The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-01-17
CHANLER
\/RIMINAL>

of my strange patient On the fifth day
the afternoon post brought letter from
my sister. Cissie, you know, married Gerald
Thornton, and they live at Beecham Towers.
In Surrey-iust half an hours run down
from town. She wrote, as usual, in great
haste" Would go down to dinner and
stay the night2 Their house-party included
several old friends whom I should be glad to
meet. Besides, she wanted to consult me
about most dreadful thing that had hap
pened. Her diamond ring had been stolen
the one Gerald gave her week before on
her birthday; and as there were no signs of
burglars or anything of that sort, it was
clearly one of the servants, though, of
course, they all denied any knowledge of it.
Would I please come down and advise.
1t happened to be a free evening, so I
went down by the five O'Clock train.
My advice was very clear and simple.
First thing in the morning Thornton must
be told; he would know best how to deal
with the servants, and should question them
himself Then, since the ring was really
valuable, if it became clear that the mystery
was beyond our powers, we might wire for
detective from town and place the matter in
his hands.
I'll ILLS UNDERSTANDING l. WCIlL W UCU.
You may judge of my surprise when, on
coming down to breakfast next morning, [
found on my plate the following letter,
addressed to |'Dr. Murray Browne, at
Beecham Towers, Surrey" -.-...-
DEAR PREsERvER,-
can find the stealer of the ring. Am
coming down post-haste to Beecham Towers
by 2.T5 train in the P. NJ. of the day of this
receipt, and all will be settled in eye-twinkle
Let not anxiety for one instant cloud your
noble mind; only in no wise enlighten any
interested participator concerning the where
fore of my arrival
Your respectful and devoted communicate,
CHANLER RAo
After breakfast found Cissie alone in the
morning room, and handed her this extraor-
binary epistle, at the same time sketching
briefly my encounter with the writer. To
my surprise, she at once recognized the
name.
"Chanler Rao?" she said. "Why, that
is the wonderful man Laura Benham was
telling me about the other day. You have
TO send an old glove, date of birth, and
postal order for two-and-six. She did it
just by theway of joke, you know-and she
got back paper of things about herself that
she says are simply marvelous-things that
even her most intimate friends couldn't
have found out. 1t was an awfully happy
thought of yours to consult him about my
ring"
|1But I didn't" I said. "That's just the
point that is pulling me so. only saw
him for a moment before rushed off for
my train, and never even mentioned where
was going, still less anything about you or
your ring"
Cissie opened her eyes very wide.
Then you may depend upon it Laura
Benham Is right He's really genuine
real, true, Eastern seer who can do what he
processes" she decided.
1T will be so interesting" she said; "and,
even If ne fails, we can send for the detective
afterwards. A few hours delay can make
no difference now. But he won't fail; you
can see from his letter that he knows all
about it already
She was so bent on this interesting ex-
upon her. But from the first felt rather
ashamed of being mixed up in such mad
scheme, and long before afternoon I was
heartily regretting my acquiescence.
/ was still more impressed with the folly
Of our proceedings when, at Cissie's request,
I went down with the carriage to meet
A<1dLAS1 I4C AAO4u
class compartment with his little son and
mass of luggage that suggested he was
coming to stay for a month. IS
"Theparaphernalia, "heezplained-"the
apparatus, you know, for my exhibition"
Then he began TO sketch the program
of performance which, as far as I could
judge, would occupy several hours. And
his descriptions were SO elaborate and YER
bose that we were rapidly approaching the
gates of Beecham Towers before I found
chance of directing his thoughts to the real
business in hand.
"Now," said at last, with regard to the
theft"
"Ah!" he exclaimed; "the theft. Yes.
A diamond ring, you say? And stolen by
one of the servants? Well, leave it to me,
and To- at the right moment, in a jify of
time, the culprit shall be caught"
but the details-the circumstances Of
the loss" said; ''I had better tell you
briefly now while we have opportunity.
Chanler Rao gazed at me dreamily, with