The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-01-27


I You are Mr.. Nagel? Yes. Well,
Mr.. -er-Nagel-there been a most
unpleasant er-occurrence here con-
corning Which-er-1--er desiah no
publicity, you understand, but which
Ell want cleared up and -er-the
guilty persons punished
She did not explain how the guilty
were to be punished without public
ity, but Nagel let that pass, merely
saying:
IF you will acquaint me with the
facts, Mrs. Bingham, shall be in
position to understand and advise"
You're detective, amt you?" in
| CURED the mistress of 1.-THE Boulders,"
dropping into the vernacular when
she ran" an eating-house in Kokomo.
Sometimes we are called that"
Nagel responded gently.
We'll, then, see what you can make
of this: You must know that my late
! husband was partial TO precious
| stones. Jest before he died he bought
an gave me a very swell stone-a
dfmond-'most as big as a pigeons
egg, and worth all of $4,000. !
never had it set, cause some day l
thought | might pick up its mate, an
then if wearin' eardrops came into
fashion Id have pair, you see.
Well, Mr.. Nagel, the night before last
while we was all at dinner somebody
started t talk about di'monds. My
niece, very foolishly, mentioned my
big di'mond, an nothin would do but
| must have it down to show 'em. So,
sent my maid to get it out of the
safe. | always KEEP it in its own
case, you know, an it was passed
round the table from one end to the
other, up one side an down again.
Fin'lly it came back to me, an shut
the lid an laid the case by my plate.
After bit l told Celeste--that's my
maid-to take tn thing upstairs an
put it away. Thinks | to myself, I'd
take look at the beauty before it
went, so snapped back tn lid. True
as I'm settin' an breathin' here this
minute, Mr.. Nagel, tn stone was
gone! There was nothin' inside but
tn crimson plush linin'!"
"And then what happened?"
queried Nagel as the short breathed
narrator paused, her fat bosom pal
pitating and she herself hoarse with
emotion.
"Why, tn whole table was in an
uproar. Ny guests felt dreadfully
Bein' a la y, l accused no one, of
course-bu) some one took that
di'mond. Mr.. Nagel, an, | want to
know who K was pretty quiek"
you are.sure the stone was in the
box when 1t came back to you after
going the rounds of the tablet"
If it was my last dying. word I'd
swear to it" was the agitated answer.
How many were at table, not
counting the servants, of course?"
Let me see," and Mrs. Bingham
began counting on her plump and
hideously bejeweled fingers why
er-we sat down IS all told"
Yes. And who was the last person
who handled the box and the stone
before it was returned to ycu?"
That's the most awful part of tn
whole thing, Mr.. Nagel," returned
his hostess, lowering her voice and
almost whispering. "Sir Nigel Deer.
ing occupied the place of honor on
my right hand 1t was him who hand.
ed the box to me with one of his
bee-yu-tiful bows. 1t would mortify
me to death even to hint that he
knew anything about it."
What did your guests say and do?"
why they all jumped up an
pushed their chairs back an began to
hunt for the stone. But knew that
was no use-'cause I'd seen it in tn
box when it came back to- me, an
so | told EN-. Then some of the men
oh, they all acted like perfect gen.
tlemen-laughed and tried to joke it
of. an said we'd ought to close the
doors and search every one, present
An would you believe it, Sir Nigel
Deering behaved just noble-said
that he'd volunteer to be tn first
one"
And was the suggestion carried
out?" queried Nagel, gently. For de.
spite the inherent vulgarity of his
hostess and employer, he somehow
could not help liking her.
why. Mr.. Nagel, of course not!"
came the surprised ejaculation. 81
hope l know my duties to my guests
Not for dozen such dimoniis would
| so insult them--particularly Sir
Nigel. Course, l laughed it Off
said | guessed tn maids d find it in
tn mornin' when they swsp', an
turned 1t off like that. But: true as
sit here, Mr.. Nagel, l haven't slep'
wink thinkin' of it! l don't wish
any scandal or any horrid talk, bu,
do want my di'mond back,
who suggested your application to
my firm?" was Nagels next query.
Again Mrs. "Barty" lowered her
voice.
1T was Sir Nigel Deering," she con.
fessed. Said he'd heard Of you in
London"
Percy nodded, rejecting that might
very well be the case. and also that
the suggestion showed the :baronet
to be well posted in such matters.
Now, Mrs. Bingham" he resumed.