Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-08-16

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 this
work. anyhow. Mr.. Dixon will be here
this morning, and I 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 the
city on the day following the robbery
and had since been investigating the
various clews.
"You understand, he said, with
characteristic abruptness, that Sc
crecy is one of the first lessons the de-
tective must learn"
"You have nothing to fear 80 far as
father and 1 are concerned" replied
Ruth.
Had I not the very highest idea Of
your reticence, 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 as far as that"
replied Mr.. Arnold.
"Then 1 am one ahead; have To-
Gated my man."
at was not a man, Mr.. Dixon, who
committed that crime" said Ruth; I'm
stead, It was a tall woman with black
curly hair"
"AIiss Arnold, you surprise mel"
"You notice this small stand" con-
tinued Ruth, with my fathers read
ing lamp upon it? Well, the chandelier
above it is so low that even I cannot
pass under it without touching my
head. My father had it fixed that way
so as to bring the light down as close
~ as possible, and as we have always
kept this stand beneath it, nobody has
ever interfered with it. This stand was
overturned by our midnight visitor
who, by the way, called at II minutes
past 70, and, after trying the door, she
ran across the room. coming in contac'
with the chandelier. Now, if you ex
anime closely you will see a long,
black, curly hair hanging on the chan
delier. 1t has been there since the
,,;obt Of Tho rOhherVo
Seventeen minutes past H." 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 it
will not run unless in an upright po-
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 it. She descended the stairs without
either shoes or stockings, and placed
the candle in that bronze candlestick
on the mantel."
"Miss Arnold, to speak mildly, you
astonish me! 1 do not say that l am
convinced, but-well, should like your
reasons for the remarkable statements
you have just made. The candle-the
bare feet, etc"
81 have opportunities for making in
vestigations," said Ruth, modestly,
chat are not given a stranger. There
Is nothing remarkable about IT.
| 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 it, and, since it is missing, she
must have been the c. who took 1t.
Neither Of the tapers lad ever been
lighted on the night preceding the rob-
berry. The one I 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
must have been brought down. A
burned match was on the stand be-
meath the sconce, and so 1 knew the
candle had been lighted in the room.
| We have no carpets on that floor,
which is of hard wood The rugs had
been taken up on the day preceding the
robbery. that the floor might be oiled,
and by locking closely, one can detect
the marks of n bare foot. These foot
prints are very illegible, because the
floor was almost dry, but in the proper
light they can be seen. That bronze
candlestick has not been used to hold
a candle since we purchased it. II
YOU will examine it now, you will find
wax clinging to it, which serves to con-
vince me that the woman had put the
candle in that candlestick while she
went about her work"
"You are exceedingly observing"
said Mr.. Dixon, land it looks as If you
were right in your conclusions"
eve have never thought Ruth particu-
larly Observing" said Mr.. Arnold; but
there is a new hat and sealskin iacl;e.
az stake, which may account lor hel
acuteness at this time"
"Oh," said Ruth, lightly, "do not fear
that l mean to rob you Of any of the
laurels of your profession. l am anx-
lous. in this case, because fathers
money is at stake, but hardly think l
should want to make detective work
my profession"
at would not trouble me If you did,
said Mr.. Dixon, "for believe this to
be my last case. For that reason am
particularly anxious to succeed. have
formed a law partnership, and my
whole time, from this on, must be given
to my chosen profession"
Day after day, Ruth and Mr.. Dixon
worked upon their various clues, each
trying to excel the other in obtaining
desirable information, and both en-
ioyed the work more than they real
lied. The days heightened into weeks
and soon an entire month was gone.
Early one morning Ruth startieo
her parents by rushing into the Ii
brary, her face all aglow with excite
ment.
"I'ye found til" she exclaimed