Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-03
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Detective Case.
IOriginal.1

| pleby, their son. twenty-five. and their
daughter. twenty years old. There was
| also visiting the son Mark Brainerd. of
the same age. They were all sitting in
the library after dinner except Brain
erd, who had gone To his room for
something. Suddenly the maid entered
| all in Il tiutter and said that her mis-
tress' room window was open and a
| ladder standing against it, Mrs. APP
pleby Immediately ran 10 her room.
| opened Il drawer where she kept her
| Jewels and found they We're gone. She
4 returned in Il few minutes 10 the Ii
| brary followed soon after by Brain
| erd) and reported her loss Brainerd
at once started outside. followed by the
! others. including the maid and James
| Cronan. a manservant. All rushed TO
| the foot of the ladder, then started in
different directions toward the fence.
| CrOnan suddenly went sprawling on
| his face, and it was discovered that he
| had tripped on Il wire. This indicated
| that the thieves had prepared to get
| away with the booty by retarding pur-
suit.
las soon as | had learned these facts
l made the usual examinations. The
| ladder had been kept i'll Il wood shed
back of the house The wire was from
n rusty coil that had long lain in the
| cellar. These circumstances assured
me that the robbery had been COM
United from within. I was questioning
young Appleby about the ladder and
the wire. his friend Brainerd standing
by at the time.
Your theory is said Brainerd. that
some one in the house. knowing all
about the ladder and the wire. simply
put up the one and laid the other to
make us think that the robbery was
committed by outsiders?
- have no theory as yet l replied,
not caring to give any information.
"'Al | have to say lie continued, is
that any one inside who was fool
enough 10 take wire from the cellar
for that purpose can't be an expert in
the business. Was the cellar accessible
from Without he asked of young APP
pleby.
"'Oh. yes. The bunkhead was wide
open. and the wire lay on a tool table
beside it
"'That alters the case said Brain
erd
'Of course l investigated Mr.. Brain
erd. Young Appleby had known him
for several years, and lie had been COM
ing 10 the house occasionally during
that time Nevertheless his having
been separated from the rest of the
family when the robbery was commit
ted looked suspicious. and his remarks
about the ladder and the wire. espe-
cially the latter, pointed to Il purpose
that purpose being, first, to divert SuS-
picion from himself: second. to bring
out the fact that the wire had been |
noticed and picked up by the thieves.
One thing | learned. not by direct |
question. but by observation. The |
friendship between young AppleDy and |
Brainerd. which had been the occasion |
of Brainerd first coming to the house, !
was no longer the prime reason. He |
was paying attention To Miss Appleby. |
and his attentions We're not agreeab BILE |
to any of her family. including her |
brother. The parents and brother were |
throwing out hints derOgatOry TO Brain |
erd. and this was making Miss Appleby |
very unhappy. This might be indirect |
ly an interference with my work and |
might ruin my chances for success.
The very morning after the robbery
was committed | had found the clew
TO the thief-that is, | was thoroughly
satisfied in my own mind. but L could
prove nothing. asked Mr.. Appleby
senior if l might take up my quarters
in the house, and he asSented. For
several days l watched and waited.
while wider grew the division in the
family. father. mother and sou being
n md hnr
lover What l was after was the prop
erty. and the thief who had stolen it
was too sharp to give me any clew as
TO what had been done with it. When
a detective is sure he is right. but can't
prove his case he may often do so by q
sudden and vehement accusation. This
resolved upon. l asked Mr.. Appleby
to assemble the household. every per
son living under the roof, in the library
When all were present / noted the
expressions on their faces. My sympa-
thies went out TO Miss Appleby.
could understand how. though she had
implicit confidence in Brainerd. there
was n dread lest she might be de
ceived. At any rate. since she and all
the rest were expecting Il disclosure,
the suspense was intense.
James Cronan.' | said you made
one bad blunder. After laying the
wire you should have noticed more
carefully where you had placed it. You
fell two yards before you reached the
line ON which il was stretched and
fully yard 10 the left OF its end
Il had my eye fixed steadily on him
as / spoke and saw him turn pale.
a. You have the jewels. and it shall be
optional with you tn return them or
serve term in state prison. Which
do you choose:'
The man was not a very formidable
one 10 break down. as his management
OF the case had indicated. He begged
for mercy and offered 10 return the
property. l asked young Appleby to