Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1910 — TELLING MART.' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TELLING MART.'

Story of a Lost Necklace.

By CLARISSA MACKIE.

(Copyright, 1310. by American Press Association.] Jim Haswell and 1 stared at each other across the polished top of the library table. Between us lay an open cash box shewing a neatly tied packet labeled "Mary's Bonds.” In my e tended hand was a leather jewel case —yawning—empty. "The necklace is gone,” I gasped at last “Mary must not be told—yet,” panted Jim, resting back on his heels, dusty and disheveled. “No telling what might happen to her weak hear* if she became excited.” There was a light tap on the door and my wife’s voice, “May I come inF “Sit down, dear, if you’re going to stay,” I said. “I can’t stay, Peter. I've got no end of business to attend to*” she said with pretty importance. “I merely want to remind you both that tomorrow is my birthday—you haven't forgotten that I shall be twenty-five years of age, and that at last I am to have Aunt Bethiah’s necklace?” “Of course we haven’t forgotten,” I said, with dignity. “I believe I shall claim it tonight, boys! At midnight I shall be of age, and you may deliver it to me then.” “Very well, dear.” I said drearily. “What is the matter?" entreated Mary tearfully. “You both look so worried.** - _ ? ‘ I took her in my arms. “Jim and I are worried over a little matter of business. It will come out all right in the end.” “Is that all, Peter, truly?” I nodded solemnly. “You—you haven’t been speculating?” “Lord, no! Didn’t I promise you I never would again?” She drew herself away, smiling. “I’m glad of that, Peter—it’s a great

temptation—to obtain money quickly—but it’s risky and worrisome. Goodby, dears. Cheer up and be sweeter tempered when I come home.” “What do you say to my calling headquarters and have a detective sent up here?” said Jim. “Let ’er go.” I said gruffly, and while Jim talked at some length .over the telephone I rearranged the safe in its usual condition, locking the tin cash box and empty jewel case in the cupboard. “We will have to break the news to Mary tonight,” I said anxiously. “She'll take it hard after waiting all these years for a $30,000 diamond necklace and then have it stolen from under her very nose. Whew!" We sat in melancholy silence for an hour; then the doorbell rang and Stiffins ushered in a small, stupid looking little man. with ill fitting clotbes and grimy bands. He tendered a printed card.

“Ah, Mr. Bump—be seated,” I said after introducing the detective to Jim. I found a box of cigars, and we lighted up.

Briefly I related the circumstances: That Jim Haswell and myself were executors of the estate of the late Miss Bethiah Haswell (own aunt to Mary and Jim), who had died eight years ago and left among other bequests one to my wife; this bequest consisted of several listed securities valued at perhaps $4,000 and a handsome diamond necklace, estimated to be worth at least $30,000. These were not to be given to Mary until she reached the age of twenty-five, which would happen on the morrow.

This afternoon we opened the safe to check off the bonds and arrange for their transfer to my wife, and we had discovered thr jewel case to be empty. Mr. eyes darted from Jim’s distressed fsff-e to my own and spoke for the first time since entering the house.

“I’ll look around." he said in a dry. husky voice. He examined the safe, the cash box. the locks and keys, the combination to the safe, the rugs on the floor, the window latches and looked np the chimney.

