The Great Ruby Robbery pursus. Ramonette was an American heiress, As she justly
remarked, this was a commonplace profession for a young woman nowadays, for almost
everybody of late years has been an American and an heiress. A poor Californian
indeed, would be a charming novelty in London society, But London society so
far has had to go without one pursus. Ramonette was on her way back
from the Wilcoxes Ball. She was stopping, of course, with Sir Everett
and Lady mc clure at the house at Hampstead. I say, of course
advisedly, because if you or I go to see New York, we have
to put up at our own expense by dollars a day without wine or extras
at the Windsor or the Fifth Avenue. But when the pretty American comes to
London, and every American girl is ex officio pretty in Europe, at least
I suppose they keep their ugly ones at home for domestic consumption. She is
invariably the guest either of the two wager duchess or of a royal lackeredemssion,
like Sir Everett of the first distinction. Yankees visit Europe in fact, to
see, among other things, our art and our old nobility, and by
dint of native persistence, they get into places that you and I could never
succeed in penetrating unless we devoted all the energies of a long and blameless life
to securing an invitation. Perces hadn't been to the Wilcoxes with Lady mc clure.
However, the mc clures were really too great to know such people as
Wilcoxes, who were something tremendous in the city but didn't buy pictures, And
academicians, you know, don't care to cultivate city people unless they are customers
patrons the academicians most usually call them, but I prefer the simple business word
myself as being a deal less patronizing. So Perss had accepted an invitation from
Missus Duncan Harrison, the wife of the well known member for the Hackney's Division
of Elmatshire, to take a seat in her carriage to and from the Wilcoxes.
Missus Harrison knew the habits and manners of American heiresses too well to offer
to chaperone Perses, and indeed Persis as a free born America citizen who was
quite as well able to take care of herself the wide world over as any
three ordinary married englishwomen. Now missus Harrison had a brother, an Irish baronet,
Sir Justin o'byron, late of the eighth Husses, who had been with
them to the Wilcoxes, and who accompanied them home to Hampstead on the back
seat of the carriage. Sir Justin was one of those charming, ineffective,
elusive irishmen whom everybody likes and everybody disapproves of. He had been everywhere and
done everything except to earn an honest livelihood. The total absence of rents during
the sixties and seventies had never prevented his father, old Sir Terence o'byron,
who sat so long for Connemara in the Unreformed Parliament, from sending his son
Justin in the state to Eton and afterwards to a fashionable college at Oxford.
He gave me the education of a gentleman. Sir Justin was wont regretfully to
observe, but he omitted to give me also the income to keep it up
with. Nevertheless, society felt o'bien was the sort of man who must be
kept afloat somehow, and it kept him afloat accordingly, in those mysterious ways
that only society understands, and that you and I, who are not society,
could never get to the bottom off if he tried. For a century.
Sir Justin himself had essayed Parliament too, where he sat for a while
behind the great parnel, without put a moment forfeiting society's regard, even in
those early days when it was held as prime article of faith by the world,
that no gentleman could possibly call himself a home ruler. Twas only of
o' byron's wild Irish tricts, Society said complacently with that single indulgence it always
extends to its special favorites, and which is in fact the correlative of the
unsparing cruelty it shows in turn to those who happened to offend against its unwritten
precepts. If Sir Justin had blown up a star or two in a fit
of political exuberance, society would only have regarded the escapade as one of o'
byron's eccenticities. He had also held a commission for a while in a cavalry
regiment, which he left, it was understood owing to a difference of opinion
about her lady with the colonel, and he was now a gentleman at large
on London society, supposed by those who know more about everyone than one knows
about oneself to be on the lookout for a nice girl with a little money.
Sir Justin had paid Perces a great deal of attention that particular evening.
In point of fact, he had paid her a great deal of attention from
the very first whenever he met her, and on the way back home from
the dance, he had kept his eyes fixed on Perces's face to an extent
that was almost embarrassing. The pretty Californian leaned back in her place in the
carriage and surveyed him languidly. She was looking at her level best that night,
in her pale pink dress, with the famous remnete room in a cascade
of red light setting off the snowy neck of hers twas a neck for a
painter. Sir Justin let his eyes fall regretfully more than once on the glittering
groupies he liked and admired pursues, oh, quite immensely. Your society man,
who had been through seven or eight London seasons, could hardly be expected
to go quite so far as falling in love with any woman. His habit
is rather to look about him critically among all the nice girls trotted out by
their mammas for his lordly inspection, and to reflect with a faint smile that
this, that or the other one might perhaps really suit him, if it
were not for and there comes in the inn inevitable butt of all human commendation.
