Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-08-07

gone out on that night. OF course,
thought some one might have
thrown it there since that night.
Then noticed a popularity of the
marks of the teeth on the apple.
| About half of it had been eaten,
and at every place where the apple
had been bitten 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 it occurred to me that it was
just possible that after Mr.. Middle
ton had given the diamond to his
wife (Which was just after the APP
piles had been brought in) Mr.. Dane
had followed her and taken his part
ly finished apple with him.
After she had left the room, leav-
ing the diamond in the casket, he
had gone in, and when opening the
box, had put the apple down, and not
knowing exactly what to do with it.,
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 Of having them cleaned
as the other guests did? There must
be some reason for this, unless it was
fad. I 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 I eX
pected, could not find the shoes. I
could, however, give guess that they
were in a large box which stood in the
corner of the room. Further evidence:
Why did he keep his shoes locked up
in his box? | pulled bunch of keys
out of my pocket and tried to unlock
the paddock, but not one key in my
possession would fit the lock. The
next morning by six o'clock was be-
ing driven to locksmith with the pur-
pose of obtaining fresh keys.
On the evening of that day, Watched
for the appearance of Mr.. Dane with
certain amount of excitement. I felt
as though l was going to find the dia-
mond that night. Presently he APP
peared as usual in his pumps and chal-
lenged me to a game of billiards. I
would rather not have played, but I
accepted his challenge, and we had
game.
It seemed a terrible long game, but
at last 1t was finished, and he made
his way to the smoking-room, while I
made my way to his bedroom. closed
and locked the door and then started
to try the various keys. Almost the
first key fitted, and l opened the box
and got out the shoes. They were of
common make, and there appeared to
be nothing out of the way about them.
I noticed, however, a little cut in the
heel of the right shoe, and / put my
finger in this cut and gave it pull,
but 1t remained firm.
I examined it very carefully, and
discovered the head of a small nail
driven into the heel from the side,
and, as this conld serve no purpose
there, and, moreover, as it was black
ned over so that it could hardly be
seen without very close inspection,
naturally thought it might have some
purpose, so | got my knife from my
pocket, and, putting 1t under the head,
levered 1t up. 1t came out easily
enough, and then pulled the top of
the heel right OH and there, snugly
resting in a bed of cotton wool, lay
the missing diamond!
took it out and looked at it by the
light of the candle. 1t was a mag
nificent stone, and could see Of i'm
mense value.
At this moment some one tried the
door, and l fancied l heard an ex-
clama alton of rage and then a hurrying
of feet downstairs. l rushed toward
the door and was just in time to see
Mr.. Dane disappearing out Of door
which led into the grounds. shouted
out to the gentlemen that the man
who stole the diamond was but few
yards away, and they joined in the pur-
suit. We were not long in catching
him.
Mr. Middleton would not at first be-
lieve it was Mr.. Dane who stole the
shoe with a sliding heel, he realized
how his confidence had been abused.
SO you see that criminals should be
very careful if they have any part Of
their anatomy missing, even If 1t is
only the half of a tooth Mr.. Dane is
still III the stone business. but he is
in Sing Sing.-Vidocq, in N. Y. indie
pendent.