The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1915-07-03

on IL and that 1t has been purposely
made away with yesterday or today by
the person owning II. Superintendent
Seegrave," added the sergeant. turning
to me, pointed the attention OF the
women servants to the smear when
they all crowded into the room on
Thursday morning. That may turn
out, Mr.. Betteredge. to have been one
more Of Superintendent seegrave's
many mistakes"
My lady desired me to ring the bell
and order the washing book. She re-
NAMED with us until 1t was produced
in case Sergeant Gun had any further
| request to make OF her after looking
at IL. tn| " JOY IS
The washing book was brought in by
Rosanna Spearman. The girl had come
| down to breakfast that morning mis-
erably pale and haggard, but sufficient
ly recovered from her illness Of the pre-
vious day to do her usual work. Ser
| geant Gun looked attentively at our
| second housemaid-at her face when
she came in, at her crooked shoulder
when she went out.
Have you anything more to say to
meg' asked my lady, still as eager as
ever to be out Of the sergeant's society.
The great Cuff opened the washing
book, understood 1t perfectly In half a
minute and shut it up again. 81 ven-
ture t 0 trouble your ladyship with n
last question" he said. Has the = : ag
woman who brought us this book been
in your employment as long as the 9TH
er servantsr"
why do you ask" said my lady.
The last time I saw her." answered
the sergeant, "she was in prison for
theft"
After that there was no help for It
but to tell him the truth. My mistress
dwelt strongly on Rosanna's good con-
duct in her service and on the high
opinion entertained Of her by the ma
iron Of the reformatory. you don't
suspect her, 1 hope?" my lady added in
conclusion very earnestly.
II have already told your ladyship
that 1 don't suspect n person in the
house of thieving up to the present
time"
After that answer my lady rose to go
upstairs and ask for Miss Rachel's
keys. The sergeant vas beforehand
with me in opening the door for her.
He made a very low bow. My lady
shuddered as she passed him.
We waited and waited, and no keys
appeared. Sergeant Cuff made no re-
mark to me. He turned his melan-
choly face to the window; he put his
lanky hands into his pockets. and he
whistled 1.-The Last Rose of Summer"
dreariIy to himself.
At last Samuel came in, not with the
keys, but with a morsel Of paper
for me.
"Any news Of Miss verinder's keys?'
asked the sergeant.
"My young lady refuses to have her
wardrobe examined"
"Ahv' said the sergeant.
His voice was not quite in such a
perfect state of discipline as his face.
When he said "Ah." he said 1t in the
tone of a man who had heard some
thing which he expected to hear. He
half angered and half frightened me
why, l couldn't tell but he did 1t.
"Must the search be given up?" I
asked.
EYES," said the sergeant, 'the search
must be given up because your young
lady refuses to submit to it like the
rest. We must examine all the ward
robes in the house or none Send Mr..
Ablewhite's portmanteau to London
by the next train, and return the wash
ing book. with my compliments and
thanks. to the young woman who
brought it in"
"You don't seem to be much disap-
pointed" I said.
"No,'' said Sergeant Cuff: I'm not
much disappointed" l tried to make
him explain himself.
"Come out into the garden" he said,
"and let's have a look at the roses"
The nearest way to the garden, on
going out of my lady's sitting room,
was by the s~hrubbery path. We must
now try to solve the mystery Of the
smear on the door, which, you may
take my word for 1t, means the mys-
terry of the diamond also-in some 9TH
er way. ] have decided to see the SER
wants and to search their thoughts and
actions, Mr.. Betteredge, instead of
searching their wardrobes. Before l
begin. however. l want to ask you a
question or two. You are an observant
man. Did you notice any thing strange
in any Of the servants. making due al
lowance. of course, for fright and f1us-
ter, after the loss of the diamond was
found out? Any particular quarrel
among them? Any one Of them not in
his or her usual spirits? Unexpectedly
out of temper, for instance, or unex-
pectedly taken ill.,"
1 had just time to think Of Rosanna
S~pearman's sudden illness at yester-
days dinner, but not time to make any
answer, when I saw Sergeant Cuffs
eyes suddenly turn aside toward the