The Big Diamond Robbery

Mr. Jnhn Wylic was bitterly dlfwppointed He liad beefl In t lie private inqalry ominen for over Steen jreare. nd nevcr bel ore Imd lie experieneed such a icvcr-f. It was an affiir tliat Imd attracled atlention. A xuceess in it would have established bis reputnflon as r detective loreyr. But he liad t'ailed utterly and Igllolllilliously. Tina is how lúe iriatle" stond when he was cilled in by Sir Hemy Heaviside to larertliCHte a Noy. 1"). 8f Henry wat away from home. Uu tint ninlit li is wife. Lady Hi lena, íQpported by her father, the Maiquis of I)n)t-liire, li.nl jtiven h little dinner, wliich w;is followfd by a reception. Her Udychjp had, aa usual, tieeii ratlier slow III dre.-ning, and when tlie dinner honr arriveil, iba i re:itly preMed tor llene. In her liaste she liad llég!ected to rcplnce lierjewcla, which she inti'nded to put 011 after lílllner and previous to the reception, in t lie safe, and coutented herselr willi iQOklHf tlie door of her boudolr Mild putti njf the key luto a drawerof her bedrooui. Aller dinner she found the key where she had left it, and reopened tlie door. ün opening h r boudoir slie dbcovered, to her ain;i.einriit, that the wlndow wa8 wide open. A monient's invi'Stigation showed her that all the jewels she had left apon lier dressiiijr table when she burried down to diniier were stolen. Tlu-ir value was close upon seven thousand pounils. This was, I repeut, how the natter 8tood when Mr. Wvüe KM (.ill'd in. hikI practicnlly it was in the same sint'' when, after six weeks' labonous Inveitlgation, he gve up the Inquiry In deipalr. He suspecU;il niuch, but he had discovered nothlng. It was olear to liini tlnit the robber, whoever he mijjht be, v:is iieitectly fumiliar with the house, and Lady Heleua's careless ways. Il, was also clear to hlin that the window found Oj)en - wliich was twenty-tive fet froin the groUBtti and which showed lio Tl dence of haviti}; been forced - was lefl open as a ruse to raislead the detective. He feit quite su re that the robber had enterad Ihe boudoir by ineans i Lady IL h-naV key and that, ffhe l-ll ihe liouse al all, he went out by a si'le door, which was fastened only by a spring lock. He wart Inclined, however, to believe that the thief was une of the household, mul liiat the jewels were still in Ule house. Acting on thls belief, be searched the Imuse from top to bolt , examlned all the servant's boxtn and cupboards, and WBtched diligently all tbcir iikivcments; but, ifter six weeks thin emplDjud, he luid lound not'iinj; to im p I icate, or even throw suspicion 011 any one in particular. He confessed blmaell utterly bafHed. As, one diiy eated n h lanvtiMBí he was ïiioHintiilly ttirnlng over iti lita iiiídíI the qnostion of lita fallare, tliora waa ;i kuock hI Ui door. 'Comr in,'" he ei led out. Tlie dor npened, and the oll. e boj put In bis lic ui. "Lndy w:ints tn e you, slr." '%ÖJow. her in. ' The ncxt moment, a lal. stntely, tliickly vrilcd lady wi nshertd Info the deiective's private office. Mr. Wylle i'ITrc'i her a eat, whleli mi siluntly aoctpted. As BOii Hê t In' dooi was shui iifjain, slic raised her veil :unl showed a liaiulsonic, reflned faca. Tli-n, wlthoni lunch moieado, she Introcluced h eraelf. "I Htn Lady Mondic." he viiil," xv i tV of bai-ker q( i.hit iiiiinc ." The detective bowed. "And I have come licrc." het 1 nlyhlp conlinned, "in vciy rent Umi ble, tu Bee if you eau asafct me." "You muy rt-lr upon it, m:ul ¦m," said tlic detective, in liis polüesi maJiner, Ihnt I shall u-e niy utiMo-t efforts to dn nó" "I wil 1 teil yiiu," l,ulv M 'm die went on without nol Icing Mr. Wylie's reruark, "llie xvholc -loiy as short' R8 pnsftlbte. Qwlng tu iny hcallli. I had ti) winter l;isl year in Florence. My hustmmt's business and parliamcnt.iry tjutiei would nut u rmii h ni i Juin Mie wiiiic living iiinc by nivselt I met iin Itnilan irentleman, xvitii wli'iin I t'.i in.'ii ruthci ai Intímate tiiendahip. You shoiild knnw," iba ml'lcil liastily. "tht i ii-i wtis rmthlny Improper in ii, tin.iigli iniicli chai is imprudent." "I quite lielii'v mii, - ¦ ï ¦ 1 Mr. Wylie Ij idy M in'liu scemed rnthtr iiriucl tÜin ftifttitte'i hy ihi usgurance, ¦'rninkinp," sim continuad att'T g p iim', "thai lie w.