Evening star., 1922-05-28


said: II quite agree that we ough,
| to know something more concerning
the man Ellerton. 1t is a suspicion,
circumstance that he left so sud
denly"
There was chorus Of assent t
this. it being at once apparent tha,
| the old lady was bent upon conceal.
| ing something. What it was W.
could not tell.
She sat there, pale and agitated
Therefore we changed the subjec
| until it was time to go in for dinner
Later I managed to take Mrs. Oslo,
aside.
Now" said. this is a seriou.
matter. l shall go to London in tn.
morning and give Scotland Yard &
| description of the stolen Jewels
which they will circulate. II Eller.
ton tries to. dispose of them he'll bs
| caught"
Yes, but why is the old lady pro.
tecting him?" she asked in dismay
Did you notice how agitated she be
:ame?"
II did. It's a mystery"
We'll, it's awfully good Of you tt
help me. / don't know what my hus
oand will say when he knows m,
| black pearl has gone. 1 dare no
| write and tell him, as he is alway,
upbraiding me for my carelessness
ought to have insured it akains
theft"
Half an hour later 1 found Mrs
WorthinEton-Pearce in the smoking
| room chatting with some of the mer
before retiring and asked her for 9
description Of her bracelet, which ]
scribbled down upon a sheet Of writ.
ing paper, together with her address
a country house in north Wales.
II think If you got track OF
Ellerton in Scotland you would dc
better than going to Scotland Yard,
she said.
True. but after all. one of the
servants may be the thief Remem.
Der, there are several strange ladies
maids and Wallets here. Lady Car.
digan cannot be responsible for the
honesty of the servants of he,
guests"
Exactly, but can you tell me why
she will hear no word said agains,
this man Ellerton? To me 1t is mos,
peculiar
T AGREED, and by o'clock next
morning I was on my way to St
Pancras.
At II was at Scotland Yard, where
I gave Information of the theft and
full description of the stolen. jew.
els.
The detective inspector, man
had not before met. for his superio,
offcer happened to be away on leave
looked up from the paper, on which
he had been taking down the de.
scriptions and asked:
Have you informed the Northamp.
tonshire constabulary?"
I replied in the negative
News of the theft should ke
through them," he said. "They will
deal with the case"
us A9uy SdFOiSAH ID muCn aVer9(
to any publicity" said. "If should
inform the local police the news will
spread all over the county in an hou,
or two, and the local press will b.
full Of it."
II know. But 1 do not think W.
can take the matter UP. ..unless we are
requested to do SO by the local police
or Northamptonshire. Ut is their
duty to circulate the description Of
the stolen goods, not ours"
No argument would convince him
otherwise. SO, my friend being away
had to return to Deene without car.
rying the affair farther.
Both Mrs. Osler and Mrs. Worthing.
ton-Pearre were highly indignant
when I returned in the evening, and
when later, 1 found our hostess alone
and told her what the detective-in
spector had said. the old lady held
up her hands in horror.
'+Oh! I : couldn't dream Of I'll" she
cried. what? Have Deene overrur
by = pack of bucoltc village consta-
bles? Neverr'
But the police will not act, fear
IL we do not inform them here"
'Then let the women lose their
Jewels" she snapped. They should
be more careful of. them. am OF
mine. won't have scandal, and
you can tell them SO from me-"
reported my Conversation to Mrs.
Osler. who happened~to be chatting
with Raymond out -on the terrace.
IL were you Td try and nnd that