Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-03-04


anything to be gained or lost by risk.
lay in bed on the treasure till noon
trying to form plan which would
gain me what l desired. | came to
no conclusion as to any definite action
with regard TO the disposition of the
property | had found. but decided TO
change my room. | called for the
landlord and told him that | wished
for room where | would get more
light. He gave me one facing the
street. a porter came and transferred
my baggage, and betook myself with
the brooch to my new quarters. l
thought l saw some advantage in this
removal in the fact that in case OF
my being accused | could claim that
the stolen property had been taken
away after l had left the room. /
remained in my new quarters but a
few minutes. when. taking the brooch
with me, / went out to my banker
and asked him to deposit it with some
other articles-I had made a bundle
Of all-in his safe.
now felt better about the situation,
for | could take my own time about
the return of the brooch and could not
see that there was any evidence
against me that could be made availa-
bic by the thief At any rate, was
ready to take the risk of becoming in
volved, and since the property could
not be found on me and ! could estab-
lish my responsibility | had not much
to fear.
/ did not return to my hotel till even
ing and went at once TO bed. The
next morning | lounged about the ho-
tel keeping my ears open for any
word about stolen property. but heard
nothing and did not dare ask any ques-
lions lest my showing knowledge of
the loss should implicate me. While
l was in the reading and writing room
of the hotel | saw my American friends
come downstairs ready to go out. The
father had a long conference with the
landlord. which, with other evidence
l possessed, tended to the theory that
the brooch in my possession belonged
to the formers daughter. He left the
landlord, saying loud enough for me
to hear, "You may offer 10000 francs"
This settled the matter with me. 1t
occurred to me to make a confession
then and there, but before | could
, bring myself to do so the four mem
bers of the family left the hotel, en-
tered a cab. and. since l went out d.
rectly behind them. heard the gentle
man direct the driver to take them to
the baths of Caracalla.
Turning into the Corso Umberto,
walked to the Piazza Colonna, and,
taking a seat at one of the sidewalk
restaurants to be found there, l called
for liter of wine and. slipping and
smoking, bethought myself what next
to do. After making up my mind
returned to the hotel. looked at the
register and saw the names Edward
r. Larned. Mrs. Larned, Miss Larned
/ and Ned Larned. Going to my room, l
wrote to Mr.. Larned, stating that
valuable brooch had come into my
/ possession which l believed had been
stolen. A hair had chung to it of
/ peculiar shade. | had noticed the
/ shade of hair of the young lady be-
| longing to his party. and since the one
/ clinging to the brooch appeared to be
! of the same hue | suspected that both
might be hers. If he would inform
me that my surmise was correct
4 should be happy to restore the lost ar
! ticle.
| l fiattered myself that | had the ad-
vantage of the gentleman in not ask
! ing him to prove property. took my
/ note down to the landlord for delivery,
! then left the hotel and did not return
to it till after II o'clock the same
! night.
l found Mr.. Larned up waiting for
me. had no sooner entered the hotel
than the landlord pointed me out to
him, and. approaching me, he told me
! that he had received my note and that
my surmise was correct. His daugh-
ter had left the brooch in her room
, without locking it in her trunk, as was
their custom with their valuables, and
1t had doubtless been stolen by a serv-
ant. told him that was very happy
TO be able to restore the lost property.
but could not do so till the next day
since had taken it to my banker
for safe keeping. He stammered
something about having offered a re-
ward, but | pretended not to hear him,
and, telling him that l would meet him
with the brooch in the reading room
the next day at noon, we went up to
our respective rooms in the same ele-
vator
When delivered the brooch the
next day Mr.. Larned said that his
daughter desired an opportunity to
thank me for returning it. and he in
V1ted me to lunch with his family. 1t
Is needless to say that accepted the
invitation and received charming
smile from the young lady as well as
her thanks
How lucky" she said, that one of
my hairs chung to the brooch. Had it
not been so | presume | would not