Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-01-30
PARK LANE PECCANCY.

Lord Stillington was haggard and gray
faced; Lady Stillington was in tears.
After returning from the state ball,
where her ladyship had worn the famous
Stillington diamonds, they had just dis
covered that the world-renowned neck
lace-the most valued item of the set
was missing. For two centuries these
jewels had been the pride and glory of
the Stillingtons, ard now the necklace
had been lost by the youngest Lady
Stillington who had ever worn it-a bride
of only three months.
She said she remembered feeling il
safe when they were coming away. As
she was about to step into the carriage
the horses had become FESTIVE and she
had drawn back for n moment, putting
up hand as she did so to gather her
cloak about her throat. Her hand had
touched the necklace, safe in its place
then, and that was the last she knew
about it.
Directly they got home Lord Shilling.
ton noticed it had disappeared. The car
riage was searched in case it had
dropped during their drive from the
palace, and Lady Stillington's dress was
carefully examined in the hope that it
might have caught somewhere. But all
10 no purpose-the necklace was not to
be found.
"Ohi low could 1 have been SO
stupid?" Lady Stillington sobbed. Can
you ever forgive me? | know it will
never be found"
"Oh! nonsense" said her husband. sit
will turn up all right. Go to bed now
and don't worry any more about it"
But he spoke in a troubled voice and
with harassed look that belied the OPP
timism of his words.
Next day search was made for the
necklace, but it could not be found. Lord
Stillington put the matter in the hands OF
the police, and also employed private de.
tectives. He was much distressed by the
loss, and seemed determined to leave TIC
stone unturned TO effect its recovery. Yet
very strangely, he refused to advertise for
it, and insisted that as little publicity as
possible should be given to the affair. He
made no excuse for this singular caprice
simply allowing himself to be considered
eccentric.
Funny chap. his lordship." remarked
Inspector Boggles. the Scotland YarC
| man. You may call it eccentricity, but
call it this" And he tapped his forehead
with his finger.
Lady Stillington was so overcome by
the disaster that had befallen her that she
could only lie in bed in a semi-hysterica
state hemoaning her misfortune. Hel
husband tried to comfort her by assuring
her the necklace would soon be recoy
cred. and that, even if il was never found
| il would not matter.
! But there was haunting look of car,
on his face, and he was unaccountably
| distract, which quite destroyed any consol
! ing effect his words might have had.
! Now, engaged in his case was Weasel
| the private inquic. agent, whose clientei,
was composed of those who moved in tn,
| upper walks of life.
! In the course of business he hat
learned something of the inner life o.
| Lady Stillington, who before her mar
| rlage was Estelle Manton. the daughter
| of Col. Manton, of turf renown
He knew that, unable to extract sufii
cient pin money from her generally hard
up father she had got into hopeless mon
| ey troubles.
He knew that to get out of these trou
bles she had tried to fly kite" ant
| that Shadr0ch, the money lender. had il
his safe bill for 600 signed by her anC
purporting TO be accepted by her father
but ON which she had forged the paterna
| signature.
Shadrach had advanced her E1OO on
the bill and now she was paving him
! t3oo year 10 Keep his mouth shut
! pending her hndlng the sim of f1O00
Tor which he would give her back the
Having this knowledge. Weasel con
Sidered il manifestly the game to keer
an eve on Lady Stillington. According
| " he contrived, by making love to he,
maid, to be in the vicinity of her laiy,
ShlpS bedroom all day.
Late IN the afternoon his vigilance wa:
rewarded. Lady Stillingt0n. tbiclI,
yelled, came out Of her room and stealth
/ liy making her way down the hack stairs
let herself out by a side door without
any one seeing her.
Except Weasel' He saw her and fo,
lowed her along Park lane into Oxfort
street. where she took Il hanson. n,
followed her in another hansom f. un'
born Circus, where she got out an,
walked after dismissing her cab lie Ed
the same
She turned up Hatton garden and h,
kept close behind her. lie knew theI
his suspicious were correct. Present.,