Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 36, Number 73, 21 January 1911 — Page 2

' " . -. .' ; ... .... , '.. ' " ; " ' " . ' : . . : ' :.- , -"" ; "''-' -' '. -;W ' 0 -.X' - ;-" .. . . . ' ' . ' ; , ' , . . . . ; . . . ' ' ." v - i . ' v - ' " - jBBSBBsBssnsMssMwnBMMssnswaMMMMwsswMMMMsMMsws mn i i i'iiijiiw"! 1 1 v !""g""TTa5SM

It. PETKK WMOTIIDH.KV CABTBELL nil was not an early riser, though he was II fa that bloom of youth- to which suU sterling practice are so appropriate. He came quietly along the corridor very late for breakfast; and the shining emerald on the toilet table caught hi eye through the open door of the bedroom occupied by Sir. Leopold Eppstein, the grocer prince. It was a large emerald, far too large to adorn a cravat, even the cravat of a millionaire. Tho ?artrells did not like their guest's emerald. .Thy liked It as a stone, but they did not like It as a scarf Pin; as a pendant from a necklace they would have found no fault with It. However, Mr. Eppstein wus Quklng his entry Into society under the Cartreli iegl., fcnd ao was resolved to enter magnificently. jtxAt the sight of the emerald reter paused ; hi ifjrs brightened; he walked into the bedroom, and ft oked around for a hiding place ior . no uu tii grea great fondness for practical Jokes; his was too Unrt n heart;, but he never lost a chance of conitilttlng one. With unerring Judgment he chose tlw fvltutn drawer of Mr. Kpiwteln'a unlocked Jewel case, j(5roppctl the emerald pla into It, amoug the Jeweled ttatch ihnlns, and hut the drawer. He came out ft the bedroom with hh face, comtwsejl to an ex,.yresslon of serene vacuity, humming softly a tuno U triumph. J At bo came to the tx)ttom of the wonderful Italian fcinircase, the chief glory of the Cartreli Court, a finnd of guests and his stepmother came babbling &it of the dining room. Teter greeted them urbanely; tiien he dashed nway from them to wring th small, tfinnil Mr. Eppsteln's hand warmly and congratulate tint on hts air of good health. Mr. Eppstein was tycd to Peter's glad hand. But his close-aet, cunning ij-es, which minted nothing, bad observed that Its f luduet-s was lavUbed on no one else- He liked It ; . Jit he had great fear that it portended the borrowing -of money. Yf Peter went Into the dining room, nodded to Colonel Trown, who was sitting beside his sister, stroked her ftestnnt hair, sank Into the chair next her, and said, fivell, old girl, how the suitor this mornlnr fplt was blue peacock bluer said Helen Cartreli j) the accents of despair. . ' ' ' thought be looked rose pink." gTlls tie, 2 mean," said Helen. nWell, be did not have, that beastly emerald In f" growled Colonel Brown, who bated Mr. Eppstein tjlth n rlval'a hatred. He'd only forgotten it. He kept feeling his tie sr it all through breakfast; and he's gone to put on," said Ilclcu sadly. i"CII. as sooa n yours mam iu uiui jwim live to cure him of bis color schemes and bag the Ckiernkl.' said I'eter. Scl won't marry him :H tried ilclcu; but tbero was , lack of invlctlou In her tone which did not fecaite Colonel Brown. ' "Tou will. The governor will back np Mameretllus. lie has to, poor governor. Ther's only one stance for you," snld I'eter. "One cbaate?" saM Helen. , j. "Of courao thero's Ju?t the chance that old Locbliivsr there may pluck up the courage to carry you ' off lu n motor car before It's too late." said I'eter. i As Lo s;:oke tha door icr.ed, and Lord Cartreli eame to, hoUliug hts Uard firmly with one hand: I my this fellow Eipteln, I mean says he's lost that blasted that emerald pin of his V - reter sprang- to his feet, upsetting bis chair, threw tip his' arms toward the celling, and cried, or rather .yelled, "At last I've got the chance! I've always granted to play at Sherlock Holmes! Where's Epptelnr j And he roshed past his startled father out of the tnoni. In the middle of the hall stood the grocer prince telling a growing circle of guests of his misfortune. Teter rushed at him, wrung his hand warmHjr. and cried. "Never mind, old chap! Ill stand by jjiu! I'll help you! . We'll find it!" !Mr. Eppstein tore his hand from Teter's clasp with BjMiie petulance, aud walled, "I wouldn't have lost tJiat stone was It ever so! I gave four thousand fibiir thounnnd pounds for .that emerald. I value it ajbovc everything. It was an heirloom. t"l left It on my table: I forgot to put It on; Sva late for breakfast," continued the grocer prince, i I'eter smote bis brow and cried In tho triumphant tiie of one solving an eulgnia, "I know! I have It! A n case of somnambulism! You've swallowed It!" Lord Cartrrll'a voice rose high In an earnest adjuraJton to Peter not to play the fool. Injured and Indlg-. lint, deploring the folly of the human race In refusing t be heiieil, Peter protested that he washed his hand e the matter, and went back to his unfinished breakffcst. He left the dining-room door open, however, and brard the Interrogatories administered to Mr. Eppstein by hi stepmother, his father, and half a dozen guests In turn. Then the butler was questioned, then the housekeeper. Between them 'they made it clear that none of the servants could have yet gone near Mr. Eppstein's bedroom. , "Bjv this time the grocer prince was once more bis . bright, organizing self. All his being was strung np to . the endeavor to recover hts lost Jewet. He Insisted on wiring at once for a detective, to the bitter annoyance of his host. But they could not protest. Tb nit u drifted luto the vmoktug room, dl!uiag the affair, reter went with them. . Lord Cartreli made no secret of his conviction that it was entirely tho grocer prince's own fault for wearing an emerald -of that beastly size. That had been the view of Lady Cartreli; and 'Lord Certrell always took bis wife's yttw. Then reter. began to enlarge on the danger of rlrcwnstantlal evidence and Us tendency to secure the conviction of Innocent persons. reter went briskly to a group" of ladles discussing tho lost emerald on the terrace. At once be began to develop again the fheme of circumstantial evidence eoavlctlag the Inaoccnt They listened to'blm with

