Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-02-06
MySteryOfaLOStRi

with It on her finger, and when she
woke up In the morning II was gone.
The bedding was searched and shaken;
the bed was taken apart, but the ring
did not appear.
There was no evidence OF burglary
except that the sash Of q window in
sophie's room, which haze been closed
when she went to bed, was found In
the morning raised.
The persons IN the house besides the
servants were Sophie's father, mother.
a younger brother. aged ten, and her
cousin. Winifred LOOMS, about her
own age. Sophie and WInifrcd were
the only persons sleeping on the floor
from which the ring had disappeared.
Winifred was an orphan and had been
taken in for charity. She was study
ing TO become a teacher. There was
no possible explanation Of the rings
loss except Winifred had taken II Off
her cousins finger while the latter
slept. But this did not account for
the open window. Besides, Winlfred
was regarded by all who knew her a.
mn upright. conscientious girl.
A. to the theory Of the theft by q
servant II was impossible, FOR the
doors leading from both sophle'a and
Wlnifred's room were locked and bolt
ed. though the two rooms communicat-
ed and the door between them was
open.
When Sophie told her lover Of her
loss she intimated she believed that for
some unknown reason Wlnifred had
coveted the ring and had yielded to a
temptation TO take II on her finger
while she slept. Howes demonstrated
against throwing suspicion upon any
one without proof, especially Wlnifred.
whom all loved and respected. Indeed,
10 earnestly did he enter upon Wini-
fred's defense that Sophie took his &C.
ton for a clew. II suddenly appeared
to her that she had a rival IN Wlni-
fred-that her rival could not endure
to SEQ her wearing ring on her finger
which had been given her by the man
she (Winifredl loved. and this was her
motive for stealing H.
What we fear we are apt to bring
to pass Howes was manly fellow,
and the moment suspicion, which he
considered unjust. was thrown upon
Wlnifred he became interested In her
and In the solution of the mystery by
which she suffered. He questioned
Wlnifred closely upon every detail.
and one day Sophie came upon the
two unawares while engaged In an
animated conversation. sophie's glance
a. the couple caused both to blush.
She passed ON without q word, and the
result OF the encounter was a new
complication. Sophie was now sure
Of her explanation Of the mystery and
was doubly sure that winifred had
captured her lover.
OF all social conditions the most ex-
asperating Is one involving things
known and not spoken. H0wes knew
that be was suspected Of being on
terms with Winifred that were not ac-
ecptahle to his flancee. Winlfred knew
this and that she was suspected OF
having stolen the ring. Sophie knew
that both the others were aware Of
these things. and yet all this knowl.
edge was ignored between the trio.
On the surface Howes and Sophie were
loyeFsi under the surface HOwes and
Winifred were fast being drawn to-
gether by an Irresistible power. SYM
patty IN one. gratitude in the other.
Howes received a brief note from
Sophie breaking her engagement with.
out giving any reason. II drew color
to his cheek and a fash to his eye. He
replied, accepting tho situation with.
cut comment. Wlnifred remained a
member OF the Brock household. why
shouldn't she3 No one had openly &C.
eused her, No one treated her any diff.
feFently than before the mystery. New
ertheless she lived a wretched life.
counting the days an she should be
equipped to earn her own living.
One night she awoke suddenly from
sleep The full moon was shining into
the room. and by It's light she saw her
cousin In her room standing before a
mirror comblng her hair. Wlnlfred
asked her what In the world she was
doing that for There was no reply,
and IN another moment Sophie passed
into her own room. There she threw
up 4 window and leaned over the sill.
looking out winlfred. realizing that
she had to deal with a sleepwalker
and not daring to leave her at the win
dow. led her 20 her bed. sophie lay
down without awakening. and winl.
fred watched beside her.
while winifred lay awake she
thought. The losa Of the ring must be
q some way connected with this som.
nambullsm Might noe her cousin have
dropped the ring In the room or out
the Window The next morning she
revealed what she had seen. Sophie
regarding the story ~ made up 70 ex.
oneFate Wintfred. received Il with u
lent scOrn. wlnlfred searched her cous
ms room when Sophie was absent aud
foand nothing. Howes searched the
grounds. also without success.
This was IN midsummer. One day N
October the gardener was pulling up
some wlthered vegetable stalks IN the