The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-05-31
From a Detectives Notebook.


|
II was lucky | had not moved. !
shonld have looked rather foolish.
Some curlos instinct bade me cross the
conservatory, and look at the vinaigret
again. Without thinking about 1t,
put 1t to my nose.
The next thing I remember Is. that
III found myself sitting In a chair.
Gradually things became clearer. The
vinaigret lay by my side. It was
drugged. For a few minutes I had
lost consciousness. / still felt dizzy
and sick, but knowing that everything
depended on my being prompt and
acute. l managed with an effort to
pull myself together.
Then arose the question: What
should do next? Should go straight
to the man who had tampered with
the vinalgretr A moments thought
showed me that that would be worse
than useless. 1 had no proof OF any
thing. The situation must be allowed
TO develop Itself before lnterferred.
After some little reflection. I decid-
ed to go back TO the drawing room,
where l could see what was going on.
| Under any circumstances I must not
lose sight Of the girl 10 whom the
vinalgret belonged
| For nearly half an hour l waited In
vain She danced with two or three
different men. but did not seem to
have missed II.
At last, after one OF the dances, she
appeared to be looking for something.
| With what was, presume. an apology
to her partner, she skipped across the
room TO group Of girls. Evidently
| she was asking If any of them had
seen the vinaigret For some time she
| got no Information, but presently
| girl who was passing. leaning on
| mans arm, turned round and made
some remark, pointing with her fan to
the conservatory door. The owner OF
the vinalgret gave little nod OF
thanks. and hurried across the room.
All this time I observed that the
man WHO had drugged the scent bot
| tie, and who was chatting with some
| Of the people standing about watched
the girl closely.
AS soon as she had left the drawing
room he broke Off his conversation,
and strolled. quietly toward the con-
servatory. AS he passed through the
curtains | noticed that he glanced
round TO see If he were being followed
That settled It; | had found my
man and must act promptly. Lady
yarmouth was standing near the
piano. Remembering her inJunctions
that there was not, under any clrcum.
stances, to be an expose or scene.
1t was necessary TO proceed with eau
ton. l caught her eye without much
difficulty. She understood at once that
l had something to say and disengaged
herself from her friends.
"Wlll you come with me 10 the con.
servatory" l said quietly. II believe
| have solved the mystery"
She turned pale. Every WELL" she
said. Give me your arm. BE careful
what you do, Mr.. Lowe" she added
in troubled voice. ut must be
hushed up"
When we reached the conservatory
young lady lying back In n chair un.
conscious. Her ear-drops were miss
| ing.
Miss Danton has tainted" said
| Lady yarmouth.
"One moment" l said: "there Is no
cause for alarm. DO you see what
has happened? Her diamond ear
drops have disappeared"
"Do you know who II is?" she whls-
pered.
Yes. Her vinaigret has been
drugced-not sufficiently to do her any,
harm, | saw II done"
What shall do? Fetch Lord Bar
mouth, will you? He must advise ne"
which Is Lord Barmouthf"
She came to the curtains and pointed
him out TO me.
"very WELL" said I. "Chafe Miss
Dainton's hands, and try TO bring her
around. but don't send for any help
ut present"
| don't think | ever felt so reluctant
TO proceed with n case rs l did at
that minute. The man whom Lady
yarmouth had pointed out rs her hus-
band was the man who had drugged
the vinaigret-who had followed Miss
Dalnton into the conservatory. In a
word, Lord yarmouth was n klepto-
maniac.
"wlll you come with me into the con.
servatory. Lord Barmouth?" l said.
As | spoke | looked him sternly In the
face. lie turned deathly white, and
his eyes shifted nervously about the
room.
What's the matter?" he said, huski
ly. lis anything wrongy"
Miss Dainton has tainted"
"Oh." he murmured. with relief.
"And her ear-drops have disap
peared," added. For moment
] thought he was going TO drop down.
put my arm through his and led hin
toward the conservatory. lie wa
trembling like leaf.
| When he got well into the shadow o
the curtains I stopped. Lord Bar
D mouth said. quietly, take my al
j vice and give them up to me at once.
What do you meanT he said
e hoarsely.
! The ear-drops. 1t will prevent
e scene"
e He put a trembling hand into IN
e breast pocket Of his dress coat and CAV
g me the ear-drops. He did 1t like