i, i

r late for breakfast: and the smning . ' J

k 9

an air that grew more and more startled; and at the end of his disquisition their voices rose loud in denunciation of Mr. Eppstein. In the middle of it Teter left them to meet bis stepmother coming from the house. "I'm afraid Epjsteln's emerald Is going to spoil your party, Mainerculus," he aid. In a few well-cbosen words Lady Cartreli told Peter her opluloa of him; from frequent repetition the formula had become practically stereotyped. On one of the croquet lawns he found Helen and Colonel Brown playing croquet. "The suitor Is not going at all strong at presentsaid Teter, taking a slow, luxurious pull at his excellent cigar. Both of them smiled. on him kindly. "So you countermand the Lochinvaif motor car. Which of you was going to hire it?" said Peter, turning their smiles to confusion. "I do think you're silly!" said Helen. "Well, well, you needn't blush quite so hard for iy silliness, old girl," said Teter; and he strolled on through the shrubberies, enjoying, the peace of the garden. When he came back to the Court he found its atmosphere, all that he had desired. Ills stepmother's guests had been forcing on one another the most elaborate accounts. of their movements before breakfast, with the intention of averting all possible suspicion from themselves; and they were now at the stage of fixing suspicion on the persons they chanced severally to dislike. Some of them were talking of leaving at once; and they were prevented from putting the Intention 'Into effect only by the desire to be on the spot to see the upshot of the matter. 4 The atmosphere oppressed most deeply Mr. Eppstein. He had, to his own thinking, been making admirable progress In this new exalted circle. He bad found himself welcome when he joined any group of talkers; and had dispensed to t Stock Exchange tips with a gracious, florid lordliness. He had observed with pleasure that his hearers hung on his lips. - Now all this was changed. He was in the uosltion of the wounded animal expelled from the herd. His fellowguests had come to Cartreli Court to enjoy themselves, not to express sad sympathy with persons robbed of emeralds. Moreover, thanks to Peter's disquisition on the danger of circumstantial evidence, he was further shunned as a source of danger. Groups melted when he joined them. Solitary guests tore themselves hurriedly away from him on the flimsiest pretexts. Darker and darker, suspicions filled his mind. He Haw himself the victim of a plot ; his fellow-guests were Iu a conspiracy to rob him. ' He had read many society stories with a view to obtain information to guide him along the social path. He bad learned from t he'll' that society Is adventurous and lightfingered. He saw bis ellow-guests dividing the proceeds of the sale of his emerald, his beloved emerald. IMiklng on them! in its green light, he became awa-e that many of them had faces of the criminal type. A great pity for himself filled him; ho felt that It was Eppstein against the world, and he could have wept for the lonely Eppstein. While he was in this forlorn mood Teter descended on bim, blaud and sympathetic. He bade bim cheer up; he foretold with conviction the outwitting of tho thief. Mr. Eppstein's heart went out to him. Then when tbey were firmly established in the position of two generous souls united to right the wrong, Peter said, "How would it be to keep an eye on the gates aud see that no one sneaks down to the village to send the emerald away by post?" "That's a good Idea!" cried Mr. Eppstein; and without more ado they walked briskly down to tho lodges. There Peter left him, charging him to stroll up and down with a careless air, and to let no one lure him from his watch on any pretext, assuring him that he would keep his eyes open at the Court. By way of performing that feat Le set about a game of croquet with Sybil Carstairs, the prettiest of his stepmother's guests. In the middle of it