Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-06-30

more, Miss Werner The plate-cIoset
has been broken into and a quantity
of the Oldest and rarest of the arti-
cles has been stolen
Marie Werner stared. Susie dropped
the scissors, and stood pale and open
mouthed.
"You-you are joking" exclaimed
Marie Werner
Joking! l wish / were." he re-
sponded. mo, it is the sad and So
Der truth, Miss Werner. The plate
closet has been visited by some one,
and 1 am minus some beautiful and
costly heirlooms. 1t is not the mere
money value of the things that I care
about, although that is considerable,
but they-the pieces that are stolen
have been in the Merle family for
years, some Of them for centuries,
and 1 could not replace them if
were to expend a hundred thousand
pounds"
ooh, dear, dear!" she murmured.
How dreadful! When did you find it
out?"
"Just now" he replied. HALF an
hour ago. l got up to do some fish
ing-you know the fish rise in the
early morning-and I went for my
rod, which I keep in the small din
ing room
yes, yes she said, impatiently.
"My rod in the dining-room," he
continued, slowly, like one repeating
a lesson. GAS I crossed the room l
noticed that the panel door was
slightly open, and thinking that 1 had
left it so by mistake went to close
it. Something, l don't know what,
made me throw it back and look in
side; then l discovered my loss
Dear me, how shocking! And to
think that the words I said so jest
ingly and lightly the other day should
come true! Don't you remember that
while you were showing the plate I
said some one would find out the Sc
cret of the lock and steal it all?"
eyes, 1 remember he said, smil-
ing gloomily; "and you have proved
a true prophet; some one has stolen
it."
He leaned against the fence and
tilted his hat on one side with an alb
stracted, worried air, and there was
silence for a minute, Susie still stand
ing pale and amazed.
"And who dou you suspect, asked
Marie Werner, in low voice. "Have
you any suspicious at all?"
Eyes, 1 do suspect someone he
sad
do tell mel" she exclaimed 81
won't say word
ooh, l will tell you," he said, draw
ing little closer so that Susie, pale
and trembling, could hear every word.
Miss Werner, from what little I have
read of burglaries, l am convinced
that they are perpetrated by some
one who knows the place to be broken
into, and that the affair is usually
planned out beforehand. The house
is watched, and all that kind of thing,
you know"
Yes; yes" she assented. 'And
has the Hall been watched?'
Judge for yourself" said the mar
quis, slowly, and in a low, troubled
voice. Last night my butler. while
strolling round the conservatory
walk, found a man concealed in the
angle of the wall, watching the plate
room.''
"Ohi"
Yes. Forbes stepped cautiously up
to him and laid a hand upon his Shout
der, and the man proved to be a per-
son we'll known-too well known-in
the neighborhood. He explained his
presence there by saying that he had
followed dog from the woods.
Forbes, who is a simple sort of a
nan, accepted the excuse at once
and had no suspicious of the mans
real business there, Notwithstanding
that the fellow bore shady charac-
ter and that Forbes, who had been
out some time had seen nothing of
any dog"
"And-and he let him go?"
He let him co." said the marquis,
slowly, suspecting nothing and TAX
ing no precautions, as he should have
done. I overheard part of the con-
versation, and saw the man, and l
am as much to blame as Forbes,
for | also took no precaution-end
now my plate has gone.''
There was silence for moment.
~You saw him as we'll as Forbes? ~
Il did"
And. of course, if he was caught
you could swear to him.
'Of course. l saw him quite plain
ly: 1 heard his voice. 1 know the
man quite well. and so do you
do 1 really? You make me feel
ute uncomfortablei'' and she gave a
tile shudder. do tell me who ii
as?"
II know no reason why should
OF" he answered, after a moment
That man was Harry Herne."
Marie uttered low cry of amaze