Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-09-25

you could enter Captain Hanska's
room from the flre-esoape-and that
you could get on TO the fire-escape from
the window OF the lumber-room across
the hall from mtne.N That room was
never locked. II was only q question
of prying open the catch on Captain
Hanska's window. One night about
a week before Captain Hanska died.
began the search. went down the
fre-eScape, carrying q pocket elsctric
torch which Juan had bought for me.
I got the wtndow-catch open with Q
was old and loose.
went over the whole room that night
found nothing. I did discover little
strong-box In tho top drawer of the
dresser. It lay wide open. II had Q
curious lock. In that, was sure, he
would put the Jewels n he ever wanted
to move them. There was no sign Of
the bill Of sale. It occurred to me.
then. that Captain Hanska might be
1t on his person. knew him
TO be very sound sleeper-he had
boasted to me Of that, and he proved
It by sleeping through IRE at his
hotel when he was in Port OF Spain.
So did dangerous thing. Without
speaking TO Juan, l went down the hre-
escape at two o'clock IN the morning
Of night when Captain Hanska was
at home. and hooked through his peck
cts. even examined all the papers
IN his wallet by the light OF the electric
torch. But It was not there. Juan,
when I told him, was angry with mo
for taking such risk. He made me
promise never to enter the room again
unless Captain Hanska was away.
And then we found that We must
act quickly, or lose our property for
ever Juan was watching Captain
Hanska. following his movements very
closely. That day-the day and night
when everything happened the Cap
tain visited jeweler In Maiden Lane
II think you call 1t. He stayed long
time. From there he went to q safe
deposit bank. When he came out, he
had package In his pocket-Juan
could see his coat bulge. Juan was
afraid that he would go straight back
to the jeweler and make tho sale; and
then our last hope would have been
gone. Instead, Captain Hanska went
to a cafe and sat alone long time,
When he left that place.
he returned to Mrs. Moore's. And the
shape Of his pocket showed that he
still carried the package.
1T was plain to us that the pack
age contained the jewels, and that he
intended to dispose Of them at once
probably the next morning. That night
the jewels would be In his room-and
1t was our last chance. Juan came to-
see me just after dinner. We talked
It all over, and made, our final plans.
In the first place, 1t seemed best for
Juan to do the work himself am q
woman, and very weak with grief and
Illness. could do nothing in case I
was discovered. Though Juan had
never been in the room, could tell
him exactly where to look-there
seemed no doubt that Captain Hanskas
was keeping the strong-box for that
very purpose q
Then We considered another thing
how we should both got away. At
first we decided that should leave the
house early, and that Juan. after get
ting the jewels, should follow me-
But he did not dare to make the At
tempt before one or two O'clock In
the morning, when Captain Hanska
would surely be asleep-even the
heaviest sleepers sometime lie awake
q long time after they 60 to bed. Mrs.
Moore, we knew, was very watchful--.
she was afraid Of burglars and she
had habit Of running to her door
whenever any one entered or left dur
ing the night. She would know thatsI
had gone out; II Juan left at one or
two in the morning. Mrs. Moore would
take alarm, knowing as she did that I
was out of the house. Being nervous
and ignorant. she was likely, we felt,
to seize him or to give some sort Of an
alarm. We were thinking OF every
possibility, you see. These things are
necessary for me to tell, that you may
understand what happened later
(This in answer to an objection Of
Inspector MCGEE, who was urging her
to come to the point.) .'.s
"At about ten o'clock. we decided
just what to do.
Juan and are about Of size. I
am large for woman. He is small
for a man. We do not resemble each
other in the upper part of the face,
but our mouths and chins are very
much alike. It was one Of our games
at home to dress In each others
clothes. would put on his ulster,
pull his hat far down over my eyes.
and fool people into believing that !
was he. Further, his voice Is light,
and he can talk in falsetto. This was
an old family game. We played
eternally on the resemblance in the
charades and theatricals that English
people are always getting up.
This was our plan: we were "
change clothes. We had heard people
singing in the parlor all that evening.
The boarders all knew that Juan some
times sang falsetto In fun. I was TO
watch my chance when the hall was
vacant, passtt the parlor. sing just . lit
tie in my own voice to make them be-
lieve I was Juan singing falsetto, and
go to his rooms, where was to wait.
The night was rainy. It was natural.
therefore, that should be bundledSu mp
in a macintosh and have my hat
pulled down over my eyes.
Dressed in my clothes, Juan was to
enter Captain Hanska's room, get the
jewels, leave by the door, go down the
-- l.