Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-01-26
DAILY SHORT STORY
MY MYSTERIOUS SERVANT.
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IOriginal.l

When I joined my husband on the
ranch he had very good Chinese sery-
ant-Wing he called the Celestial-but
i had not been in charge week when
Wing walked off, remarking that there
was too muchee woman l wrote d
note to an intelligence office in the city
and when the coach came along told
Pete, the driver, through whom 1 al
ways sent my messages, to deliver IL.
While l was adding some instructions
woman'S face appeared at the coach
door and asked in a broad Irish voice II
/ wanted servant. 1t ended in my en-
gaging her. She alighted, a large trunk
was removed from the boot. and before
the coach was out of sight Bridget
O'ToOle, as she gave her name, was get
ting our supper
When my husband came in and learn
ed what L had done he shook his head
ominOusly, for 1 had taken servant
without recommendation.
Bridget was dressed better than serv-
ants usually dress, but l like my serv-
ants to be tidy, and this did not trouble
me. She was about twenty five years
old and very pretty woman. Had she
been Swedish. having the fairness OF
the Swede mingled with the rosy color
of the Irish.
Bridget was i mystery from the mo-
ment she came into the house. My hus-
band warned me to look out for my
valuableS, and / soon came totsuspect
that my servant was deceiving me.
What mystified me was that occasion
ally when she forgot herself she would
drop into refined English accent. But
/ was not surprised that she was able
to talk thus. for many English servants
have such an accent. / was puzzled to
know why she used both the English
and the Irish.
One morning l took advantage of her
being in the kitchen to go into her
room to investigate. / tried the closet
door where her trunk was. but it was
locked, and the key was gone What
Induced me to do so l can't explain,
but turned down Il pillow on the bed.
There lay beautiful little watch stud
ded with Jewels, ticking away just as
II it were in tire boudoir OF a badly.
took ii up to look at it. and on the
back was a crest. 1 put the watch
bdNh NhClC hdtl II anu wv ucA
my husband came home told him that
he was right-we must.have a thief in
the house. When 1 mentioned my ind
he said that he didn't know what we
could do in the matter unless we dis
charged Bridget, which we must do
merely on suspicion. besides depriving
ourselves of an excellent servant. The
result was that we did nothing, though
put everything valuable in the house
under lock and key. 1t was rather
singular that Bridget and her mistress
should be locking their belongingsfrom
each other
Bridget received letters occasionally.
and we considered the propriety OF
opening them. But there is something
about opening other peoples coinmuni-
cations that refined people shrink from
Besides, the letters coming thus in our
care somewhat diminished our suspi-
cions. I examined the writing on sew
eral of them addressed in a coarse
hand and suspected that IT was dis
guised. But of this I was byino means
sure.
One evening a man alighted from
the coach. He said he had business in
the neighborhood, and since there was
no hotel within miles he begged that
we would keep him overnight. The
latchstring is always open among
and we took; him in. He uas
dressed as became the country, but
his accent indicated that he was ajweil
bred Englishman. He arrived anShour
before supper. and my husband told
him that SnSnanfnH
try woman Of his in the house who ap-
peared to be sailing under false col
ors, and we would be obliged If, he
would advise us what to do in thefmMt-
ter. He replied that he would look
her over when she waited on as at ia
BILE
Supper being announced, we tooktour
seats. and in few moments Bridget
came in with a tray Of dishes. had
my eye on her and saw her STARE as
soon as she saw the stranger He
ooked her over coolly, she keeping
Ter eyes on what she was ,doing and
The stranger explained her startingtat
seeing him as arising from the fact
hat, living in concealment., she woud
start at seeing any stranger He said
lie believed she was above the condiJ'
ion Of a servant or a thief andtif we
would permit him few moments with
Ter. being a countryman tof hers, he
would try to get her secret
After Bridget had finishedS her evenA
ng work 1 sent her into. the living
DOM, where the stranger was waiting
or her. They remained Ain the same |
DOM for quite awhile ,conversing in |
low tone. Meanwhile. we waited in |
room across the hail. Presently they |
anne in together whereswe were.
There is no longer ! any necessity |
or secrecy" said the stranger. Your
maid Is the daughtery of Sir Henry |
Of frla nd land Cos