Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-10-02


That point established. l lit my pipe
and considered others.
What was Warrington Stout's object
in making away with his wife's jew
els? Assuming for the moment her
innocence in the matter, l asked my
self the reason of the queer plot that
he had Matched.
Was he jealous of those jewels? A
society woman's fame rests-with
shame, let 1t be said-less on her per-
sonalfty than on the ornaments with
which she crowds her person. Was
this man envious of that fame? Had
those glittering jewels usurped the
love and care that he felt, ought to
have been showered upon him? Did
he fancy that the wearing of baubles
worth thousands of pounds was blight
ing and destroying the soul of the
wearer, am had he chosen this ex-
traordinary method of putting them
in place OF security-probably some
bank? And was my summons to Mel
vile Courtmerely rather daring de-
vice to app ase and delude further his
wife.
l summe& up my impressions of
Warrington; Stout. No, he was Meth
er a sentfenentalist nor a moralist.
My first shot must be wide of the
mark.
More whiffs of my pipe. All, had
| it,
The Warrington Stouts were in f.
nancial difficulties, and found them
selves under the painful necessity of
raising money. To plan a fictitious
burglary was really a most picturesque
way of accounting for the absence of
valuables that you have taken your
self or employed a deputy to take to
the sign of the three balls. You get
ready money in hand and a splendid
advertisement for yourself in the bar
gain.
rose early next morning, and by
o'clock was at Kings Cross arrival
platform. The chances were about
even that that same hanson cab driv-
er met the ITO on most mornings of
the week, and l fancied that, brief as
was his appearance before the bio
scope, l could manage to pick him out
For one thing, he was wearing d top
hat, and in these days of strenuous
competition with taxicabs not many
drivers of horse vehicles can rise 10
that height of affiuence.
| found my man.
He was surly at first, but / disclos-
ed my identity, produced my authority
and if he had not been seated on his
perch, l am sure he would have licked
the dust before me. Yes, he remem-
bered those two gentlemen perfectly.
Where did you drive them to-"
"St. Paul's, guv'nor."
This seemed incongruous.
THE cathedral?"
mo. st. Paul's Station, by the riy.
err"
On, l see. They went inside. | SUD-
pose, and took train for somewhere"
They just didn't. They walked
over the bridge. There wasn't a cop
per by, so l just gave the gee is rein
and sat munchin' bit of breakfast"
And you watched them cross the |
bridge?"
No, | was moved on afore they got |
right across. But l did see them do
somethin' as you might be interested
to Farm"
oh, what was that?"
We'll, when they reached the water
the older one took something /out of
the parcel as the other was a-carryin.'
and threw It over the bridge-plump!"
Did You see what IL was?"
Not loikely, at that distance!
Thought as they were a'feedin' the
fishes, that's all, with some sand
witches they 'adn't used up in the
train. Then, as l said afore. a COP
per came up an moved me on, an I
lost sight O. the gents. Thank you,
sir, you're a real gentleman! 'Opes
you'll catch 'em if you wants 'em, sir"
passed thoughtfully out of the sta
lions. EvSats had taken a strange and
unexpected turn. Clearly the Jewels
had been thrown into the river. Cast
your bread upon the waters. and
no, the proverb could not apply.
II "do fCiy NY SlilyluS. DlQ war |
rington Stout belong to the tribe of
fanatics? | had heard of a man who.
turned teetotaler, caused all the con-
tents of his valuable wine cellar to
be poured down the drains. Had
Stout suddenly perceived the extreme
sinfulness of his wife's wearing jew-
els and taken this summary method
of putting them out of temptations
reach for everybody?
But that would have been a mad
mans act, and Stout was sane enough
Then the jewels must be false.
l stopped dead on the pavement, and
a man who was following Immediately
behind me cursed audibly. For | had
caught sight of a poster on
an advertisement boarding. In big
capitals II started thus: There are
thousands of professional burglars
known to the police. Insure against
burglary with the Lion Insurance
Company"
My problem was solved And the
solution was so ridiculously simple
felt ashamed of myself for not hav-
ng discovered it long ago.
! managed to restrain my impotence
Until 10 o'clock. At that hour enter
I'd the Ofico of tho ion Ipcuropna