The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-08-13
The Melville Court Burglary
N s borr Story
BY Herberf JamIeI

telephone,
"Hullol Are you there? That you
Philips ."
Yes"
Mrs. Warrington Stout's Jewels
have been stolen. Probably only a
common or garden burglary. but as
the Stouts have wired for a special
man TO go down and investigate. you
better take over the job. Know their
country place.
"Grantham. isn't it,"
Yes, Malyille Court, about a mile
from Grantham station You'll catch
the next train, and report as soon as
possible
Tonight. il get back in time"
That's all, then. Goodby."
"Goodby'"
The Warrington Stouts were known
TO me-from the society column OF
numerous daily and weekly papers.
Worthy and estimable people they
might be. but the fashion in which
they We're persistently Photographed.
although il only created mild feel
Ing OF disgust in an obscure person
like myself must have made certain
other less advertised members OF so
ciety than themselves exceedingly
Jealous. Their leap into prominence
had probably been too sudden 10 last
caught the 2.30 p. n. from King :
Cross 10 Grantham.
Among other literature with which
10 beguile the two hours journey
had purchased p. A. F." ("Principal-
~ About People, When l opened
II / found tha, il contained an auto
Biographical article by Mr.. Warning
ton Stout. who was described as the
husband OF one OF society's leaders.
This description was. needless 20 say.
editorial In three columns of YER
bose and occasionally illiterate POM
posity. Mr. Warrington Stout only re-
ferred 20 his wife once He could
hardly have mentioned the family jew
els without bringing her in
| kicked the opposite seat q was
alone in the carriage in what. | felt.
was righteous Indignation, and was
almost choked by the dust. Why. oh.
why do people DO these silly things in
print2 That paragraph in Warning
ton Stout s article was simply an open
invitation 10 the burglaring communi-
ty 70 enter Melville Court address
given and lay hands on the jewels.
For in these days Bill Skies is an edu-
Gated gentleman. who gets half his
ideas from the daily papers and the
other half from magazine stories.
After rea ling that article / felt my
interest in the work of this particular
investigation wane. II only might
be allowed TO kick Warrington Stout
on my arrival ! fancied ! might enter
on the inquiry with requisite zest
Mrs Warrington Stout. IN an elabo-
rate manner. alone received me.
"Oh. you've come My husband is
out riding He cannot do without his
usual afternoon exercise. but he'll be
back shortly Meanwhile, III tell
you the whole story"
She proceeded TO give me az great
length an account that can be summed
up in a very few sentences
The previous night, IL seemed. she
had been alone, her husband crossing
the Channel on his way home from
Paris She slept soundly until. just
as daylight broke a noise In the room
suddenly awoke her. and she opened
her eyes 10 see a mans back vanish
ing through the windoW One glance
al the dressing table showed her that
her jewel box with an its contents,
was gone She screamed violently.
pealed the bell and aroused the whole
household The grounds We're instant
~ searched but. although footmarks
were found on the bed below the win
dow. the thief had evidently got safely
away with his booty
Mrs Warrington Stout here made
pause
And is that all. madam"
Dear me. no. ! was waiting. ex-
pecting that YOU would take notes. A
still more startling discovery was
speedily made That day a new butler
had come in After the burglary he
was nowhere 70 be found and his bed
had not been slept in"
you have arrived at the obvious
conclusion-he stole the jewels"
THAT Is the only possible solution"
yet YOU did not actually recognize
his back as he disappeared through the
window
q was not sufficiently acquainted
with his appearance 10 be quite certain
on that point You seq. he only ar
rived here Yesterday afternoon. My
husband engaged him in town, had
not seen him previously. Now shall
call up the servants one by one for
you to cross-examinc them
Pardon me. there is no need
"But isn't IL usual?"
"Hardlv-under the circumstances
The buffers guilt it, take IL, matter
beyond dispute"
Yves. OF course but and she
looked al me as though she doubted
II were an inquiry agent az all. so
unorthodox were my proceedings
| sustained my character by produc-
ing n notebook
Il presume. madam, that you can
account for the new buffers abrupt
departure on no other scorer
Certainly not
"Then please give me a description
OF the man TO the best Of your remem-
brance.'
AS she rounded of her description
with the exclamation. "Oh, my valu-
able Jewels" a small hurricane en-
tered the room in the person Of Mr.
Warrington stout He was dressed
in a loud check suit. an aggressive
green cap (which he retained on his
head. presumably because he thought
my social position inferior TO his).
and in his hand he carried a riding
whip
Think you'll catch the beggar, oh p
he remarked. surveying me through
q Il. .f.s1n