Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-08-16
By Clifford Trembly.
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eyes OF the ldHllil as luSy SutSlSu NhN
little library, which was usually SO
tidy. Chairs were overturned. books
and papers scattered about In wild con
fusion, and large plate glass window
was smashed into fragments. Mr.. Ar
nold's desk was opened, the contents
of the various drawers were scattered
about the floor, and the box containing
his private papers was missing.
81 told him sol" said Mrs. Arnold.
They were the first words that had
been spoken since the worthy couple
entered the room.
tt wish 1 had needed you" said Mr..
Arnold, ruefully.
81 don't" said his daughter Ruth.
you might have been shot"
81 would have risked a great deal"
replied Mr.. Arnold rather than have
lost the papers which that box con-
tanned"
your deeds and insurance papers
were they not?" asked his wife. THE
deeds are properly registered, and the
insurance papers can be readily du-
plicated. There is no great loss"
but that was not ALL" interrupted
Mr.. Arnold. 81 had sent $4,000 to Will
liams, in New York, to investin govern
ment bonds, and last night while you
and Ruth were out calling, l received
a package from him containing the
bonds. l placed them in that box for
safekeeping. I don't see why l could
not have thought of them, last night
when you awakened mel"
Father" said Ruth-the only one
in the family who had retained her
presence of mind-"the police must be
notified at once. Leave everything just
as it is, and I'll telephone to the sta
ton"
In a. short time the chief Of police
and his lieutenant were carefully in
vestigating the scene of the robbery
You know no reason for the rob-
bery?" questioned the officer, except
the value of the papers taken|
"None, whatever" replied Mr.. Ar
mold.
"The robbers evidently took their
time. It is strange none of you heard
them come through the window"
my wife did hear"
But they did not come through the
window" interrupted Ruth. THAT was
used only for an exit after the robbery
had been committed.
The officer looked in establishment at
the pretty girl before him.
"Niss Arnold" he said, smiling, the
detective field is before you! May l
ask you your reasons for believing that
the persons who entered this room
last night did not come in through the
Window"
'eThe window was broken from the
inside, sir. The glass is on the porch
not in the ROOM"
The officer looked at the window,
gave a low whistle, and then smiled.
"You are right, Miss Arnold" he said'
then, turning to Mr.. Arnold, asked;
What about your servants?'
1--WE have only two, and they have
been with us for years. L cannot
think Of their being connected with
this crime"
But the person who committed the
robbery was evidently let into the
house by some one"
"Then why did not that some one
also let them out?" asked Ruth.
Another good point" said the Off
Ger.
"They evidently did not enter by the
doors or windows on the lower floor, "
said Ruth; 81 believe they came in
through the slxylight. 1t is not diff
fcult matter to reach the roof by way
of the back porch and the eavespipe.
I've seen brother do it often when he
was home"
"But why did not our burglar leave
the house in the same way he en-
tered?" asked the officer, smilingly.
Because, in shutting the door after
he had entered the room, the catch
was sprung, locking him in. When
he got ready to leave he broke the
window my means of that chair and
made his escape"
"You speak as if there were but
one"
81 believe, upon thinking of it, that
there was but one" replied Ruth.
"Had there been two, they would have
consulted together, when they found
the door had fastened, and would have
seen that little patient work would
have enabled them to unlock 1t with
out danger of detection. There must
have been but one and he was no
doubt new to the work. AS for break
ing the window with that chair-you
will notice that the legs are badly
scratched; they were not so yester-
day"
Before returning to headquarters to
give instructions to his men, the OIL
Ger said to Ruth, with great earnest
ness: ''Nliss Arnold, ours is an hon
orable profession, in spite OF all that
may be said to the contrary, ana
should you ever desire to make use
of the ability which you possess, !
shall be only too glad to assist you
"My daughter q detective! ex,
claimed Mr.. Arnold, Indignantly. Il
guess notl"
"Never mind, father, there ism
much danger.of my becoming femi'
nine representative of Sheriock
Holmes. But I somehow seem to fee
that / cannot only discover your pa
pers, but the person who took them
as well. Let me do what can, ano
If am successful-well, you may bt
obliged to get me a new hat, or some
thing else very NIGEL"
That the robbery, when told in the
daily press, created sensation in th'
quiet little city in which it occurred
was a foregone conclusion. 1t wa'
nothing, however, compared to the IN
terest aroused by the various vivid re
citals of "Our Lady Pinkerton," mos
of which were, as a matter OF course
more imaginative than true. The ON
Ger, impressed with Miss Arnold's abil
ity, had made a few unguarded re
,,,orl,s xvliob had been ouietly worked