Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-01-25
Ne
Diamond
Cross
A Case Requiring
Delicate Handling
By JOHN Y. LARNED


near to show me seat took one I'M
hidden. / laid my hat and overcoat on
a chair beside me, a waiter presented
me with menu, and ] gave my order.
While / was waiting man came In
and took seat at table near by. He
was fashionably dressed, but there
was something in his physiognomy
that did not like. His clothes SEEM
ed too good for his breeding. | pre-
sumo noticed him especially because
| had nothing else to look at, he being
the only person near me.
After being served and having eat
en- | arose to depart. Taking up my
Overcoat | heard something drop on
the floor. SuppOsing some article had
fallen from one of the pockets of the
coat stopped to see what it might be.
1t was a Russian leather box, some
smaller. Taking it up, | pressed a
spring with my thumb, raised the COW
err and revealed a gold cross set with
five diamonds. each as large as pea
When | raised my eyes from the box
they rested on the man | have mention
ed sitting near me. He was regarding
me with a curious expression. He had
seen me pick up the box, open it and
the look of surprise on my face when
/ saw what it contained.
An explanation of my find occurred
to me at once. Some lady had been
lunching at the table | had used and
while doing so had laid the jewel box
on the chair beside her. She had gone
away, having forgotten that she had
placed it there. She may have laid 1t
down while eating or when she took
out her portemonnaie to pay the bill.
While l was wondering and DELHI
Grating what to do with my find the
man who was watching me arose from
his table and approached me.
"I'll trouble you for that, sir" he
said, referring to the box.
rs it yours? 2" / asked.
mo, but | have been employed by
the owner to find it. / am detective.
A lady has been robbed of it. Her
maid left her at the same time. l have
been shadowing the maid and expected
to find her today and hoped to arrest
her. She has doubtless been here and
left the box by mistake"
This story did not hang together. A
lady's maid would not likely be lunch
ing at a swell Fifth avenue restau-
rant with a valuable property she had
stolen and surely would not have for
gotten it. A woman who was used to
such surroundings and possessions
might have done so. My opinion was
that the man who claimed to be de-
tective was bent on getting the find
| into his possession in order to get away
with it. However. this was only a
| supposition of mine. and since | was
found with property that he claimed
had been stolen l did not like the pros
| pect of becoming involved in a Grim
| inal matter. | concluded to temporize
| with him.
Il think" l said, that l had better
| turn it in to the proprietor of the res
| taurant."
You had better turn it in to me, "
ue ESIlieu, SlSIHly.
Suppose l refuseT
In that case l shall consider it my
| duty to run you in"
Il can then tell how l happened to
find the property"
And prove if you can that you have
not stolen it.
l WINGED. The fellow seemed to be
a bad one, and lie might make me a
| lot of trouble. | was wondering what
| had better do when lady, fashion
] ably dressed. came hurrying up to me,
| looking as if something unusual had
occurred. 1t struck me at once that
she was the owner of the property, and
l was not mistaken.
Il left box on that chair" she said,
! pointing. Have you seen it,"
| looked at the detective as much as
10 say: us this your lady's maid? She
| looks for all the world like the lady
| herself Ignoring me in his reply. he
addressed himself to the young lady.
This gentleman has found what you
! left. l am a detective and have been
| employed TO trace this property which
has been stolen. l don't know who
you are or how you came into its pos
session The owner desires to get
back her jewel, and If 1t is placed in
| my hands | will return 1t and no Ques-
tions will be asked; if not l shall be
obliged to arrest you and you will have
| to prove your innocence"
The lady seemed very much trou-
! bled. She looked from the speaker to
me and back from me TO the speaker.
My friend" | said to him. there is
a question to be decided concerning
the ownership of this find. This young
woman is evidently lady, and l am
a gentleman We both shrink from
appearing in a police court Let us
find some way by which we can settle
the matter among ourselves"
What do you propose?" he asked.
! knew by this reply that my sus-
picions Of him were correct. he was
no detective hut one Of those well
dressed crooks who frequent places
where they hope To find well to do vic
tins. At the same time he might
make il very unpleasant for both the
lady and myself From this time ii
Aecame war Of wits between us. I
hoping 10 save the iady-s property for
her without her being forced into any
unpleasant position. he desiring to
avoid the arrest he had threatened,
which was nothing more than gigan-
tic bluff Turning TO the young lady.
| said:
viii you submit TO an arrest for
the purpose Of saving your property"
I'D rather lose it. she replied in a
voice that trembsed. The pretended
detective looked at me as much as to
say, y told you So
Would you be willing" l continued
10 her, TO leave the property in nv
keeping till the true ownership can be
SettledE'