The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-04-15
A
Striking Watch
And How 1t Furnished a De.
tective a CIew
By RYLAND BELL

Being directed by the chief of the de-
tectiye bureau with which l was con-
nected to report to Mr. Oliver Aims
worth to investigate a case for him, l
did SO. and this was Mr.. Ainsworth's
statement:
II live in suburban town. Ny fam
lily consists of my wife, my son. Albert,
twenty-five Years old. and my daugh-
ter, Edith, aged twenty. Other persons
come in from time to time, remaining
ants. consisting of cook, housemaid
and butler.
For some time past we have been
missing small articles. principally jew
els. Only yesterday brooch set with
diamonds and worth 500 disappeared.
/ suppose in all 81 500 worth Of proper
ty has been taken. l wish you to come
into my house for a long enough stay
to discover the thief Your chief has
recommended you as a person who
would not be likely to be taken for a
detective, you having been well brought
up. He has told me also that you are
very musical and play on several in
struments. My daughter wishes to learn
to play on the mandolin, and you can
give her lessons. shall introduce you
as the son Of an old and very dear
friend of mine, giving out that you
have met with bad luck and that /
have taken you In for awhile until you
can get on your feet again.
There was truth in the latter part of
this statement | had recently come
from England to seek my fortune in
America like others of my countrymen
who are ready to do abroad what they
would be too proud to do at home. /
tried music. for which l have consid-
cradle taste, but after starving awhile
in that field fell in with detective.
who secured me position in the bu-
reau with which he was connected l
think my chief recommendation was
that, being a gentleman, could play
parts that would be impossible with an
unpublished man.
This assignment with Mr.. Ainsworth
was my first In my new business, and
knew nothing about how to trap a
thief. Persons who are ignorant of
an important work they are expected
to do are prone to look very wise and
appear to be thinking very hard. put
on the semblance of the wisdom of
/ Solomon, and when Mr.. Ainsworth was
about to tell me of any suspicious that
were entertained | stopped him, say
ing that ! always worked by method
pursuing my investigations step by
step. and wished to avoid any precon-
ceived notions that might lead me
astray. This Inspired the gentleman
with great faith in me. | must trust
to luck or my wits to bear out his con-
f1dence.
The story Of my supposed impover-
ishment, which. as ! have said, was in
the main true, brought a very sympa-
thetic reception from Miss Edith Aims
worth. and the fact that was to teach
her music foreshadowed that would
pass a season in clover. Under the In
fiuence Of her beautiful eyes felt that
! could be thief hunter for the rest
lessons at once and was supposed to
enter upon my investigations at the
same time Alas, ! knew not where to
begin! That part of my work which
consisted in leading the family to think
that l was the unfortunate son of a
dear friend of its head / performed
with great ease since it was natural
to me. l was first cousin to an earl,
and my father, having been born to
the courtesy title of honorable, had
never done a stroke of work in his life
except garrison work, for he had been
colonel of regiment In the British
army.
| spent fortnight as a member OF
Mr.. Ainsworth's family, and since
had not secured the slightest clew to
the thief ! felt it necessary to put on
all the appearance of pursuing deep
laid plan of which was capable. Mr..
Ainsworth refrained from questioning
me, which was lucky. Indeed, so en-
crossed was l with my lovely pupil
that had dozen clews been under my
nose would not have detected one Of
them. wondered that he did not
notice how matters were going be-
tween me and Edith. but If there ia
one thing l observed in my career of
detective 1t is the stupidity of parents
| in failing to notice the incipient love
affairs of their children
After spending nearly three weeks
pretending to be following deep laid
plan Of investigation l began to be not
only conscience stricken. but fearful
| that the humbug was practicing
would be discovered. To add to my
worry began to realize that the farce
| could not last forever and l must soon
be separated from Edith. My cup Of
misery was filing up rapidly when
luck came to me. | hit upon a clew
| Lying awake at night when all was
still, heard the distant sound of a
| chime | wondered that had never
heard 1t before, but it was so faint
that | would only be likely to detect
| it under the most favorable circum-
stances There were two strokes fol-
lowed at an interval by three more.
Then all was still again. Presently l
heard 1t again. This time it was three
strokes. While the chime was strik-
ing lifted my head from the pillow
to hear better and was surprised that
| ] could not hear at all.
Since the sound seemed periodical !
listened for 1t again. and in a quarter
of an honr 1t was repeated. three
strokes, followed by one. Struck by a
| thought. reached out to a table be-
side me. lighted match and looked at
my watch 1t was a quarter past 3.
/ The sound had heard was not dis
| tant chime. but one very near. and 1t
was in watch. When the next time
for 1t to strike came around was ~
ing on my back and did not hear it,
but when it struck 3:45 my ear was on
my pillow. and | heard every stroke.
THAT" | said lis watch that may
be made to strike the hour 1t is in
( this house and possibly in this room"
In order to make 1t appear that l
was investigating | had requested
such change of rooms as was con-
venient. ! had slept in this room two
nights before ! heard the chime. but
each night there had been strong
| wind. Besides. had proved that I'M
less my ear was connected with the
watch by solids the chime was In
audible. Believing the watch TO be in
the room with me. few minutes be-
fore it should strike again | got up
and, pressing my ear against the wall,
heard it distinctly. During the next
hour made several such experiments