The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-22
Jquare-5oed Bluchers.



haps there isn't but we are only too glod
at times OF any clue. however trifiing.
A mere twinkling OF the eye. AZ n In
triumph, stammer or a strong denial,
a little too brazen-faced. have often to
do duty in the same way. And. after
all. man may be as readily known by
his boots as anything he wears; for,
after finding out by experience the kind
of boots which suit his work. and his
feet, ne does not change much according
| To the whim OF fashion. as he may do In
| the cut of his coat or trousers.
The first | heard OF the bluchers was
| from minister's manse at The South
| Side. The dark nights had come, and
! the family were out at a party, excepting
the minister himself and the servant.
The minister, whom | may call Dunlop.
! ought to have been out too: but IL
| chanced to be Friday night and he was
still busy with the sermon for the com
| ing Sunday, and so he had to remain
hard at work in his study. while his wife
| and daughters enjoyed themselves abroad.
The study window looked out at the
| end of the house. which was at that
part closely skirted by "a wall with fiat
| copestone. The front OF the garden was
protected by an iron railing, the last
bar of which could just be seen, and no
more from the study window by any
pressing their face close 10 the pane, The
wall itself was a very high one. but In
running round the house passed within a
yard of the window of the servants room,
which was built az the back of the hous.
| and Immediately above the kitchen.
While Mr. Dunlop was deep In his SER
mon, and quite sure of not being dis
turbed. as his careful wife had locked the
front gate on leaving. II struck. him
dimiy that some one Was tugging. or rat
front garden. lie did not rise Immediate
| ~. but finished the sentence he was writ
ing. without thinking. particularly of the
sound; then with the first break In his
rattling. and he walked To the window
and peered down through the venetian
the railing. No one was visible. but, still
unsatisfied, he went inside the blind.
raised the window, and looked out. The
wall passed his window so close that he
could have touched IL with the end OF
| his umbrella. and at the beginning Of
this wall-that is. where the iron railing
ceased--he plainly saw two dark otssrts
They can't be CATS was his. quick
thought, because no one ever saw two
eats sit side by side I'm the open air
without growing or fighting. What can
Neither the light nor the minister's
eyesight was good. so he left the study
and softly entered room with window
directly opposite the queer, dark objects.
| BY opening this window and using pair
of tongs. Mr.. Dunlop very soon discov-
cred that the objects were pair of
strong, square-toed blucher boots. On
taking them into the study with him, the
minister found that they were still warm
inside, as IL "A pair of feet had been not
many moments out OF them. and as the
| toes had been pointing towards the back
of the house, Mr.. Duniop's prompt. sus-
picion was that the owner had clambered
| up on to the wall by means of the iron
railing and then, seeing the light in the
study window, and fearing to make a
noise I'm passing, ne had quietly slipped
bicon iii safety Mr.. Dunlop was both
lenient and good-humored and would
probably have winked at servant having
a sweetheart or follower. but this way
OF entering the house could not be toler
ated. Indeed. for aught he knew, the
owner of the boots might be no follower.
but a housebreaker: SO shutting up the
boots In his study. Mr.. Dunlop went
straight To the kitchen-at least he meant
ing whispered words In the servants
room on the landing above. A sharp rap
on the door elected a sudden scream from
within, and. throwing open the door the
minister was Just I'm time TO see "A figure
vanish with extraordinary speed through
the window and on to the top OF the
wall OF course. Marion MQueen, the
servant. Immediately fell into tears. and
went down on her knees. protesting that
1t was entirely against her orders that
the man had come to see her, and made
master was really more amused than
angry. but he nevertheless read her a
severe lecture. and finally promised not
to speak about II 10 her mistress. upon
Marion promising never again to offend
in the same way.
A little to his surprise. however. this
leniency on his part did not console her
or stop her tears. The girl appeared more
distressed than ever at the mention OF
her mistress; and at length Mr. Dunlop.
remembering his queer fishing with the
tOugS from the window. said.
"Oh. 1 suppose it's your sweetheart's
boots you're distressed about? Well. you
can tell him he'll get his boots IL he
comes TO me for them himself"
For moment the girl looked stupidity
at him. and then he found that she knew
nothing of the boots. and had not even
noticed that her lover had left them out
side. Clearly, then. this could not be the
cause of her distress: but what that was
Mr.. Dunlop had no chance of discovering
till next day. when his wife startled him
by saying that one Of her finger rings
had been stolen, The gem was not very
valuable one. but IL had been her en-
gagement ring and the minister's wife
declared that she not only valued IL
above all she possessed. but took such
care of IL that IL could not possibly have
gone amissing by accident. or without
thievish fingers. The servant of course
was questioned but she firmly declared
that she knew nothing, of II. The minis
ter looked grave. and thought of the
square-toed bluchers lying unclaimed In
his study. ard after a vain attempt to
laugh the loss over. AT last consented tnat
the police should be called in. I was sent
out. and from the manner OF the servant
and her master. ! was inclined TO believe
that they both knew something OF the
ring. Mr.. Dunlop still kent his pledge
to the girl by saying nothing OF the
bluchers or their owner TO me, and | went
away not much the wiser of their evil
dence. \ day or two after. however.
was i'm n pawnship out near Fountain.
bridge. looking over number of pledges
I'm search of a scarf pin, when carnc
upon gold ring. set with pearls and
rubies, which had been only day In the
place.
There are 30 many rings OF this pattern
made that 7 did not expect anything from
that, till I noticed that one or the smaller
stones was gone. The stolen ring was
thus described. and with more interest
asked who had pawned IL. The man
could only remember that N was wo-
man. and not very old one. but. on
referring TO the books, l was petrihed
to find the name Marion MQueen."
The address was false one. " Us true.
hut there was the name staring me. In
the face IN black and white. Still
would not be rash: and. taking the ring
with me. I went out TO the manse. and
showed II TO Mrs. Dunlop, who Identified
II beyond all doubt az her lost ring Now.
here was grave position for the girl.
apJ \ woul1 have arrested her the