Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1916-05-26

AuAhSu dAAu AASteAAAu& ~ WHAT the 0tneE
was saying.
'Lizette. said the mistress, II have
been calling you for some time"
Yes, madame. / didn't hear you,
madame"
Mrs. Darlington returned to her
room, followed by Lizette Az soon as
they We're alone together the mistress
said:
'Iizette, of course what goes on be-
tween you and Blanca does not neces-
sarily concern me. but / don't want
Iny mystery in my house. Though /
want Blanca for practice in speaking
Italian, viii send her away at once
If 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 good deal
OF thinking about this strange status
between the two maids. Had It been
between Lizette and the butler she
would not have been surprised, for a
concealed love is 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 fora function calling for
her most Respondent adornments she
sent Lizette for her Jewels. They
We're kept in a 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 It. 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.
tion to lock 1t. Then she raised
Lizette and supported her, taking the
! jewel box with her, to her own room
and. locking the door. placed her on
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 telephone
booth and rang up detective agency,
giving the chief a brief statement OF
the case. He advised that the loss
OF the jewels be kept q secret, and It
was arranged that Mrs. Darlington
should add to her star OF language I'm
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 to
learn that none Of her servants had
disappeared. After breakfast Profess
sor Sweitzer appeared, and it was an
nounced that he would remain short
time in the house to ground Mrs. Car
ringtOn In the rudiments Of the Ger.
man language.
He had a private conversation with
Lizette, and after it 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 her
two maids. The man had doubtless
revealed himself to Lizette and had
very likely made love to her. Both she
and the detective felt sure that the so
called Blanca had stolen the jewels,
and the question was how to prevent
his knowing that the theft had been
discovered and his slipping away be-
fore he could be secured. He showed
apprehension on the introduction OF
Professor Sweitzer into the household,
but no sign of intended flight.
The practiced eye of the detective
was not deceived In the Italians make.
up, though it had deceived every one
in The house. OF course, this fact be.
ing known, no other evidence was re.
quired that he was the thief. The pro-
fessor not only kept his knowledge
from the household, but disarmed
any suspicion the rascal might have
that his sex was suspected. This be
did because he wished to recover the
stolen jewels as well as the criminal
However, no time was lost. Calling
for couple of assistants the detective
arrested Blanca. OF course the Italian
knew that his game was discovered
and 1t was all up with him. Without
putting his accusers to the trouble OF
making an examination he confessed
that he was man; that he had learn
ed of Mrs. CarrlngtOn's desire for an
Italian maid and had disguised him
self for the purpose of securing the
situation and plumber. He had gOl
Lizette under his influence and con
cealed himself behind her when she
opened the safe, thus learning the com
bination. He had taken the Jewels dur.
ing the night before the loss was dis
covered and was watching for an op
pOrtunity to get away with them. They
were concealed where they would moi