Connecticut western news., 1908-10-22
KleptOmdnidCS.
rcopyright. 1908 by T. c. Mcclure. l

lSOpyTlSHl, 1SOo, Dy T. S- VhSSiuTc.l One day in the height of his career Inspector Bourke of Scotland Yard was sent for by Bond street jewelry house that had been robbed of a dia- mond necklace worth many thousand dollars. It was almost certain that Lady Renfield was the thief. On the quiet she had been known for several years as kleptomaniac. But for her | title they would have called 1t by q more ugly name. She was the only customer that had looked at the neck 1 lace that afternoon before it was found to be missing. Lady Renfield lad just returned from Paris when Bourke made an excuse to call. There was to | be fair for the benefit of the poor. and she was to have q booth.
 It so happened that just at this mo- ment Lord Renfie!d was in the hands of the Jews. He had gone into a min- ing speculation and dropped S250, GOO. Let 1t once be known that scion of nobility who Is supposed to have bar rels of money to burn Is hard up and don't know which way to turn, and his creditors come down on him like a flock of hungry wolves.
 Inspector Bourke under another name and as one of the officials of the great fair was received in the lady's morn ing room. He had posted himself on the subject to be talked about. and be talked intelligently and Interestingly for half an hour before bringing in his casual and usual remark. Lady Ren- field promptly and vigorously asserted her innocence. He had been through the same programme fifty times be- fore and he mildly replied that she had three days in which to give up the necklace. After that time had expired he should feel at liberty to take some other course. Lady Renficld thereupon defied him and showed him the door In leaving he spoke of calling again. He did call the very next morning. though without the faintest hope of being admitted. To his surprise, he seemed to be expected, and as Lady hand she said:
 "You have come again about the necklace, but must tell you what told you yesterday. I know nothing whatever about it.'
 Inspector Bourke's line was the sen- timental and pathetic. It'was for him to draw n picture of one of the great est ladies in England arrested and scandalized and placed il the felons dock. He asked her to imagine the feelings of her friends and family, tho social ruin, the degradation of a proud family. Tears came to the eyes or Lady Renfield as he talked. but she nevertheless insisted that she did not take the necklace.
 Then the inspector took the line of buster. It wasn't vulgar bluster but genteel buster. He must go to some of her friends, even to her husband. He must get them to make her see her position. The Jewelry firm wanted no publicity, but was determined to have the necklace back or it's equivalent in rash. Lady Renfield answered his covert threats by words of defiance. Her husband was in the house, and she threatened to call him in and have her visitor thrown out as a black mailer. She would welcome any sort of suit and prove her innocence. The inspector left her with the observation that he would make a third call in hopes to find her in a more contrite mood. He was again admitted. He went over the case with her to show her how convincing the evidence was against her, but she only smiled con- f0v 1GIx hn rI last card before proceeding to extreme measures. Re astonished her by giv- ing her facts about her husbands pc cuniaTg difficulties. She had received no hint of them. and she would not believe until the inspector had laid in- contestible proofs before her. Arrest and trial had no terrCrS for her, but public gossip about the family finances terrified her. The caller saw that he had made an impression, a1d he bore down as heavily as possible, and at length Lady Renfield gave way and said:
 ''I will lie to you no longer. If you will promise me that not q breath of this gets out I will give up the neck lace"
 The promise was instantly made, and the woman made for her boudoir and soon returned with the ornament. She was fearful and humiliated, and the Inspector sought to make it as easy for her as possible. She pleaded klep- tomania, as they all do, and was as- sured that hundreds of great ladies had the ailment and were thought none the worse of. She would be wei comed at the store as before, and on behalf of the firm he hoped for q call at an early date. She furnished plush case for the necklace and bowed the inspector out.
 "There is no other man like you in England" said the head of the firm as the plush case was put into his hands.
 'I do my duty to the best of my abil- ity, sir" was the reply.
 Hold on here, Bourke, but what is this?" exclaimed the jeweler a mo- ment later.
 '"rhe necklace from Lady Renfield, sir"