Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-07-20

evening. All day Sunday either Flea
nor or l kept watch on Sarah. Sunday
afternoon she started with a letter in
her hand for the postoffice. I told her
that l had written a letter that l wish
ed mailed. She offered to mail it for
me. / went to my room for 1t, and
when 1 came down had my hat and
coat on and told her that l would go
with her. To that she assented with
at least apparent willingness. Whether
or no she was going to get rid of the
watch, she had no chance to do so, for
I did not let her out of my sight for a
moment.
Eleanor interfered with her going out
later in the evening to take the air on
the porch. We all went to bed early,
or at least to our rooms. We girls
were roomed on the second floor, and
each was given a room to herself.
Eleanor was in my room till II o'clock.
She said she expected to be up all
night to see that Sarah Stearns did not
get rid of the watch, and her watch
would not commence till all in the
house were supposed to be asleep.
What are you going to do?" I asked.
I'm going to stay in the hall"
go to bed" l urged. None of us
believes that you are a thief. Besides,
you are acting on a theory. You will
lose your sleep for nothing"
II have more chance of success than
you think" she said. Charlie has
been very nice to me and has told me
certain things about the watch that it
Is we'll for me to know
"Then he knows you are hunting for
it?"
mo, what he told me was said casu-
ally. But he does not believe I robbed
him. At least he says he doesn't"
But don't see how any mark on
the watch can do you any good except
to identify it when you have got it,
and you will have to get it before you
can identify it."
Eleanor made no reply to this. She
simply kissed me good night and went
to her room. l was a long while get
ting to sleep, but when l Gid 1 slept
till 4 o'clock in the morning, when I
was awakened by her. She told me
that she had been awake all night and
asked me to get up and continue the
watch that she might get some sleep.
l did as she asked, but it was evident
that she had failed, and l believed she
was on a wild goose chase.
She was up for an 8 o'clock break
fast and looked quite fresh, consider.
ing that she had gone to bed so late.
During the day l helped her occasion
ally In her vigil and again prevented
Sarah Stearns from going out alone.
This time l could see that she sus-
pected me, though she concealed the
fact quite well.
1.-THE party is to break up tomorrow"
invited till Tuesday morning. Either I
must get hat watch tonight or remain
smirched for the rest of my life"
l assured her that she was not nor
ever would be smirched by any n Of
us, to which she replied that Sarah
Stearns would spread the matter
abroad in a way hat could not be
countered.
Roy took us to drive durtng the hf6er-
noon. Eleanor feigned a headache and
remained at home. She charged M to
keep my eyes upon Sarah Stearns every
moment. l suggested to Eleanor that
she was remaining at home that she
might search for the missing watch,
but she said that would be useless, for
If Sarah had left it she had undoubted-
~ hidden 1t in a safe place, but she
believed Sarah had it with her, and
Eleanor relied on me to see that she
did not get rid of it during the ride. I
did my work, but without results.
That night, when Eleanor and I went
to our rooms, as we passed Sarah
Stearns' room I saw Eleanor look up
at the transom. Then she went with
me into nay and took from my
closet a bamboo stick with a hook on
one end and carried it away to her
room. Just before 3 in the morning
she came into my room and, holding
her watch to my Ear, asked me If l
could hear it tick. l told her that 1
could hear it very distinctly. She re-
moved it farther and farther from me,
with each removal asking MT If I could
still heal it tick. When she had taken
it some four or five yards from me I
could still hear it.
'"That will do" she said. your a
is far more keen than mine. 1t is now
a few minutes before 8. Come with
me-"
She led me by the hand through
the darkness to Sarah Stearns' door.
Then she took the bamboo stick with
the hook on the end and, feeling care
fully for the ransom by mean Of the
hook, pulled 1t partly open, accom-
plishing the work without the slightest
sound. This done, she put her arms
around my knees and lifted me so that
my ear was neal the transom. She
had held me there perhaps three min
utes when l heard what sounded ike
a far distant chime family strike the