The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-12

'Lizette," said the mistress, II have
been calling you for some time"
Yes, madame. l didn't hear you.
madame"
Mrs. Darlington returned to her
room, followed by Lizette. AS soon as
they were alone together the mistress
I.said:
"LiZette, of course what goes on be-
tween you and Blanca does not neces-
sarily concern me. but l don't want
any mystery I'm my house. Though ]
want Blanca for practice In speaking
Italian, / will send her away at once
IL she is interfering In any way with
| my domestic arrangements.
''She does not interfere, madame !"
was the almost inaudible reply.
Mrs. Darlington was puzzled. She
| said no more, but kept up 9 good deal
of thinking about this strange status
between the two maids. Had Il been
between Lizette and the butler she
would not have been surprised, for n
concealed love is a common mystery.
But the lady could not understand any
relationship between two girls that
needed to be kept secret.
One evening when Mrs. Darlington
was dressing for function calling for
her most Respondent adornments she
sent Lizette for her jewels. They
were kept In safe set into the wall.
Mrs. Darlington and Lizette were the
only two persons who knew this COM
bination. Lizette went to the safe,
opened 1t, but when she looked In the
box containing the jewels they were
not there
Mrs. Darlington, hearing something
fall and Lizette not returning with the
jewels, went into the hallway and saw
the girl lying in heap before the safe.
Running to her, she picked up Lizette,
who at the same time came to herself
and looked with terrible distress at
the empty jewel box lying on the floor
beside her. Mrs. Darlington took In
| the situation at once.
The lady on this occasion exhibited
great presence of mind. She closed
| the safe door and turned the combina-
ton to lock it. Then she raised
Lizette and supported her, taking the
| Jewel box with her, to her own room
and, locking the door, placed her on a
| lounge. No suspicion of Lizette was
entertained, for she had evidently met
with a surprise. She said that she
had never given the combination OF
the safe to any one.
Mrs. Darlington went to a telephone
booth and rang up detective agency,
| giving the chief brief statement OF
the case. He advised that the loss
/. OF the jewels be kept secret, and II
was arranged that Mrs. Darlington
should add to her staff of language In
structors German, who should really
be detective.
Mrs. Darlington gave out to the
household that she had become sud.
denly indisposed and kept her room
. Lizette remaining with her. The next
morning the mistress was relieved tC
learn that none of her servants had
disappeared. After breakfast PROBES
sor Sweitzer appeared, and 1t was an
nounced that he would remain a short
time In the house to ground Mrs. Gar
rington in the rudiments Of the Ger
man language.
He had private conversation witt
Lizette, and after 1t was finished told
her mistress that she knew who had
taken the jewels. but would not peach
The next item Of news he gave his EN-
ployer was that Blanca was man.
Mrs. Darlington, as soon as she had
recovered from her establishment, saw
through the strange status between hel
two maids. The man had doubtless
revealed himself to Lizette and haC
very likely made love to her. Both she
and the detective felt sure that the &c
called Blanca had stolen the jewels
and the question was how to proven
his knowing that the theft had beer
discovered and his slipping away be
fore he could be secured. He showeC
apprehension on the Introduction o
Professor Sweitzer into the household
but no sign Of intended fight.
The practiced eye of the detectiv,
was not deceived In the Italians make
up, though IL had deceived every on,
in the house. OF course, this fact be
Ing known, no other evidence was re
quired that he was the thief. The pre-
fessor not only kept his knowledg
from the household, but disarmet
any suspicion the rascal might hav
that his sex was suspected. This h
did because he wished to recover tn
stolen jewels as well as the criminal
However, no time was lost. Calm
for couple Of assistants the detectiv
arrested Blanca. OF course the Italian
knew that his game was discovered
and It was all up with him. Withou
putting his accusers to the trouble O
making an examination he confesse,
that he was man: that he had learn
ed OF Mrs. Carrington's desire for a.
Italian maid and had disguised him
self for the purpose of securing tn
situation and plumber. He had 60
Lizette under his influence and COZ
cealed himself behind her when sh
opened the safe, thus learning the CON
bination. He had taken the jewels dur
ing the night before the loss was dis
covered and was watching for an OF
portunity to get away with them The
were concealed where they would nc
be easily found, and Mrs. Carringto
decided not to prosecute him II h
would give them up. This he did, anC
so far as she was concerned. he wa
not troubled.
When Mrs. Darlington went abroa
she took Lizette with her. having fol
given her for having been captivate
by the Italian, which was her onl
sin, for she was not suspected OF an
!