St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-02-01

ven; little was known of my family
and it is not wonderful that when TIL.
facts became known the neighbor,
were suspicious of me.
After nearly month my dear ole
lady told me about her losses, with
tears in her eyes. The matter made
mo very uncomfortable. began to
watch everything and everybody at
tho house, and enlisted the aid of the
two servants. New locks, bolts and
chains were put on, and I installed
an electric alarm that rendered it
well-nigh impossible for thief to en-
ter the place by night. I kept close
watch on those who came in by day.
These were few. Two elderly ladies
called once a week, always in COM
pany; a dressmaker came at times;
the family doctor, the parish clergy
nan, the lawyer and trustee of the
estate at irregular intervals; also a
wealthy widow, who lad consecrated
her life to charity work.
Although she was, as many thought,
most importunate begger for char
tiles, she gave very literally of her
own means, and the integrity of her
motives could not be questioned.
There was also an old gentleman,
whom understood to be relative.
These were all, except myself, who
came into the house for weeks, yet
during that time a valuable locket
and its chain, a pair of old, round
bowed gold spectacles, beautiful
irlaid vinaigrette, pearl brooch,
letter seal, with an emerald set in
the end of the handle, and several
other longtreasured trinkets had dis
one by one from their accus-
toned places.
AS I went over the list of visitors,
acknowledged that disinterested |
person would be far more likely to
suspect me than any one of these emil
nently respectable people. The more
pondered on the affair, the more
clearly it was borne in upon me that
was in an ugly position, and that
ny only way out of it was to catch
The real thief.
From that moment 1 was on the
llert night and day, but soon salts
led myself that no one broke into
he house by night. For several days
kept an eye on the little lame
,randson, till I was convinced that
lie was not the pilferer. The invalid
laughter did not now leave her bed.
Afterward I kept watch of all the
movements of the old gentleman rel
tive, till I grew ashamed of myself.
For some time did not gain the
lightest clew. Then one day queer
occurred. The wealthy
harity worker was calling at the
ouse, and after a time I heard her q
aking leave of my patroness and a
er daughter at the door of the lat I
er's room on the second floor. Ny I
DOR being ajar, I heard the caller /
lstle down the stairs to the hall be- 4
w, and a moment later the street
DOR closed.
Dheying an unreasonable impulse, a
moved to my window to see her go v
;wn the outer steps to the side h
ak; my room was at the front on 2
e third floor. Somewhat to my sur t;
'ise, the lady did not appear on the n
cps outside. At first I supposed t,
q was putting on her gloves in the o
stibule; but five, ten, fifteen min 81
es passed, and then so strong was ii
conviction that she was still in tt
. house that l went quietly down, u
reassure myself that no mischance M
Il befallen her. in
She was not in the vestibule or in W
e drawing-room or the hall or the h,
rary. None the less the conviction II
at she had not left the house had G.
pressed itself on me. I then no.
ed that the key to a closet door in
hind the hall staircase, which was In
Ways in the lock outside, had been
moved, and as passed the door sc
ried the knob. The door was fast.
although passed directly on and
'ended the stairs, felt absolutely
tain that the door had been sx
ked from inside the closet, and that J.
ne one was in there. It
Visiting unconcernedly, I ran up in
stairs, but moment later de- flo
nded on tiptoe and concealed NV pr
behind the open door of the Ca
tn,
ter ten minutes I heard the lock m,
the hall closet move in stealthy tao
nner, and a moment after saw ing
ough the crack-the visitor wit
erge and glance up the stairs. ~
n, after listening an instant, she co,
e into the drawing-room, ap- bu1
ached table and turned over sew tia
small articles there. Thence she abe
ed to the mantle-shelf, from which inf
covertly took small tortoise che
u paper-cutter and put it inside to
sealskin coat. From the drawing viii
N she passed hurriedly to the Ii tle1
y, where she was out of my sight for
two or three minutes, then reap knc
ed, coming softly toward the hall IVA
:. say
re stealth and furtiveness of her mu,
ements convinced me that she the
the thief. Otherwise I might wor
set down her presence in the
ving-room as the vagary of Con
legged guest.
she came toward the front hall.
epped suddenly forth and con-
ted her. For an instant her ewes he"
d to and fro in a strange manner, ennl1
she seemed hen+ IN ase.. the
adam. have been wa+cb;pr ,,o,,r
,ments." T said repl
III her eyes roved hither and ~
ler. Then suddenly, with ..nn
lge cry, she threw up her hands,
,ered to sofa, and sank down cen.
. like a nerson str;a,.o- tend
~ Won