-iS an honnnil),e inan, I I icqncntlv xx rote to il i m, and Somè of my lellers - one or tWO Of tlicin, Mt :iny rate- would I am at'r ild, bear to a [enlous niiml a xcry dilli'ient MtHDlng Ironi tUitt iniendcd. VVlien 1 rolurned brnne, he 'ol owe I rti'1. 15y Iny Inüuehce he recelved in society lu-re - nol only o, bal 1 asi-isted liim trom time to time xxi'li i o ey. At last lii demanda became Lou cXlorllon::'!', and 1 nlllMll lil.'ill l'hi'ii the miserihli icoundrl ttirnvd lip n ïiv, il lid ili e.itcned iliat if I lil nol ODinply wit li ln n queaua be would ¦hel I ha I wniten hiin to uiy hu-bulld. lie liad lnistkell bis xX'i.uin," L 'dy M'iodic eonel nilcd pasional lv : "I would mtlier die tlim glví R penny to ilie min -ees of sucli a eoumd ! " "M ly I know the gentleman' name?" "Count l'li iel." " Whewl The male profes-ioiml beauty '." Mr. Wylle, like eveiyb.xlv cl-c, bad beard of the count. He a cousidered ihe he-i lookiiiLr, beel dicssi'il and best monnted man to hc scen in 1Í ttten R v lle was reputeü to bu very rich, too, aud t was t.his revelatlon a to the meana by whleh he l'ved that astonished Air. Wylie. "I presume,'" said the detective, rtftcr a pAuse, "you xx isli me to get pos-ession of these letters in sonie way or othei f' "Piecisely," nswered Indy Moodle. Mr, Wylle reflected for dome momento in sili nee, then bfl said: " I really doii't see how I can get tiiein without eomoiittinr a burjrlary." "Couldn't yon be udiiccd to risk llriti1" asked Lady Moodle oajrerly. The detective started. Evidently bet laitysliip xvas was Dot inelined to stick al trilles. "Wil1, you sce," said Mr. Wylie, very delibcrately, '"burglnry is rather s lurtfe order." ¦ Tm willing to pay miytblng to balk the c vard," replied Lady Moodie, liircely. "Tliat's nll rljjlit,"answered Mr Wylie, dojtjjedlyj " but money's nf Httle u-e to a man who'e doini; ten years." At his xvords Ladx' Mooilie's face becanic downcast, SIih wis eviJently dteappoiiited, Mr. Wylie notlced thls. "At my rite." he said to her, "'let bur(jlarj be the last thing. We m.iy be able to hit on soine eatter expedient. Let me sec, iiow.1' And be reflected a moment. "How ininx Utten are tbere ?" "Soine forty or flfty." "Ah, so many? Ke oonldnt then, carry them about xvith bini. H is he niiv servantsf ' "J nst one - a valet - in Ital'ati, like lilmfwlf." "Hum. 1 winder whethei b; eonld be brlbedi Most Ilala is eau. II' I bad a week or txxo to gam his confldence '¦Imponible. If live thousand pounds be not jfiven Ulricl williin a week, tbc letters will be in my husband's. bands.'1 "Oh, is that the case 1 " "Ves; Sr Charles and I l"-iv for Darllngbourne - that's our place In Doltshire - to-moirow, and the cornil sitbat this dny xveek hc'll follow us, and llial il', dn bis arrival, 1 don't ve hlnj that aiiioniit he xvill at once hand the letters to my buuband." "By Júpiter r" exeliilmed Mr. Wylle, jumpiiii.' excitedly to his feet. ''I5y Jnpiter, I have liim ! Excuse me, my lndy," be aildtíd mure calmly, "I tliink I ser a way out ol the niaze. Do na you In tended. Let hlm tolloxv you to Darkllngbourne, and if be presen ts liimsplf tn you there, dafy liitn. You in ix do o xv ii h linpunity, for by that ti ne lie'll have n letters to produce."' Duriiijf the ensuing xveek Mr. Wylie kept a strict watch upon all the iinements of the count. He onntrived, too, to discover a nood deal regardlng hla past life and his future plans. He pickcd up an acquaintiince xvith his v.ilet, and froni bim discoveied that hls naaste r In tended to carry out bis thrcat of gotng to DarkHngbourite. The valet had orders to have bis portmantean ready, Dacked xvith everythlng necesita ry tor a few days stay f rom borne. On the eveninr pieoedino; the day on whleh he was to sec L'idy Moodie al DarkUngbourne, C.urt Ulrlcl drove to Boston. Mr. Wylie, WllO had aseertained beforehand the train by wbich he Intended to travel, was there axvailinti bim. The detective was dtagnlMd. Hewssanadepl in thai business, mul