“Inside job,” he said tersely. “You mean the servants?” demanded Jim. . ■ '» '■ ' "1 didn't say so.” We leaned against the mantelpiece while the detective stared at the safe. “You didn't ought to kep’ 'em in the house.” he said severely. “We are aware of that fact—now,” remarked Jim impatiently. “Give us fresh information if you can!” “I can,” snapped Mr. Bump ominously. Then his voice went on rapidly, without pause: “There was two men on the job; they knew the combination. had keys ( to ( the cupboard and cash box; it was a cinch for ’em. gents! One man was tall and fair, with a scar on his temple like Mr. Haswell here, and the other feller was the very spit of yourself, Mr. Drayton.” He impudently into our astonished faces. “What do you mean?" sputtered Jimmy threateningly. “I mean when a firm of architects is pressed for SIO,OOO and they hold its worth in trust for a relative It’s an easy matter to raise the money and call in the central office to cook up a robbery yarn.” he said brutally. “Now, gents. I’ll give you till tomorrow afternoon to produce that necklace.” The door closed behind his shrinking form, and Jim and I tottered into opposite chairs and stared aghast at each other. “Fool idea, that, your calling up headquarters,” I muttered angrily. “You've got us in no end of a mess!" “How the devil did he learn we needed $10,000?” groaned Jimmy. “Must have snooped around a lot on his way up here.” “It’s his business to snoop. That’s what you hired him for,” I remarked coldly. At dinner that night Jim and 1 were sunk into an abyss of melancholy. Mary was the very spirit of joyous anticipation. She talked and laughed and merrily rallied tis on our silence. Afterward she played and sang until the clock struck 11, Then she turned on the piano bench and rose to her graceful height. “Boys.” she said tremulously, “I’m going upstairs for awhile. I’ll meet you in the library at 12 o’clock.” In the library we smoked drearily until the hall clock rang twelve dreaded chimes. The door opened slowly, and Mary, resplendent in white satin, entered. Jim knelt before the safe and opened it. Silently he handed me the tin box. and as silently I opened it “Mary. dear, these securities will be transferred to you tomorrow—today, I mean,” I said lamely. “Their value now is about $4,000. and you may do as you please about”— “Bother the old securities, Peter,” interrupted Mary. “I want the necklace." I held the jewel case in my hand. "Dear,” I said, “can you bear a shock?" “What is it Peter?” she half whis pered. “Dear, the necklace has disappeared!” I blurted out suddenly. “Since when?” demanded Mary. "We discovered its loss this afternoon—l mean yesterday at 4 o’clock. If it does not show up, Jim and I will make up its loss to you.” “Fiddlesticks! Open the case!” com manded Mary. I snapped open the cover and there on its white satin bed lay the diamond necklace! “Jove!” yelled Jimmy, prancing excitedly about. “A foolish joke.” commented my wife as 1 clasped the necklace around her graceful neck. She kissed me softly and then reached and drew Jimmy into the triangular embrace. “Dears.” my wife exclaimed, forget,tlng all about the necklace, “you’ve been in trouble over your stupid business. You needn’t deny it. I heard you talking one night! Jon needed just SIO,OOO to set you on your feet—not ten thousand borrowed dollars that would have to be paid back, but that amount for your very own—and I’ve got it for you!” “What!” we roared increduously. “Yes, sirs,” she smiled happily, “I’ve committed all sorts of crimes to gain my ends, and I’m not a bit repentant, although I’ve been dreadfully afraid you would find me out—especially yes terday afternoon—you acted so queer. Now listen. I stole the combination to the safe from Peter’s desk, and I took his key when be was sick two weeks ago and had a duplicate made of it. so that early this week I took my necklace and raised SIO,OOO on it.” She paused dramatically. "I took the money to father’s old friend. Colonel Muldoon, and asked him if he wouldn’t please Invest it so it would be doubled at once. I have heard that everything he touched turned to gold." “He said he liked my nerve in asking him to do such a thing, but he said he was going to stir up Prairie Limited, so he put it in that”— "Lord of love! Prairie Limitedsolid gold!” I burst out “Don’t Interrupt Peter. Yesterday he telephoned me to come down to his office and receive the proceeds, and, dears, there was enough to redeem the necklace and ten thousand over—here’s the hank draft Am I not a financier?” “You’re a darling!” cried her brother when I had released her. “But, Mary, dear, you. er—speculated; it's against your principles. You should not have done it even for us.” “I never thought of it in that way," she faltered, and then her face broke into a lovely smile. “I did it for love of you two. and what is principle compared to love?" There was only one answer to that and we gave ft

THE DETECTIVE STARED AT THE SAFE.