Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-10-02

we were talking. There was only
one thing that distinguished him
from any other guest. This YEA
that half Of one of his front teeth
was missing; it had been broken off
in almost exactly the middle.
l did not connect Mr.. Dane with
the robbery; in fact, had up to
this time not the slightest suspicion
of clew. II was early the next
morning that I was put on the scent.
l had visited the lawn under the
window Of the room from which the
diamond had been stolen, and was
looking TO see if l could find any
trace Of footprints on the beds or
the lawn l did not find any trace
of footprints, but I noticed the half
Of an apple directly under the win
dow. picked it up and examined
1t carefully As / was turning it
over and over / was thinking and
wondering how il came there. It
must have been thrown there re-
Gently, otherwise it would have been
swept up Then It struck me that
apples had been eaten on the night
that the diamond had been stolen,
and / understood that no one had
gone out on that night. OF course,
l thought some one might have
thrown II there since that night
Then l noticed a popularity of the
marks Of the teeth on the apple
About half Of il had been eaten,
and az every place where the apple
had been bitten a small portion of
the apple remained a small ridge
about an eighth Of an inch in width
and extending the entire length OF
the bite. ] saw in a moment who
had been eating the apple. 1t was
the man with the broken tooth, Mr..
Dane, and the ridge was left where
the missing tooth must have bitten.
Now IL occurred TO me that II was
just possible that after Mr. Middle
ton had given the diamond 20 his
wife (which was just after the APP
pies had been brought in) Mr. Dane
had followed her and taken his part
liz finished apple with him.
After she had left the room, leav-
ing the diamond in the casket, be
had gone in, and, when opening the
box. had put the apple down, and, not
knowing exactly what 20 do with il,
had opened the window, which opened
after the fashion of a door, and had
thrown it down on the grass below.
Another thought struck me. Why did
Mr.. Dane have his shoes cleaned on
his feet, instead ofhaving them cleaned
as the other guests did? There must
be some reason for this, unless II was
fad. asked my confidential serv-
ant which was Mr.. Danes bedroom, and
in the evening when Mr.. Dane was
in the drawing-room with his pumps
on. / went to his room, and, as ! ex-
pected, could not find the shoes.
could. however, give guess that they
were in a large box which stood in the
corner Of the room. Further evidence;
Why did be keep his shoes locked up
in his box? ! pulled a bunch Of keys
out of my pocket and tried TO unlock
the paddock, but not one key in my
nossession would fit the lock. The
next morning BY six o'clock was be-
inc driven TO a locksmith with the pur-
nose Of obtaining fresh keys.
On the evening Of that day, Watched
for the appearance of Mr.. Dane with
a certain amount Of excitement lfelt
ne though | was going to find the dia-
mond that night. Presently he APP
nsared as usual in his pumps and chal-
lenged me to a game of billiards. l
would rather not have played, but |
accented his challenge, and we had a
game.
II seemed a terrible long game, but
AZ last il was finished, and he made
his way 70 the smoking-Toom, while l
made nv way TO his bedroom. lelosed
and locked the door and then started
~ trv the various keys. Almost the
srst kew fitted. and opened the box
and got out the shoes. They we're OF
lennon make. and there appeared TO
no nothing out Of the way about them
7 rotieed. however. a little cut in the
heel Of the right shoe, and put my
anger in this cut and gave II a pull
but IL remained firm.
examined il very carefully, and
discovered the head Of a small nail
s-iren into the heel from the side
and as this eonld serve no purpose
tbsre and. moreover, as IL was black
-ea over so that it could hardly be
zen without very close inspection
n,+nraIly thought 1t might have some
anrnose' so I got my knife from my
rocket. and, putting it under the head
iavsred II up. II came out easily
.,ongb and then I pulled the top OF
the heel right al and there, snugiy
resting in a bed Of cotton wool, lay
the missing diamond!
took It out and looked at il by the
,rbt Of the candle. 1t was mag
n;6cent stone. and I could see OF I'M
mense value.
A. this moment some one tried the
soor and I fancied heard an ex'
.,or,ation Of rage and then hurrylng
= feet downstairs. l rushed toward
.bs door and was just in time to see
| tLS .ss-,,,,,earfu- ont Of a door