Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-07-20


Il went to find my purse-l'd hid
tit was my gold mesh one, with
the diamond monogram. Id put II
in the same box with the ruby pend.
ant. The key was all right but wien
| opened the trunk found nv purse
lying on the bottom. At first
thought l didn't remember rightly.
Then | thought I'd look-and every
hat was empty-everyone!"
Every hat!" exclaimed Mr.. Eve
lyn in justification.
my wife had strong box made
like a hat trunk" Mr.. Lawdon ex-
planned. Ceases, you know, set in
side crowns; thought nobody'd ever
think of looking there
II know" Mrs. Gaynor inter
rupted. Mrs. Lawdon showed them
to Alice and me this afternoon. Some
one may have watched u.s."
"One thing is certain" Wendham
insisted; this must have happened
between the time Mrs. Lawdon came
down before dinner and when she
went for her purse. Now, as Mrs.
dies and gentlemen have been in her
presence ever since, with the excep-
tion of those who accompanied Mr..
Lawdon to the billiard room. 1t is
safe to say that all these are beyond
suspicion"
Naturally" Mr.. Lawdon agreed.
II suppose so," gasped his wife;
but Charlie, l want the police, too"
I'VE will question the servants
first ourselves" Mr.. Evelyn rose
with decision.
The whole party adjourned to tho
dining room. Frightened faces
greeted them with timorous humility.
A dozen quickly authenticated
alibis reduced the number OF sus-
poets. Cooks. buffers, and stable
men were dismissed. The house
maids and personal attendants of the
guests remained. OF these three
were eliminated, their duties hav-
ing kept them in other parts Of the
house or in Communication with 9TH
er servants. A frightened gardeners
boy who could give no satisfactory
account Of himself, the incorrupti-
BILE Ellen. Mrs. Gaynors maid Adele,
and the second housemaid in charge
of the guests annex remained for
more searching examination. The
housemaid had been upon that floor,
even in and out of all the rooms, as
was her duty. She had seen no one,
heard no one, and protested her in
noncence with tears. The garden
er's boz at last owned that he had
been making love to the cooks as
sistant through the kitchen window,
the damsel reluctantly corroborating
his statement. Mrs. Lawdon's maid
had left the room the moment her
mistress had gone to dinner-the
door was unlocked and the window
open-for which she bitterly de-
nounced herself. Ellen, nervous and
incoherent, confused her statements,
which consisted of the simple facts
of having put her mistress room in
order and gone below stairs. with
walls of contrition at having left
the apartment even for a moment.
| Adele answered without hesitation.
She had felt i'll. Mrs. Gaynor, who
was the soul of kindness, had ex-
| cused her from her duties, and even
| insisted on her lying down on the
| divan. where. her neuralgia being
| relieved, she had fallen asleep, and
only awakened when the housemaid
| had entered. She had then put the
| room in order and joined the other
servants. The housemaid told Of
| hnding her asleep on the divan, and
Mrs. Gaynor corroborated her first
statement, adding, that as the girl
was not strong, she often allowed
her privileges of the sort.
The fact remains, however" Mrs.
Gaynor added, that Adele is the
only person we find who was in that
part of the house for any length of
time" She turned to the maid
gently, whose honest eyes followed
her mistress with alteration. Were
you at all disturbed-did you wake
at any time, as if some noise had
reused you?"
mo. ma'am. slept sound"
| What time was it, she ques-
ioned the housemaid. when you
finished your rounds and you and
Adele went downstairs?"
| About ten said the housemaid
warily.
| Then from ten till a quarter of
twelve, when Mrs. Lawdon went to
her room. there was no one on that
foor?"
| There was silence.
| Adele" continued Mrs Gaynor.
you are on no excuse to leave this
house until Mrs. Evelyn gives you
permission, and you are to do what.
ever she wishes. | know you are
innocent" she added kindly, lit is
only that the right thing must be
done"
Very well. ma'am." said Adele
simply.
| They must be searched" ssia
Mrs. LawGon "Close the doors
please, and let the men go into the
| iro iy,o