The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-29

had it's detectives to look "ut for Ita
interests. but ! WIS pot one OF these
| was employed lg jeWel1T hr'n-
They rented jewels. and my business
was to watch the people To whom they
rented These renters Of course were
usually women. They were Liable TO
ne robbed or swiudled. and | kept
them constantly under my eye to see
that this did not occur or that they
did not themselves run away with the
property.
One day while was in the shop
saw n handsomely dressed lady come
ont of the private office of the head of
the firm, step into Il carriage and drive
AWAY. NV employer said to me:
'"That is the Countess i. ! hay" had
dealings With her family fer year ana
know her 10 hc what she represents
herself She has cantid"d to me that
she expects 10 become engaged to
very rich American Her family are
wrctchedly poor, and sh" finds it dlil'-
cult to keep up appearances necessary
to snare The bird she is after. | have
lent her mpncE and have rented her
valuable pearl necklace. Take her
under your protecting wing
OF course 10 watch people | WAS
obliged to be among them | dressed
faultiessly. gamhied occasionally at
the tables aud spent loose change lay
ishiy. That evening | spotted the
countess as she came ont from dinner.
and she was Immediately joined by
the American lie was distinguish
ed looking man and wore i'll his but
tonhoc one OF those American military
badges, either The Society of the Gin
cinnati or the Loyal Legion, | don't
remember which. lie and the countess
went Immediately into the gambling
rooms. and the American began to bet.
the countess looking on.
After losing some money he took out
q pocket cheek book. wrote check
and handed it to the countess, who
gave him some bills. declining the
check 80 luck came 10 him. and final
IL the two arose from the tables and
went out When the dancing com
mence,l | looked for the countess and
saw her whirling in the arms Of the
American The necklace, seven strings
of pearls. was ciasped around her beau
tiful neck and she was by all means
the most striking figure in the room.
The eminently respectable appearance
OF her partner and especially his So
ciety badge gave me full confidence i'll
him. for | have understood that to
gain admission TO these societies in
America one must he investigated ana
be able to show Il clean record. There
fore so long as my lady was with no
one else | felt no necessity for close
watch
] kept the countess in sight for sew
eral days. The american was con-
stantiy with her, and | learned upon
inquiry that he was a packer FROM
Chicago secured an Introduction to,
him. and he told ne he was a banker
in New York. but more especially
promoter His bearing toward the
countess became more and more de
voted. One evening | saw them. after
dancing, stroll out oN to n porch and
get into dark corner. The lady wore
the necklace when she went out, but
when she returned Il lace wrap abont
her neck hid the jewels. Just before
entering the house | saw her admir"r
stand with her hand in his. looking
lovingly into her eyes. 1t appeared
that she had caught him.
As the couple passed me [ purposely
brushed against The lady, deity catch
ing at the wrap about her throat.
which extended down over her sholi-
dcrs. | turned, bowed ohScuuousiy
and begged pardon. Ny object was
10 discover if she still Wore the neck
lace. Her neck was perfectly bare,
| was tlunderstruck. Had she been
robbed OF it | would have heard her
cry out, for it could not have been 10
moved without her knowing if. Ny
impression was that her companion
had gained her confidence and borrow
ed it,. II his object was theft | knew
he would be OFF to Paris to dispose OF
it. After he parted with the countess
| followed him He went straight to
the station and caught It train just
lenving boarded il myself, saw him
leave it IT Paris and tracked him to y
hotel.
About IL O'Clock the next morning ne
went to Il jewelers. and was bargain
ing for the sale Of the necklace when
arrested him.
On the morning after her departure
from Monte Carlo the countess called
on my employer and in voice broken
with sobS told him that her American
had turned ont sharper, had given
her worthless checks for the money
she had loaned him and had deX-
trously unclasped the necklace and dis
appeared.
On my return | found that the firm
did not doubt her story, but when !
told mine they changed their minds.
Since the necklace was recovered and
the amount of money loaned waS
small, considering her rank they did
not prosecute her. Indeed they relied
on me rather than the law for protec-
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