The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-04-05
,essseseessseesseessssees.
HOW THE THIEF
GOT IN AND OUT.

BY 7, ANTHONY TWlNlNo.

BY 7, ANTHONY TWlNiNc.
copyright. 1903. BY American Press Assoc
atAtionl
was telegraphed to come at once to
the country residence Of Hugo Van
yllet and, being a detective. knew
it meant that my professional services
would be required Mr.. Van vliet met
me at the station and while taking me
TO his house In his runabout motor car
told me what had happened. He had
a number Of guests IN his house. near
" an Of whom were like himself, very
wealthy. It was his first season there.
the house having been recently flnish~
ed, and he had opened it with what he
considered a distinguished circle OF
friends They were all high class so
ciety people with British lord thrown
in to give the party eclat
Nearly every night some one Of his
guests had been robbed Of either mon
ey or Jewels or both After the first
disappearance he had enjoined all OF
them to be careful to lock their doors
and had bolts put on every door. For
a few nights after this there were no
robberies, but then they commenced
again. The Britisher's Lord Manner
leigh lady had been robbed Of some
superb jewels. The singular part Of it
was that after the valuables were TAX
en-, though the thief could only have es-
capped by the door, It remained locked.
While ali were at dinner was
shown the roosrs. examining the APP
proaches, the connections with other
rooms, the windows and lastly the
locks and bolts. This done, / sent for
the host
'AIr. Van Yliet," I said, Il presume
there are times when your guests are
out Of doors amusing themselves"
YES both morning and afternoon"
'sThe maids get through putting the
rooms in order in the morning, sup
pose, and in the afternoon the upstairs
is deserted2s
'Yes."
"some one at such time has fixed the
rooms to be entered"
"Then # must be one OF the serv-
ants.n
THE thief is not one Of the servants.
I suspect one of your guests
''You are mistaken
Every wen. l VIII accuse no one.
must either catch the rogue in the act
or the case goes By default No one
has yet seen me. Tonight l win sleep |
in the village, and tomorrow I win ar
rive as one Of your guests ! have my !
evening dress with me and can make
a presentable appearance shall be |
a trife brusque In manner, for | shah I
hail from the far west. Ny wealth |
win be my principal claim to your
friendship. I viii be John Rogers, a 4
mine owner"
AS Mr. Rogers arrived the next
afternoon, went to my room and |
moved the bed so that by putting out 4
my hand could switch on the electric 4
lights. Then dressed and went down
10 dinner. At table / talked good I
deal Or my mines and my taste for
jewels Speaking OF the latter. said
that had a great fancy for sapphires
and was making up lot Of them to
have made into a necklace to take
back west TO my wife for an anniyer-
sary wedding present I said | kept
those / had collected with me and
would be happy to show them after
dinner. At this Mr.. Van Yliet frowned.
the conversation was changed, and the
jewels were not produced
That night when al the others had
retired went to my room. locked and
bolted my door, put a small box under
my pillow. then went to bed and lay
awake waiting. About IN the morn
ing heard slight mouselike sound
so slight that it was scarcely distin-
gulshable--at the door Then heard
indications OF some one fumhlinE about
the room. / had left no valuables on
the dresser or in my pockets. so the ,
thief must come nearer. Presently
fancied q hand slipping under the mat
tress, but this might be fancy What
was not fancy was grasp on the box
under my pillow. caught the arm !
Of figure kneellng beside the bed. j
Then turned on the lights. | held /
q woman, and that woman was Lady Z
@Ah.s said, 4 supposed his lordship
was doing these jobs"
Jumping out Of bed, I pushed but
ton. A servant on watch answered the
summons.
Stay here with this woman" I said. !
'and don't let her 60 OUT
] went softly into the hall and saw
a white figure slip into Lord Manner,
leigh's room. Mannerleigh had evil
IDENTIFY been watching. I locked his
Iordship's door and. returning to my
room, stood watch over the countess
while the servant went for Mr. Van !
yliet. When he came he received the y
surprise Of his life. 81
When the earl and his lady had been y
turned over to the police-he was an I
English valet and she lady's maid
with forged letters--I showed Mr.. van
Yllet a little hole In the door OF every 1
room that had been entered, except z
The thief's. which had been plugged, 3
over the lock and bolt, each end Of the y
plug having been dabbed with white /
enamel like the door SO nicely as to Y
be almost unnoticeable. Through the i
hole wire with a Joint had been
pushed. When the Joint was inside 2
he room a string attached to the in. Z
her end Of the wire was pulled. and )
be part beyond the joint was drawn
,ver the bolt. which was then shot.