Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-06
explained, learned the trick of opening

~S NoSG NOoh LIN escaping. |
II got to Lloyd's room as o as
possible. My chief object in going
there was achieved when 1 played with
the parrot and induced it to bite a Quill
toothpick.
"When you left me in the smoking
room | compared the quill and the
match very carefully and found that
the marks correspondent exactly. After
this l felt very little doubt indeed.
The fact of Lloyd having met the
ladies walking before dark on the day
of the first robbery proved nothing, be-
cause, since it was clear that the match
had not been used to procure a light,
the robbery might as easily have taken
place in daylight as not.
"When Mrs. Heath left her window
open and her door shut, anybody climb
ing upon the open sash of Lloyd's high
window could have put the bird upon
the sill above. The match placed in the
birds beak for the purpose 1 have in
Dictated, and struck first, in case by ac-
cident it should ignite by rubbing
against something and startle the bird
this match would, Of course, be drop
ped just where the object to be remov-
ed was taken up. AS you know, in
every case the match was found all
most upon the spot where the missing
article had been left-scarcely a likely
triple coincidence had the match been
used by a human thief. This would
have been done as soon after the ladies
had left as possible, and there would
have been plenty Of time for Lloyd to
hurry out and meet them before dark
especially plenty Of time to meet
them coming back, as they must have
been, since they We're carrying their
ferns. The match was an article we'll
chosen for its purpose, as being a not
altogether unlikely thing to find on a
dressing table and, if noticed, likely to
lead to the wrong conclusions adopted
by the official detective.
"In Mrs. Armitage's case the taking
Of an inferior brooch and the leaving
of a more valuable ring pointed clearly
ether to the operator being a fool or
unable to distinguish values, and GER
tainly from other indications the thief
seemed no fool. The door was locked
and the gastitter, so to speak, OH
guard, and the window was only eight
or ten inches open and propped with a
brush. A human thief entering the
window would have disturbed this ar
rangement and would scarcely risk dis
covery by attempting to replace it, es-
pecially a thief in so great a hurry as
to snatch the brooch up without I'M
fastening the pin. The bird could pass
through the opening as it was and
would have to tear the %pincushion to
pull the brooch off, probably holding
the cushion down with it's claw the
while.
"Now, in yesterdays cas- we had an
was shut and fastened, but the door
was open, but only left for a few min
utes, during which time no sound was
heard either of coming or going. Was
it not possible, then, that the thief was
already in the room, in hiding, while
Mrs. CaZenove was there md seized
it's first opportunity on her temporary
liz IooIi . Iull " QId.
peries, hangings and what not, allow
ing Of plenty of conceallnent for a bird,
and a bird could leave the place noise
lessly and quickly. Before taking any
definite steps | resolved to see if Polly
could not be persuaded to exhibit his
accomplishments to an indulgent stran-
ger. For that purpose l contrived to
cnrI 1orl 0,roy 0~o;, o,.J have -
quiet hour alone with his bird. A
piece of sugar, as everybody knows, is
a good parrot bride, but a walnut split
in half is a better, especially if the
bird be used to it. So l got you to fur
nish NE with both. Polly was shy at
first, but l generally get along very
well with pets, and a little persever-
ance soon led to a complete private per-
Torrance for my benefit. Polly would
take the match, mute as wax, jump on
the table, pick up the brightest thing
he could see in a great hurry, leave the
match behind and scuttle away round
the room, but at first wouldn't give up
the plumber to me. 1t was enough.
When WI sent Lloyd away, it struck
me that he might as we'll be usefully
employed as not, so l got him to fetch
the police, deluding him a little, 1 fear,
by talking about the servants and a fe-
male searcher. There will be no trou.
BILE about evidence. He'll confess. OF
that I'm sure. 1 know the sort of man.
But I doubt if you'll get Mrs. Gaze
noye's brooch back. You see, he has
been to London today, and by this
time the swag is probably broken up"
"But Mrs. Armitage's brooch was
pawned, and by a woman" said Sir
James.
Exactly. I expect our friend Lloyd
was rather Disguised at his small luck
probably gave the brooch to some fe-
male connection in London and she
realized on it,"
The two smoked in silence for a few
minutes, and then Hewitt continued;
II don't expect u friend has had an
easy job altogether with that bird. His
successes at most have only been three,