Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-01-01
kleptOmdnidCs.

was sent Tor by a Bond street Jeweiry
house that had been robbed of q dia-
mond necklace worth many thousand
dollars. 1t was almost certain that
Lady Renfield was the thief. On the
quiet she had been known for several
years as a ~kleptomaniae. But for her
title they would have called 1t by a
more ugly name. She was the only
customer that had looked at the neck
lace hat afternoon before 1t was found
to be missing. Lady Renfield had just
returned from Paris when Bourke
made an xcu to call. There was to
be a fair for the benefit of the poor,
and she was to have n booth.
1t SO happened that just at this mo-
ment Lord Renfield was In the hands
of the Jews. He had gone into a min
ing speculation and dropped $250,000.
Let 1t once be known that a 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 he
talked intelligently and Interestingly
for half an hour before bringing In his
casual and usual remark. Lady Rem
field promptly and vigorously asserted
her innocence. He had peer 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 Renfield t%hereupon
defied him and showed him the door.
In leaving he spoke Of calling again.
He did call the very mex morning,
though without the faintest hope of
being admitted. To his surprise, he
seemed to be expected, and as Lady
Renfield came forward with extended
hand she said:
"You have come again about the
necklace, but | must tell you what l
told you yesterday. | know nothing
whatever about It,"
Inspector Bourke's line was the sem
timental and pathetic. 1t was for him
to draw a picture of n of the great
est ladies in England arrested and
scandalized and placed In the felon's
dock. He asked her to imagine the
feelings of her friends and family, the
social ruin, the degradation of a proud
family. Tears came to the eyes of
Lady Renfield as he talked, but she
nevertheless insisted that she did not
take the necklace.
Then the inspector took the line of
buster. 1t wasn't vulgar buster, 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 de~ernfInvS 10 nave
the necklace back or its equivalent in
cash. 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 vas again admitted. He
went over the case with her to show
her how convincing the evidence was
against her, but she only smiled con-
temptuously. Then he played his
last card before proceeding to extreme
measures. He ~astonished her by CIV
tarr how. fnotc oVNrIf how ht1chn fdtC No
cuniary 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 terrors for her, but
public gossip about the family finances
terrified her. The caller saw that he
had made an impression, and he bore
down as heavily as possible, and at
length Lady Renfield gave way and
said:
II will lie to you no longer. If you
will promise me that not a breath of
this gets out l 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 Inundated, and the
inspector sought to make 1t as easy
for her as possible. She pleaded KEEP
tomania, as they all do, and was as
sured that hundreds of great ladies
had the ailment and were thought
acne the worse of. She would be well
coined at the store as before, and on
behalf of the firm he hoped for a call
at an early date. She furnished a
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.
81 do my duty to the best of my abil-
ity, sir" was the reply.
Hold on here, Bourke, but what is
this 2" exclaimed the jeweler a mo-