Colonels Brown came on to the lawu. alone and disconsolate. Lady Cartreli had swooped down on them and carried Helen away. ." . .... . Presently Peter stepped aside to him and suggested that he might be kind to Mr. Eppstein. lie said that he was mooning unhappily about down by the lodges; and painted bis forlorn state in affecting terms. Would not the Colonel be a good fellow and bring him back to play a game of billiards? The Colonel had the heartiest detestation "of his rival, but he carried a kind heart In his huge frame. He said that ha would, and strode off down to the lodges. There was no one Mr. Eppstein would sooner have suspected than the Colonel, In whom he recognized a serious obstacle to his social advancement by marriage with Helen; and at the sight of him his heart beat fast. He at once suspected him of trying tsneak away'wlth the emerald; and when he heard of his Invitation to come to play billiards, his suspicion became certainty. It was an. attempt to lu-e him from his watch. He refused the Invitation with an asperity which made the very toes of the Colonel's boots Itch to kick him. The temptation was so strong that he had to turn on his heel and depart briskly lest he should succumb to It. He came back to Peter and explained with some heat to what extent Mr. Eppstein's loss had brought out his natural offenslveness. Teter condoled with him on bis repulse, and some twenty minutes later, at the end of his game, lie went to the grocer prince. Assam Ing a puzzled air, he said, "Tou haven't by any chance seen Brown?" . "Tes, I've seen him," said Mr. Eppstein darkly.

i V II JL.CI a I ' I

fkr JeiHon7

"I'm er did be try to get yen 'away from your lost? Did he suggest a game of biUianl3?" said Peter, reluctantly. "Yes, he did," said Mr. Eppstein yet reore darkly. "He's been talking to me, tx. He secsaed quite put out by your refusing," said Peter. ' "I saw through It at ourc '." cried Mr.' Eppstehi, triumphantly. Then, stepping ' f cyward,. ho gripped Peter's arm, fixed hiai with small, but burning eyes, and said, "That's the mnnl -lie's got my emerald!" "Oh, come now, ycu don't think that I Brown's the last man In the world !" "Leopold Eppstein does not think, he knows," said the grocer prince with a splendid air. : Peter was plunged in anxious thought, frowning; then he said, "Well, oughtn't you to be keeping an eye on him, instead of watching here, if you're so certain? He might slip away through tho park." "By Jove, yes! you're , right !". said Mr. Eppstein, starting off at full speed up the drive. Colonel Brown was walking " up and down tho croquet lawn, still disconsolate. The bouse bad en"They listened to him tcith an uir gulfed Helen, and seemed unlikely to disgorge her. Mr. Eppstein sat on the bank and watched him with "the eye of a lynx, until5 presently he strolled into the shrubbery.. Mr. Eppstein sprang from tLe bank and followed him with what be knew to be the stealthy gait of a sleuth hound. He followed him close; the Olonel soon became aware of his presence, so checking to self-communing, and turned Into a rath to the right. Mr. Eppstein followed him. . The Colonel stopped short and said, "Which 'of., these shrubberies do you want to walk in. Mr. Eppstein?" ., His tone was uncompromising, and Mr. Eppstein said, hastily, "Oh, they're all one to me, ColoneL" "Then I'll walk in the Wellingtonia shrubbery, and you can stop here," said the Colonel; and he left him. His tone set ; Mr. Eppstein's heart fluttering. It confirmed, his belief that the Colonel meant to steal away. - Tct he dared no longer follow him openly. He danced gently first on one foot, then on the other. Then his resolution stiffened; and be stole through the shrubs till he eame among the Wellingtons and In sight of the Colonel walking-up and down between them. With keen eyes he marked the Colonel's changing face, his brow frowning and" growing smooth again. He saw plainly that his rival's guilty mind was

