The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-05-31
:" HE quecrest things that hap
pen never find their way into
the newspapers. 1t is diff

stance, doubt If you have ever heard
OF strange incident that happened
only a season or two ago In that select
section of the fashionable world
known as society"
A lady OF title, Lady yarmouth, re-
quested me to call on her one morning
about the beginning OF June, the Lon
don season being then at It's height.
II want your help, Mr.. Lowe" she
began, and then stopped awkwardly
perhaps you are not aware that at
several balls and dinner parties this
season there have been jewels and
ornaments stolen. 1t has. OF course,
caused n great deal Of unpleasantness.
In several cases trinkets have even
been actually taken from the wearers
without their knowing how 1t was
done or who did It,"
I had heard several wild tales OF
articles having been missed at fash
ionable gatherings, and there was
much speculation as to who was the
cuiprit The articles were not. as a
rule, OF immense value, and they al
ways disappeared singly, consequent
ly no public notice had been directed
to the matter. In one or two cases
the police had been consulted. but It
was impossible for them to help. There
could be no doubt that the thief was
person who mixed In society as an
equal, probably n woman who had al
lowed her love of jewelry to tempt
her to dishonesty.
IL presume, then. that the-cr-thief
Is guest-a person in society,"" 1 said
inquiringly.
II am afraid so. Two or three
things were missed at a dance which
j gave last week. Now, 1 am giving
another dance next Thursday. and. /
am, of course, most anxious IL should
not occur again. at any rate In my
house. / thought would engage your
services for the evening. TO see IL you
detect anything suspicious. or course,
you would be treated as a guest"
We made arrangements about terms,
and II was agreed that / should be In
troduced as an American, by name
Captain Burke.
Il suppose, Lady Barmouth," / said
carelessly, you don't suspect anybody
In particularT
NHOh, no." she said. but I noticed
what l thought was n look of anxiety
On her face, and made a mental note
Of Ii.
AS / was leaving, Lady yarmouth
said: "Of course, Mr.. Lowe, you
quite understand. there must be no
expose. If you make any discoveries,
they must be treated as secrets.
can't have a scene of any kind 1t
must be hushed up"
l returned TO the office impressed
with two ideas. First, that my task
was one of those delicate cases that
require all your tact and yield very lit.
tie credit; secondly, that Lady Bar
mouth knew more. or at any rate,
guessed more than she cared TO tell
Thursday evening arrived. and /
went to Merton house. Practically,
my duty was TO mlngle with the
guests enjoy myself and keep my eyes
wide open. Nothing seemed TO be more
improbable than that there should be
thief among the brilliant throng
that crowded the rooms. Everything
was conducted in the most sumptu-
Gus and luxurious style Hungarian
band discoursed the sweetest of dance
music, and the guests were among the
highest in the land.
For a long while nothing occurred
Of the smallest significance. But at
about o'clock in the morning, when l
was sitting in a snug corner of the
conservatory. where cigarette smok.
Ing was permitted, l noticed couple
take up position in the opposite cor
ner. They were both young, and evil
IDENTIFY very much in love with one
another. The girl was handsomely
dressed and wore some valuable Jew
els. In particular | noticed n pair of
diamond eardrops which had just come
into fashion again. Without being a
connoisseur of precious stones. un-
derstand them well enough to know
that these were very valuable indeed.
and likely TO be worth several hun
dred pounds.
These two young people were sitting
out during dance. and they fiirted all
through set of lancers. without any
impatlence at their length.
.--At last they got up and went into
the ballroom again. On the chair wher,
the girl had been sitting lay some
thing shining. strolled across anC
examined IL. IL was her vinaigret
which she had probably left there by
accident replaced II. thinking 4
might serve rs trap for our fashion
able thief IL he were In the neighbor
hood. and withdrew TO my corner
where l was almost invisible.
Presently an old gentleman strolle'
out to smoke a cigarette. lie was
tall. handsome. intellectual.lookin
man. with the air of the true aristc
crat. His name didn't know. but
had noticed him chatting with th
guests. He was evidently known I
every one. and was a man OF socia
importance.
Presently his eye caught the llttl
jeweled vinaigret. He looked careless
iy round the conservatory. to see IL b
were observed. and picked II up. II
now had his back TO me. was on th
point Of stepping up to him, when /