Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-03-04
A GENTLEMAN
"A DETECTIVE.

: by the chief of police for detectiy
y work. How the chief secured him fc
the purpose no one knew.
I. Mr.. Travers was to make himself
4 favorite in society and quietly Civ
d away the criminal element movin
therein. There was not the remotes
chance that the most astute thief, NAL
j or female. could connect him with tn
police. In the first six months he CAV,
, tips that drove three or four families
G into retirement and false baron int
C prison. Then two events occurred 81
] simultaneously to give him trouble. A
2 lady guest at country house was
robbed of $4,000 worth of diamonds
the night before he himself arrived fol-
4 weeks stay. and he had no sooner
seen her than he fell In love with her.
1t was Edith Meredith who had suf-
fered the loss, and Edith Meridlth was
the daughter Of a California million
alre. He was travelling In Brazil for a
time. and his wife and daughter were
stopping In town. AS for references,
thC anu nubOduu uUu Detu u
United States senator and three or
four other things, and the wife and
daughter had moved In the best So
clety on the slope. One might as we'll
have asked for social references from
the presidents wife
Mr.. Trayers found himself In two
fixes at once. He was in love, and he
could not give away the fact that he
was playing detective. He gave his
opinion of the robbery, as did all other
guests, but he had to stop at that. The
room kSSl been entered and the jewelry
taken IN the afternoon while all the
guests we're on the golf grounds. The
first suspicious were against the serv-
ants of course That is q thing that
never fails The servants were ex-
amined and cross examined and put
through the third degree but no clew
was Obtained.
The whole situation was rendered
might uncomfortable. Travers, being
the last c'""r and not arriving until
after the robbery. was the only one ex-
empted from suspicion. He could not
act openly. A detective was sent for,
but he could not make himself known.
The opinion Of the man, after going
over the ground, was that some one
had sneaked into the house by the
front way. This theory was accepted
by all. 1t did not recover the dia.
but Miss Meredith was kind
enough not to take their loss too much
at heart They represented only
days income of her fathers, and he
could afford to lose one day out Of the
365.
But after twenty-four hours some
,ther theory had to be advanced.
There was a second robbery. This oc.
'urred In the evening, while all the
,uests were looking at fireworks on
he lawn. The victim was an old dow
ger, and her loss was also thousands
# dollars. Entrance by the windows
vas impossible. Entrance by the front
NIL was impossible. The old dowager's
1aid had been sitting by window in .
he hall upstairs all the time. and she
ad seen none OF the servants spying
l1't ne ere suspected again. of
curse. and again there was great
do. No clew-absolutely no clew.
mother detective came down next
ay. and he gave It as bis opinion that
maybe o. tame crow had entered by
'ay of the Window. That no magpie
r tame crow had ever been kept
round the house made no difference
on could take his opinion or not.
Even amid this excitement Mr.
ravers progressed with his newborn
We. Miss Meridith seemed smitten
lth him aleo Perhaps smitten Is too
rong term. but she was very gra.
Dus The two talked privately about
q mysterious rohheries. privately and
They didn't exactly lay
EN- on TO the old dowager, but they
derstOod what each other thought
re mysteries did not break up the
use party. as might have been ex-
cted. This was because the third de
tive who was put on the case no.
ed host, hostess and all the guests
II he suspected one Of the servants
d must have week or two to work
his case. After that FIVE peaceful.
rly days and nights passed. There
re no more robberies. Clews were
ng picked up like potatoes at dig
& tire. II was only matter Of a {
y days when the guilty one would
punished and The plumber restored !
the end Of these five happy days /
! rights most Of the guests were +
is' ering % each othcr that Mr. Tray I
I'D 81, ,li.'' 80. - r,,r,l~ !
...,T Z