The Press., 1914-12-30
The Girl With Titan Hair And How I Secured an introduction to Her . By WILLIAM CHANDLER
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

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 Before settling down to my profes- sion I concluded to spend some time abroad. 1 reached Naples in January and stayed there long enough to visit Pompeii, climb Vesuvius and pass great deal of time in the National mu- scum. containing the exhumed treas ures of the buried cities.
 During my stay in Naples met on several occasions q family consisting of father, a mother, daughter about nineteen and d boy of twelve. l often heard them talk together. They spoke English, and 1 knew by their accent that they were Americans. would have liked to make their acquaintance. Indeed. I endeavored to do so one day when I was near the father ill the National museum by addressing him remark. But he did not respond very cordially, and 1 refrained from another attempt
 My object in making this family s acouaintance was that l wished TOT companionship with my own country men, especially the young lady, about | whom there was something to me very | attractive. While her complexion had little color, the combination of eyes hair and skin made up peculiar style of beauty, the eyes being a dark brown and the hair what is usually called Titan from the fact that the artist used it so often in his pictures. Having seen the sights at Naples, l took my departure for Rome, where occupied rooms on the Via NaziOnale opposite the Piazza Venetia. 1 had been there but few days when I saw at dinner the American family I have mentioned. If I had been very near them I think I should have made an other attempt to form their acQua1nt' ance. but as soon as dinner was over they retired to their rooms and the next morning went sightseeing in one direction, while 1 went on 8 like CT, rand in another.
 My bed at the hotel was uncomfOrta- ble, and after tossing on small hum mocks one night on arising in the morn ing I thought I would have look al the mattresses to see what was the matter. Throwing back the top mat, tress. there on the one beneath it was a brooch set with valuable gems,
 There were many suppOsable reasons | for the brooch to be where 1t was First, some guest of the hotel might have put it there temporarily for safe keeping and forgotten 1t. But this l hn6 the room for a week, and the maid who made the bed would surely have discovered it. The most likely cause for its being there was that some one had stolen it and placed it there tenn porarily till he or she could remove it:
 I took 1t up and, the morning being dark. carried it to a window to have better look at it. Feeling something could not see tickle the back of mJ hand, felt for it with the other hanC asnld1 and clasped -a hair between my fingers It was clinging to the brooch, and, dis engaging it, I held it up between m' and the window. 1t seemed to be vel low or golden, and, lighting gas jet saw that there was a tinge Of rex about it. Further examination showed me that it was very like the hair ot the young lady whose acquaintance was desirous of making.
 Could the brooch have been stOlel from her? If so I might come to know her in either a favorable or an unfavOr able light. If could restore her prop erty 1 would have an advantage; if should stand in the position of thu thief I might be landed in jail. would seem that there was not tn slightest risk of my reporting my fint to the office of the hotel. But whil' studying my prOfession-the law had attended a number of crimina trials whereby 1 had learned that i might be a very easy matter for on perfectly innocent to be placed in tn position of a thief. I was in posses sion of a valuable piece of jewelry and I was the only person, except tn thief, who knew that had not stolen il
 Quite probably the chambermaid wa the thief She would make up the be- during the morning and, if my suppG sition was correct, would look for tn property she had placed between tn mattresses. If she did not find it ther she would suppose had taken il What would she do? What might sh do? One of the things she might d was to direct the person who had los the brooch to me as the probable thiei must keep her from making the be till I had determined what course pursue.
 detached the hair from the brOOc and put it in an envelope. Then pu the brooch back between the mattress es where I had found it and got int bed again. After an hour had passe and l had come to no decision what t do in the matter I rang for waite and told him to bring up my break fast So long as the stolen propert was where it had been placed by tn thief he or she would not be likely t take any action involving me. 7"
 Ur course there was but one rnln for me to do-to ring for the landlor and show him the brooch between tn mattresses. But my judgment wa warped by finding the hair that mad me suspect the property belonged the American girl have referred t l wished to return the brooch to be myself since this would give me tn acquaintance I desired and put he under some obligation to me. By sue course I was liable to get into trou ble, but given young man and pret ty girl the result is risk when there anything to be gained or lost by risk.
 lay in bed on the treasure till moo trying to form a plan which woul gain me what l desired. 1 came t no conclusion as to any definite actio with regard to the disposition of th property l had found, but decided t change my room. I called for th landlord and told him that 1 wishe for a room where l would get nor light. He gave me one facing th street. A porter came and transferre my baggage, and betook myself wit