New Britain herald., 1930-04-08
Dog, Meat and a Ring Figure
 In Odd Mystery
The Emerald Ring

Mrs. Alicia Seymour was ex- tremely fond of her emerald ring. ] She had inherited it from relative !! who had secured it in India
 The stone wasn't unusually large in area, but deep, perfectly cut and of great brilliance.
 Its value was greater than that Of diamond of the same weight. The value constantly increased.
 Mrs. Seymour had a comfortable income. She lived alone in an apartment with her maid, Mary Gately. Mary had come over from England when she was seventeen and had worked for Mrs. Seymour ever since. She was now thirty seven. Next to pride in her emerald Mrs. Seymour took pride in having the same maid for twenty wears.
 There was a cook who slept out, who came daily to prepare the meals. Mary Gately's duties were not heavy, She took care of the rooms, took "Connio'-short for Confucius-out for his daily air ing. Connie was much petteI little 'Pom." Mary waited on Mrs. Seymour. went on crrands for her and made herself generally useful.
 Mrs. Watterson, a long time friend of Mrs. Seymour, had come on from Chicago and was visiting Mrs. Seymour for a few days. Mrs. Watterson was an extremely wealthy woman.
 Ring Is Gone
 One morning, it was the third that Mrs. Watterson had been there, Mrs. Seymour couldn't locate her emerald ring.
 A most thorough search of the house was made. No trace of the ring, however.
 Both Mrs. Watterson and Mary Gately, the maid, told Mrs. Sey- mour that she should have a dctec- tive come up.
 He might find traces where some burglar got in," Mrs. Waiter son declared.
 The detective, Charles Haskins came up and listened to the story. He got an accurate description of the ring. He examined the doors one to the kitchen and one to the front foyer. Both had private locks and chains. They couldn't have been forced from the outside. Fire escapes were from the halls. No ono could have reached the windows to the apartment, up nine floors
 Have you searched your maid 2" he asked.
 Mary Gately overheard this and, | sobbing, came out and demande 1 1 to be searched
 I've had Mary twenty years. | I'd rather lose a hundred emeralds than suspect her-why do YOU de- tectives always suspect servants the first thins?'. Mrs. Seymour in- dlgnantly demanded. Mary insisted that Mrs. Seymour search her and that the detective search her room and trunk.
 Mrs. Seymour had the ring on her finger hours after the cool, l left. There had been no callers and none of the three had gone out after dinner She Slept Alone
 Mrs. Watterson, with her millions, ! was also out of the question. Mrs Seymour slept alone.
 T left the ring on that littl, low bench when I went to bed, :, Mrs. Seymour said, T always slip l It off before I go 10 sleep. Connie sleeps on that cushion on the other end of the bench"
 Haskins sized up the little pom.
 Your dog swallowed it. proh- l ably Let me have an ex-ray made 1 of him." Haskins said.
 she agreed, The report came that the ring was inside the little i dog. A veterinary took the dos gave him an emetic and recovered the ring.
 Bob Thomas, Mrs, scymours nephew, dropped in that same day and heard the story.
 Mary Gately had been crying all the time. After the report of re- covering the ring, she still cried.
 T can't work here any longer" she said, although I'm all right | now, I'll be suspected fl anything else is lost"
 Mrs. Seymour, terribly distressed failed to change her mind. After twenty years of faithful service