wrestling with the difficulty of disposing of the emer- ' aid that now it seemed Insuperable, that now he saw . .the way. He was wrong; the Colonel's facial distor

tions wore due to the fact that he was enjoying a' lover's self-coniuiuniug. . Presently, however, the Colonel was inveded by au uneasy feeling that eyes were ou hiai. He scanned the cedars as he came along; then, with n startling yell, he leaped in among them and extracted the grocer priace by the scruff of the neck. "Wuat do you mean by dogging aie and spying on me, you little bounder," roared the Colonel, shaking film. "I I wasn't:" squeaked Mr. Eppstein. "Then what were you doing?" roared the Colonel. "I I was bird-nesting!" . "Then so and bird-nest" somewhere else!" roared the Colouol; and ho flusg Mr. Eppstein. violently from hi m. Mr - Eppstein alighted ou his hands aud knees with a bowl, for with unerrlug accuracy he had struck with his left knee the only pebble on the grassy sward. He rose swiftly, and in an objurgatory vein danced out of' the shrubbery. He hobbled straight off in search of Lord Cartreli, ncd came into the smoking room with a stern, determined air. Ills' host's face did not glow with joy at the sight of him. - "I've found the thief," said Mr. Eppstein. - "Thank goodness ! Then we can cut the beastly business short. WTho Is it?" said Lord Cartreli, springing eagerly to his feet. "Colonel Brown,' said Mr. Eppstein. Lord Cartrell's eyes . opened, and bis mouth ; his nostrils dilated; a slow, deep flush suffused his face. that grew mure and more startled." Mr. Eppstein marked his shocked amazement with a grim smile. "You thundering idiot!" howled Lord Cartreli, finding his vo!ce. "Brown? A.V.C.! My own cousin!,. A man with five thousand a year! You you you miserable jackass!" - "It's him ! It night hnve been sudden temptation ! I've evident? lots of it !" cried Mr. Eppstein hastily. "I 11! break every bone in your body I" howled Lord Cartreli, reaching blindly for the poker. Mr. Eppstein fled with the speed, though hardly the grsoe of Atalanta; hi host sank; gasping into an easy chair. Lunch -was a bitter feast Mr. Epitein's emerald miebt have weighed tons, so heavily did It crush the spirits of the house party. Everyone was burning to. talk of it; no one could, in the glowering presence of its injured owner. Except Teter Peter kept bursting into fcls disquisition on the conviction of the innocent by circumstantial evidence. After lunch Lady Cartreli retired to her bedroom with a natural, but violent, headache. She coull . therefore give no attention to the matter of keeping Helen. and Colonel Brown apart; and in a soquesterJ corner of the garden they made wbat hay they could while the sua shone. The burning Eppstein, by now