noxv hlsown motuer would uut have known bim. Hi hail providdl hinisell xviih a flrst-class tickl to Rottenboroujtb. the station uearert to Öir Charles .Moodic's sent. The counr cinc to the station unaopompanied by bis servaot. Mr. Wylte notioed tbat his kiggage conslíted of a large portmaneaii only- "o doubt, the one that the servant ppoke of. Il xvas marked on the side xvith the count's initials, "H. U." As it was too big to be taken convenieni.lv Into the carriajiP, lts owner directed it to be placed In the lugjiaae van. HaVlllg Minrked xvell the portinincan anti the van int') wbieh it xvas put, Mr. Wylto took bis seat in the train in a compartinent not far from the Count-. Wlicn the tnin reacheil willesden he got out and went into the relresliment roomThere he remaiucd until the train had begun to move, Wben bc rushed upon the platform just loo late to get in. "Confound lt !'" he exclaimed, In afTected vcx -ilion. "I'in luft behintl.'1 ' Very sorry, Ir," gaid a porter. "Whcrc are you fort" " Kotten borough. When is the next train ?" " No ntli'T train, to-nlght, air. You'll Imvc In wail till lour to-morrow momio." '%My uraolou!" cxclalmed Mr. Wylie, :i)i):ircntly much put out by the Information. "What on earth am 1 to do? .My lujigage is gone on ! " "Tr ¦ i ii stops ut HulTOW, !r. Til telegraph tli. -re itnd have it sent b-ck by tlie nexl train." "Tbank you; I wish you woulil. If I am t stop i u towu overniglit I must hare it. "V'T.v wel!, sir. What tl your luggnge likef" "It's a Iftrge leather portmantean, and rat pal Into the the throujfh vn tor Rottenbornngb. Tliey'll be alle lo (Iírtimrui-h it easily, as it has my hiltlnll upon it." '"And they are, sir?" "R e." The reporter went off to tel'griph, and tii ¦ deteottre relamed to the rsfreehment room. There Mr. Wylie remaiiieil for snini1 time, upparently absorbed in tbe i oii-iiinpiion of a cls ol beor, hut reully won -!fi'i.i(r what Hu' reanlt of bis strat:t ir ¦ i wmild bc. He greally feared lest the Coont nlght notice his portmaneau bel ig removed trom the van, and, inBtead at % meaga oomlng that the luggftgc would be sent back at once, one Wou ld arrive dirccting bis arrest. So gtvn was liis anxlety on tbis point, that il s ned to bina hours before the porter tiirnrd up. Then, to his IronMBM relief, hc learned that tbe portmanteau hail besa taken fronn the van at H;irrow, and would besent back bv the next train. When the next train arrived at Willes den the porter pointed out to him the reiihumI portinanteaa Sure enou;rh, it was (' imt Ulricl's. Letthlft it rcmain where il uu-, Mr W lic jumped into i compurtnipnl mu] preceded vith it to Euston. At Enston, Mr. Wylie claimed the por m nieau, mid boldly puttiní it on l i mi of liansom-iHli, drove to Kinjj'srfOM -t:tiouon the Underground railway, and there lic in ik u ticket to (Jharingcros, ('iiniiiily chooMng an empty ciiiiipirtineiit, he coiitrlved, dnrtog tbe rom se ol the journey, to effect h clmtlL'e in liis di-iruise such that, while no more Hke him-elf tlian ever; he was stil I a very ilill'c re it looking man trom the one who Haiined the pmtinanteau at Hillesden. When he arrived ut Cnarnr cross it was quite dark, and there were few people about. Takintr the heavy portinanteau In liis liinrl, he rarricd it himself from 1 1 -laii'in lo lii offioe in Duke street. The tnomwit be jrot Mfe)y uto his privat' room, he produced abunch.of skeleton keys mid grt about picking the lock. Sucreedlng in this, ha eajjerly searched througTi the anieles n tbe hu for the letters he wanteil. To hls chajjrin. he Qould dlaoovwr no trace of them. Over anil over ajaln be Marebed the contents, hut each time with the faine result. At Icimt li pauaed in bis work, almost ! lint Ing with anxiety and disappointment. "Anothcr failire," he saiil Vi liimself, "and a WOIM one than before." As he spoke he coiitiuiieil aimlssly tiirninu' over the portmanteau'a contents '¦V hit a top the fdlow is!" he exrlaiineil. "Why, half of his luggage Ie briishcs. And now that I notloe it, what siringe brutbM they are. What heavy bucks they have." The ba ks of the brushes