Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-07

leave them on my dressing table, Marie,
my maid, puts them away In the morning.
! have three large jewel cases. none Of
which is ever locked except when l travel.
have never had safe. The Jewel cases
are stored away in unlocked dresser
drawers. My bedroom and boudoir doors
are never locked And 1 am sound
sleeper. There is-and was-nothing to
prevent the thief from entering after
had turned out my light and employing
ordinary discretion. helping him or her
self. Which ls precisely what happened
last night. Every piece of jewelry was
taken from my dressing table, and the
three Jewel cases from their drawers.
Il discovered my loss promptly after
waking up this morning. / said nothing,
but after setting In motion the machinery
Tor tonights amusement, which j have
long had in mind, devoted the day to a
quiet investigation, as result Of which
am convinced that the house servants
had no part in the robbery. In short, 1
am persuaded that the thief is now in
this room. 1 do not, however, wish to
know his or her Identity. And am espe-
cially anxious to avoid the scandal which
must follow If this affair leaks out.
Finally, / feel so sure you all share
my horror of publicity and my aversion
to knowing positively who committed this
/ crime that ask you all silently to pledge
yourselves to secrecy-and then to humor
my plan for regaining my Jewels and COW
ering UP the affair completely 1 have
thought 1t might be accomplished this
way:
Marie has given you each card, an
envelope and pencil The cards and en-
velopes have no distinguishing marks
The pencils are all alike, The authorship
OF anything you may care to communicate
cannot possibly be traced, II you will be
careful not to write, but to print
''Ileage take the Cardg away with Won
to your rooms, and please each of you
remain there at least five minutes before
coming out. Then take the cards in the
envelopes, sealed. downstairs and deposit
them In the mailbox 1t will not be un-
locked until / o'clock. BY that time
shall expect the thief to have deposited
my jewelry in some hiding place about
the house or grounds-a dozen will sug-
gest themselves on moments thought
the spot to be indicated on the card. BY
this method ample time Is granted in
which to make restitution with complete
immunity from recognition, the secret
Will be kept, the scandal hushed up. and,
best of all, l shall be able to continue
considering each and every one of you
my very dear friend.
"But'-and her handsome old face
darkened with the shadow of the de-
termination that rang in her tone-'if
this scheme should fail and the thief re-
fuse to make restitution, then, though
1t break my heart, I shall feel without
alternative other than to take certain
steps-steps which / cannot now contem-
plate without positive loathing, so repug-
nant are they TO me.
Now I have finished" Mrs. Gosnold
said quietly. II am sorry to have i'm
posed In this way upon your patience; but
1t seemed, I think youll grant me, war
ranted and necessary. 1 thank you and
hope you'll forgive me- And now will
TN1a of tn pItI tIn,,
asking me any questions and do as I
have begged? And 1 sincerely hope that
this wretched business may not interfere
with your enjoyment tonight For my
part, 1 am so confident of the success OF
this scheme that 1 mean to consider that
l have not been robbed-that everything
is as 1t has always been. and as 1t will
be after the envelopes are opened at l
O'clock"
She ceased; there was the stir of a
general rising and movement toward the
door amid hum of excited murmurings.