Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-04-01
WHO STOLE
THE JEWELSp
By DAVID WALTER CHURCH
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1871

Horace Jones and his wife the otter
DAY Jones has accumulated snug
sum hunting up rascals. In other
words, he is u detective When we
were drinking our coffee and smoking
4 asked him to give me the most i'm
portant case In which he had ever
Acen employed
''You mean the most important TO
nxv employer or to mel"
well. let 1t be the most important
ease 70 you"
IAN right. I'll give you the VIII
Enms case
l saw his wife look up ut him. evil
IDENTITY with an intent to stop him. but
ne told the story all the same
MRS. Williams came to the Of
dee one day-she was a widow-and
stated that something was occurring
tn her house she wished investigated.
she possessed a number Of valuable
family jewels. which she kept In
safe imbedded In the wall on the sec
end story of her dwelling She alone
anew the combination, and yet the
Jewels we're gradually disappearing.
She had governess for her schildren.
q Miss Elizabeth Ward. whom she sus-
pected. having been detailed on the
ease. she was giving these facts to
me At this point interrupted her.
az thought you said Mrs. Williams.
chat you alone know the combination.
How can Miss Ward open the safe
without it?'
"Possibly in this way: She has
Brother who is skilled mechanic In
the service Of safe and lock com
pnny He visits her frequently, and
suspect that either he has instructed
Der In lock picking or she conceals
aim in the house and he watches his
opportunity to pick 1t himself unob-
served
1T struck me that to discover the
ruth all she had to do was to watch
and she would catch either Miss Ward
ar her brother stealing the jewels. But
e she preferred to pay detective for
doing It ! was quite willing. | was
ntnoduced into the house as a nephew
sf Mrs. Williams. from n distant land,
and. of course. TO Miss Ward
II found the governess a very at
tractive young lady Had I not felt
very sure she was an adventures |
should have fallen in love with her
Indeed. I'm not sure but Don't like
GO hear It. Ell. dear? That's quite
natural. I'll switch off from that part
81 the story, though I'm sure you have
no reason to be jealous. Well. | took
MP my residence for few days or a
sew weeks. as the case might require.
and was assigned a bedroom directly
opposite the safe in which the jewels
we're kept
ut didn't take me long TO find out
sffat Miss Ward was as smart as o
steel trap. and | made up my mind
that 20 catch her-or her brother,
which was the same thing-I would
have to be awake every night in the
week But she seemed worried. With
rhe true detective instinct, | saw
anrough that inferred that her
Brother was dominating her. compel
Eng her to keep on with the thefts,
while she feared this scheme would at
last be detected and one or both would
spend a term in the state prison. At
any rate. she was worried.
az remained awake all night for sew
gral nights in succession. and as | had
no excuse 10 remain in bed all day
gave up the plan of catching the thief
IA the act and determined to try and
worm myself into the confidence OF
I'd Nd
the secret from her. found her
auite willing to be courted and
~Horacer interposed Mrs. Jones.
Pardon. my dear" Then to me: my
wife can't bear to hear me speak OF
azy premartal affairs"
''Of course she can't" / chimed in
with Mrs. Jones. How would you
IKE your wife to talk about her OWL
premarital affairs?"
''Um. That's different But to &c
an with my story. | didn't get much
srUrn the governess, and while | was
making up TO her Mrs. Williams re
psrted that she had lost another jewel
Meeting Miss Ward after this theft,
. found her In a very bad humor
Why l could not understand, for mel
cFher she nor any one else had been
caught stealing. She astonished me
Try coming out bluntly:
Mfr Detective, if you wish TO find
1at who is stealing the jewels change
war room
You could have knocked me down
sith feather | knew | had met my
match and answered never a word.
Eent to Mrs. Williams and told her
would take room farther from the
%fe. She gave me one at the end OF
Ghse hall where ! could see without
aring seen. the light, which was kept
SErning low all night. being directly
Iwr the safe.
Time passed, during which / was
EssfIng impatient AT doing nothing
s1nough was not dissatisfied at being
NKsa I'm the house with Miss Ward
SFsns night | heard light tap at my
aGsor. Putting on dressing gown.
'cge1ed It, Miss Ward was standing
ms q dark corner and pointed TOWARD