certainly looked very tliick, and when Mr. Wylie ex imined them elo-ely he foun I that they rere even thicker than they looked, for thé halr lo the center was much shorter tli ui nttheslde", and the backs, therefore, mu-i hc dceper there. Indeed, they looked so sn-picions that the detective at once begHO to try If they did not open in sonie way or other. He soon discovered tbal they did. The top scale of pollshed wood ran in a kind of groove, and wn-i easily movable. He pulled it back, aml there, in the middle, was a bollow space crushed ful i of letters. Tremlilinii with excitement, he lifted thein out and looked at thera. To hls delight, they were the very ones he was in searcli of. There were two cases, each containing two bruhe. In the flrst brush be npeiicd tln-re were sixteen letters from Luly Moxlie; in the secoud there were iHirin. These were all in the English. The liru-hi's in the other cise had hIso moval.le backs and contained letters, btit a gtiince at the handwrttlng sbowed him that they were not Lady Moodle's. He glaneed rapidly over the letters Thelr contents were of the most Innocent eharacter, mere cominonplace congratulations, condolenres and inquiries, such as a Irlend wonld write to a friend. "1 ilon't sec," siid the detective to himself, "why she .slionld be alrald of herhusband gel.ting these. But elie said there more Ihan torty of them, and there are only aboul tliirty bere. Letmesee. By Jove, 1 have it ! She told me there were onlv a lew of them that were of doubtful eharacter. It Is just those few that are miBilng. He has them in his pocket, and l'vc falled Hgaln ! '' lic sat silent and stlll fir a moment, il.i.i-d by tlii.s discorery, but he quickly reüined bis habitual coolues-i and decisión. "Well," he said, "I miy a well see that tbe Other letters are about." lic began rapidly to read them. They were In varioui handwritings, but most of them in one wbich he somehow or other thniiülit he had seen before. These lettcis were aigned ilmply with an "H." and were couched in the most aft'ectionate terra. 1 wonder who this "H." can be?" he siid. "Shc's evidently very much gone on the couut, and no mistake. There's a 'love' or a 'darling' tor every other word. Here's an frivltution for the 15th, how sweet it is. But here is one in which she bas goae farther tbau the '11.' It's Biftned 'Helena' Now, I wonder whfl 'Heient' isï Hallo, what's here? A letter from a man, and signed 'Svendeleri' - the old Jewish money-lender and rcccivcr of stolen goods. That, at all eventa, looki suipicfoos." II e re ul the letter over carefully. When he bad (In Wied it be lay back iu bis chair. and drew a long breath. "liood beavens ! " he .said, when he had reoovered bis eomposure, "this isa disoovery ! Was there ever anything no fortanatef Pin olF by the mornlllg train, and our frieud will be safely in quod before he has a chance of seeinjr Sir Oh irles." "lint stay," he said to himself, "it Isn't quite so simple us I tbought. I must account for how I carne by this paper, wlncli will be ditïicult. Besides, I'm not sure it will be evidence agalntt him unless it's found In bis possession. Let me see." 11e paosed and reflected. Then, after a few momento, with a cry of triuuiph, hc iet to work replaclng tbe contents of the bag. Wlien everything was in exceptthe letter frorn Svetideleri and Lady Moodie's oorreppondence, he selected about ten of the most innocnt of her letter?, aud replaeing the remaiiider in tlie backs of the tirushes, lonkeil up the portnianteau. Then he placed Svendeleri's letter in one of tfoodlb't, put tliein in Ii is pocket, restored bis dUguise to what it was when he elaimed the count'8 lugmge, and, taking the pnrtmanteau n bil tiNBd, li'ft the office. When he reached Strand he called a hansom and drove to BuKtoo At Euston he a-iked for the station BMMter. That official was duly forthcomiDft. 