obsessed by a fixed Idea of the Colonel's guilt, kept an unwavering eye on him front a bosky lair forty yards away. Aided by Peter's kindly imagination the other guests discussed with a strained, feigned lightness of spirit the inclemencies of peua I servitude Now and again they broke into a chorus expressive of what they really thought of Mr. Eppstein. At half-past three Mr. Eppstein was withdrawn from his bosky lair by shouts of bis name. The de tective had coma. Mr. Eppstein burrlrd to bis sid his face glowing with exultant expectation of bla coming triumph. The guests gather round them, save'.' such of them as hurried to their bedrooms to conceal amplifications of tresses and other secrets of the toilet la such hiding places as caught their fancy. Mr. Eppstein and the detective headed the. procession which mounted to Mr. Eppstein's bedroom. The detective was a well-grown and heavy man, with a face of tho true bovine type, wearing boots in either of which a baby of average-weight could have alept with comfort. He, Mr. Eppstein. Lord Cartreli and Peter went into the bedroom. The guests gathered upon the threshold. ... The detective's bovine eyes rolled slowly round tho room, which was a Mr. Eppstein bad left it, still showing signs of bis hasty'tollet. A wealth, at least a bushel of attractive cravats were piled on the toilet table. . , "There ain't much chance of the criminal's 'avlng left anything behind im, gentlemen," said the detective, with his profound air. "Still a systematic search," said Peter. "Ho, yus! it's a form we always goes through," said the detective. ' "Are you quite snre you didn't put it away in thlal Jewel case?" 'said Peter, prodding that, object with his forefinger. "Quite sure. It's no good wasting time with that I locked It as soon as I found that the emerald bad been stolen; and I've bad the keys In my pocket ever since," said Mr Eppstein. "Did you look through It ?" said Teter ; and be " prodded it again. ; ; , "Why should I look through "It? - I've told yon the-

pin was on the table!"' "You'd better just turn out the jool case, sir," saH the detective. i With every appearance of warm Impatience Mr. Eppstein unlocked the jewel case, opened It, displayed two trays full of : Jeweled pins, studs, -dud buttons. Then he drew out the drawer full of watch chains; and the gleaming emerald sparkled up at bis astounded .ey68'"''.:;. -v''." "': : : ' J':S'"i-?& '"' iJi & : "Why7 What? How? How did It get here?" be gasped; and horror and amazement struggled for tba possession of his face. "Look here!" cried Lord Cartreli In a rising voice. "Do you mean to say you've made this Infernal fuss upset the house annoyed everybody accused Brown of theft and your beastly pin was here all the time. What do. you mean by it, sir? What do you mean by it?". He ended in a roar; and an Indignant outcry broke from the guests on the threshold. "I I can't think! I never put It there! Swelp me, I never did !" cried Mr. Eppstein. The' veins stood thick on Lord Cartrell's purple v bspw as he plowed through his guests, as through a football scrimmage, to the head of the staircase, and roared down it, "Jackson! Jackson! Order a carriage to take Mr. Eppstein to the station! Send op his man to pack at once! At once, do you bear? Do : you think I want to be standing here all day?' ne was not really standing; be was - dancing heavily. , " ' "Really; Eppstein, you ought to be more careful.' said Peter in a pained tone; and be left the perspiring grocer prince mopping his brow in the enjoyment of the feelings of one who has kicked away tbe ladder by which he is climbing before he bas reached its top. Teter drew Colonel Brown down the. stairs with him, after his panting father, and said briskly, "Now's your time! . Strike while?, the Iron's hot! ' Ask the governor's consent now. He'll be dying to take it out of Mamerculus for this upset Eppstein was her friend." , "Right yoti are!" said the Colonel with equal brisk- ; ness; and be followed Lord Cartreli to tbe smoking room." . -. "' " ..-..-:.'' Lord Cartreli received bim with an air of savage gloom. "I suppose you want me to apologize for the fellow," he growled. "I can't think that my wife wants such outsiders in the bouse." But when be beard the Colonel's business, bis face slowly brightened. His infatuation for bis wife was for the moment in eclipse; be was burning to go contrary to her dearest wishes; and he gave bis . consent with a grim joy. Lady Cartreli came down to tea, her headache banished by the discovery of ; the emerald and tbe departure of Its owner, to learn-' that her guests bad already overwhelmed the lovers with good wishes, and the thoughtful Teter bad wired the tidings of tbeir engagement to the Ifominn Pott. " Copyright, 1910, bit ' Metropolitan Xewtpaper Syndicate.

i 1

' ' ' . . V

. r - '' -i ; " ' 1 ' ' '- " l " . . . ' . ...

I . ' ' : -;,:'''.: ."" v V: v.- s..v.