you"
my daughter a detective!" ex-
lclaimed Mr.. Arnold, Indignantly. ST
guess notl"
Never mind. father, there isn't
much danger of my becoming a femi-
nine representative of Sherlock
Holmes. But somehow seem to feel
that cannot only discover your pa
pers, but the person who took them,
as well. Let me do what / can, and
If / am successful-well, you may be
obliged to get me a new hat, or some
thing else very NIGEL"
That the robbery, when told in the
daily press, created a sensation in the
quiet little city in which it occurred,
was foregone conclusion. It was
nothing, however, compared to the IN
lterest aroused by the various vivid re.
icitals of "Our Lady Pinkerton," most
OF which were, as a matter of course,
more imaginative than true. The Off
Ger, impressed with Miss Arnold's abil.
ity, had made a few unguarded re.
marks which had been quietly worked
up into good story for local publcs.
tion, and as o result she soon found
herself the center of considerable no
toriety It was exceedingly distaste-
full to her, as we'll as to her family
and friends, for the Arnolds belonged
: to the more aristocratic circles of so
ciety
WELL" said Ruth, philosophically,
what can't be cured must be en-
dured, and I'm going on with thii
work, anyhow. Mr.. Dixon win be here
! this morning, and l wish you to be
present at our interview, please
papa"
Mr.. Dixon, one of the best detect
Ives In the country, was ushered into
the library. he had arrived in thl
city on the day following the robbery.
and had since been investigating the
various clews.
you understand, he said, with
characteristics abruptness, that Sc
crecy is one of the first lessons the de
tective must learn"
You have nothing to fear so far az
father and 1 are concerned" replied
/ Ruth.
j Had not the very highest idea Of
your reticence I assure you should not
be here to-day. May ] ask" he contin.
ued, as they seated themselves around
the library table, your opinion as to
who Is the theft"
1--WE have not gone rs far as that, y
replied Mr.. Arnold.
Then 1 am one ahead; I have To-
Gated my man"
1T was not a man, Mr.. Dixon, who
committed that crime" said Ruth; "in-
stead, 1t was a tall woman with black
curly hair"
/ Miss Arnold, you surprise mel"
"You notice this small stand" con.
tinued Ruth, with my fathers read
Ing lamp upon It? Well, the chandelier
above 1t is so low that even / cannot
pass under Il without touching nv
head. My father had it fixed that way
so rs to bring the light down as close
~ as possible, and as we have always
kept this stand beneath IL, nobody has
ever interfered whit. This stand was
overturned by our midnight visitor,
who, by the way, called at II minutes
past -, and, after trying the door, she
ran across che room, coming in contact
with the chandelier. Now, II you ex-
anime closely you will see long,
black, curly hair hanging on the chan
delier. 1t has been there since the
night OF the robbery"
Seventeen minutes past I2," unused
Mr.. Dixon. How did you arrive at
that?"
The little Swiss clock on my fathers
desk was overturned, and stopped at
that hour. 1t is so constructed that ii
Will not run unless in an upright DO
sition. Before the woman came down
stairs she entered the large room over
this one, took one of the wax candles
from the sconce on the wall and light
ed She descended the stairs without
either shoes or stockings, and placed
the candle In that bronze candlestick
on the mantel."
Miss Arnold, 80 speak mildly, you
astonish me! 1 do not say that am
convinced, but-well, 1 should like your
reasons for the remarkable statements
you have just made. The candle-the
bare feet, etc"
Il have opportunities for making in
yestigations," said Ruth, modestly.
that are not given stranger. There
Is nothing remarkable about IT. I
found the wax candle on the porch In
front of the window, and knew it to
be similar to the remaining taper in
the sconce in the room just overhead.
We use these tapers only in that room,
and OF course she must have gone there
to get 1T, and, since it is missing, she
must have been the one who took II.
Neither Of the tapers had ever been
lighted on the night preceding the rob
berry. The one found was partially
burned. 1t could not have been thrown
down, because there is no window in
that room over the porch, and so 1t