'This I find," said tlie detective to him, "is not my portmanteau, after a'l. I thou'ilit t was at first, as it bas my initials on the side n) is iibout the i-ame sizc, bilt I find that my key wout (o into the lock, so it ciui't be mine." "No, sir, it isn't your's," replied the station master; "it Is Count Ulrici's. He's beeiï ktcking up a deuee of a rovv abmit it. We've liad half-u-dozen telegram from R'Utenboroiigh already. lm glad t's recovered. What ubout your own, sir?" "Th it's the question. You had b.tter telegrapb down the line about it. It mui have been put out ut eue of the stations the five o'clock train called at, 1 suppose. I'll eall and hear what news you have to-inorrow. Good-ni}{ht." Aud the detective walked off Before four o'clock the next nioruing Mr. .loho Wylie was at Euston, not disffuised this time, but in his usual costmne. He took a ticket by the fiist tr.iin for Hottenborongh, wheie he irrived ut about eight. Af'ter pwallowing a hasty lire ikta-i at the hotel in tbat iuteresting towu, he obtained a cab and drove to Darkllngbuurne. There he Inquired tor S r Charles Moodie. Sir Charles at once S iw him. Ha explained 10 Sir Charles that he was a detective. He liad lonjr, he Mlhl, been shadowiiijí a foreigner wiio was suspeoted of a great crime, and wlio, he learued latei j', was about to try to levy black inail upon Sir Charles by prcte.ding to have letters from L dy Moodie which reflected on her reputatlou. He was anxious to have a talk with this gentleman to an unsuspected cbaraeter, in order to try and obtain some unguarded statements trom him. He begtted Sr Charles to allow bim to represent himself as Sir Charles when the s-couuilrel came to the house. The baronet seemed very adverse to such a couríe, but Lady Moodie, who was called o for consultation, so stronjtly supported it that at lat he was induced to consent. About mid-day Ueant Ulrici arrived. He sent up hls card to Lidie Moodie, hut she refused to see him. Then he aslcvd for Sir Charle. He wal at once shown into the library, where the detective was. The count had never seen Sir Charles, who, nvolved in business cares, seldoin went Into the fray company his wife so delighted in. Theeountat once proceeded to business in the coolest aud most impudent manner. He had no difflilence or hesitatation about statini; what soit of relations he wished Sir Charles to believe had existed between bim and Lady Moodie. He said he had letten in her undeiilable hiindwritinjr to prove the tmth nf his statements. "Show me thcin," said the detective. The count handed over the letters. After fiimbling witb tbem for a moment, Mr. Wylie proceeded to rend them one by one. VVMien he had flnished he paused, aud aaid, very coolly: "1 see DOthlog incriminatinir in these as gainst Lady Miiiidie. They are all of the moei innocent description. But wbat's th3?" And he held up Svendeleri's letter. The count turned deadly pale. "Can 1 have made a mistake?" he muttered "I'm afraid you have," said Mr. YVylh', and he touched the bell. As he did so the count sprang madlv upon him. There was for a moment a fieice strujrgle, but before the [tullan could overeóme Mr. Wylie's resistaiice, Sir Charles aud a pervant rushed into the room and seized him. "Too late, my hearty," said the detective to the count. "Look, Sir Charle, these are the letters he received tnun Lady Moodie; more innocent notes roman never penned. And see what I disoovered auiong them- a letter from that Jewlsh scoundrel Svendeleri offerinI two thousand pounds for the Heiviside dlamonds, whicb were stolen ah iut two mouths ago. There standa tlie thief!" "What!" excl'iiuied the count, '"you'ie not Sir Charles Moodie?" "No; I'm John Wylie, private detective at yonr service." "What a fooi I was," exclaimed the count, "not to see how it came about that my lujig ige went wrong." "When the sprinfr-time conu's," we usually find ourselves drowsy and exha-.isted, owinjf to the impiire and slcij; gisb state of the blood. To reuiedy this trouble, tuke Ayer's Sars iparilla, the most po werf ui, yet safe and economical, bloodpurilierin existence. An authority saj'8 that pearl necklaces costiug $4,00U will be t'ashionable tilla winter. That settles it. We know at least one woman who will not follow the fashion in iearl necklaees this winter. Tlilrty-tive hundred dollars Í8 enough to jfive