Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-26


 Mrs. Renwyck was laid upon sofa
 and smelling salts were administered
 in such generous quantities that sht
 returned 10 consciousness with gasp
 ing protests and gusts of rage. Miss
 Schermerly offered consolation in the
 form of various questions and was SC
 offended by the answers she received
 that she retired to her room in right
 eous indignation. Miss Chittendor
 crept close to the edge of the circle ot
 excitement and listened as one in {
 frozen trance. Both she and Miss liar riet to say nothing of Richard himself
 had worked out solution of the prob
 lem by the simple process of deduction
 and three hearts sank to the utmost depths of despondency. Uncle Michae added to the depression by a cheerful statement which gave at least cleW 1 to the robbery
 I'm not a bit surprised at this" he said, "and it's all Jacobs fault for being so puffed up and bullet headed which was truly an Irish mixture of ad!ectives.
 What do you mean?" demanded Mrs. Renwyck instantly taking the side of her abused husband.
 "Why, simply this" said the little lawyer coolly. There was a cock eyed vagrant nosing around the place sev- l eral days ago, and I warned Jacob to place detective in the house while the diamonds were in this toy safe of his, but he wouldn't do It."
 Harriet flushed and bit her lips Imo- gene gave evidence of approaching hysteria, and Richard listened, while ice cold shivers frolicked up and down his spine. The Texan could place the 'cock eyed vagrant," and also feared he could place the confederate who had evidently helped himself to the con tents of the safe while Mir. Roderick Fitzgeorge engaged the ladies in the billiard room. It was all so simple, so pitifully simple. The diamonds were gone and so was Woolsey Bills.
 Richards trip to New York was now out of the question. He must stay and face the music, though the price he must pay the fiddler was question he dared not dwell upon. He could only hope Miss Sempton would not ap- pear until it was all over. He was now burning to get hold of Harriet and confess everything and then to shout out the truth from the very hOusetOp.
 While not personally responsible for the loss of the diamonds, the Texan was morally responsible in view of the fact that he had allowed Lord Croy lands valet to remain under the Ren- wyck roof when he knew in advance that the man was not a character to be trusted. The real master had want ed him discharged for theft. and while if never dawned on Richard that Bills might filch from any one except his master-the lawful prey of many of his kind-still it was his duty to have discharged the rascal without delay. Truly. the humor of the situation was in much the same condition as the missing gems.
 With very solemn face, but with good deal of inward pleasure, Uncle Michael telephoned to Mir Renwyck. He had given sound advice, and Jacob had derided him. hooted at him. laugh cd him to scorn and had finally sug- gested that he look under the bed for Il burglar. Mir Corrigan by all Chris tian precepts should have been sorry for his hrOther-in-law, but the plump little Irishman was not. On the con trary. he was glad with gladness which filled him with delirious chuc- kles when no one was looking. He was even with Jacob at last. He meant to be more even before the day was out.
 Hello" he called over the wire. "Yes. want Mir. Renwyck. Hello. Jake! Good morning. Whe-yes, Cor rigan. Me! Don't you know my mu- sical voice? Yes. yes. of course I know you are busy: But, say. I've got something interesting to tell you. Yon remember that fellow with cast fin his eye-the one you laughed at me nbOutl What? That's 1.-the tramp" Here NIT. Corrigan covered the mouth piece with his hand and released the merriment that was struggling with his insides Tben he took up his joy fui narrative T looked under the bed for him last night. but he wasn't there. Do you know why? He slept in your little toy safe. got up early and took your diamonds with him. No! Honestly. it isn't q joke I'm telling you the whole miserable. wretched truth. Your safe has been robbed. Cockeye made q clean sweep What? What: Oh. Jacob. Jacob. you shouldn't talk like that, It's against the rules of the Telephone Exchange"
 The rest of the conversation was hIOre serious. Mir. COTrigan advised his hrothcr-in-iHw of the true condi- tion of affairs and offered 10 do any thing in his power to help matters along Mir. Renwyck. while very much engaged over his harbor scheme con cIuded to drop business for the morn ing and hasten out to IrvIngtoa with two experienced detectives,
 Good appIauded Uncle MirhssL The more inc merrier | believe 1 ran furnish these gentlemen with ser eraI valuable clews. I hate to say Tod vou SO Jake. but if you had listened tO ne you-what? No. I won't. It's hot enough out here GC0Iby-"
 When MF. C0rrimn left the telephone he found that Harriet and Imugene had gone upstairs The latter young