Still, Sir Justin admitted, with a sigh to himself that he liked
Pursis ever so much. She was so fresh and original, and she talked
so cleverly as for purses. She would have given her eyes like every other
American girl, to be made my lady. And she had seen no man
yet with that auxiliary title in his gift whom she liked half so well as
this delightful, wild irishman. At the McLear's door, the carriage stopped,
so Justin jumped out and gave his hand to Persis. You know the house
well, of course, Sir Everett McLear's. It's one of those large,
artistic mansions in red brick and old old oak the top of the hill,
and it stands a little way back from the road. Discreetly retired the big
wooden porch, very convenient for leave taking. Sir Justin ran up the steps
with purses to ring the bell for her. He had too much of the
irrepressible Irish blood in his veins to leave that pleasant task to his sister's footman.
But he didn't ring at once, and the risk of keeping Missus Harrison
waiting outside for nothing, he stopped and talked a minute or so with the
pretty American. You look charming tonight, miss Ramonette, he said, as
she threw back her light opera wrapped for a moment in the porch and displayed
a single flash of the snowy neck with the famous rubies. Those stones become
you. So she looked at him and smiled. You think so, she
said, a little tremulous for even your American heiress, after all, is
a woman. Well, I'm glad you do, but it's good bye tonight,
Sir Justin, for I go next week to Paris. Even in the
gloom of the porch, just lighted by an artistic red and blue lantern in
wrought iron. She could see a shade of disappointment passed quickly over his handsome
face as he answered with a little gulp. No you don't mean that,
oh, mister Romanette, I am so sorry. Then he paused and drew
back. And yet after all, he continued, perhaps, and there he
checked himself. Pursus looked up at him hastily. Yet after all what she
asked with evident interest, The young man drew an almost inaudible sigh. Yet
after all nothing, he answered evasively. That might do for an englishwoman,
Pursus put in with American frankness, but it won't do for me. You
must tell me what you mean by it. For she reflected sagely that the
happiness of two lives might depend upon those two minutes. You'll have foolish to
throw away the chance of a man you really like, with a my ladyship
to boot all for the sake of pure convention. Sir Justin leaned against the
woodwork of the retiring porch. She was a beautiful girl, he had hot
Irish blood. Well, yes, just for once he would say the plain
truth to her, Miss Ramonette. He began leaning forward and bringing his face
close to hers, Miss Ramonette, Persus, shall I tell you the reason
why? Because I like you so much, I almost think I love you?
Persius felt the blood cub in her tingling cheeks. How handsome he was,
and a baronet. And yet you're not altogether sorry, she said,
reproachfully that I'm going to Paris. No, not altogether sorry, he answered,
sticking to it. And I'll tell you why too, Miss Ramonette,
I like you very much, and I think you like me. For a
week or two, I've been saying to myself, I really believe I must
ask her to marry me. The temptations being so strong, I could hardly
resist it. And why do you want to resist it? Pursus asked,
all tremulous, So justin hesitated a second, and then, with a perfectly
natural and instinctive movement, though only a gentleman would have ventured to make it,
he lifted his hand and just touched the tips of his finger the ruby
pendant on her necklip. This is why, he answered, simply, with
manly frankness, Persis, you're so rich, I'd never dare ask you.
Perhaps you don't know what my answer would be Prisius murmured very low, just
to preserve her own dignity. Oh yes, I think I do, the
young man replied, gazing deeply into her dark eyes. It isn't that.
If it were only that, I wouldn't be so much minded. But I
think you'd take me. There was moisture in her eye. He went on
more boldly. I know you would take me, Pursis, and that's why
I don't ask you. You're a great deal too rich, and these make
it impossible, Sir Justin Pursus answered, removing his hand gently, but with
the moisture growing thicker, for she really liked him. It's most unkind of
you to say so. Either you ought not have told me at all,
or else if you did. She stopped short. Humanly, shame overcame her.
The man leaned forward and spoke earnestly. Oh don't say that, he
cried from his heart. I couldn't bear to offend you, but I couldn't
bear either to let you go away well without ever having told you. In
that case, you might have thought I didn't care at all for you,
and I was only flirting with you. But Purchase, I have cared a
great deal about you a great, great deal, and had hard work many
times to prevent myself from asking you. And I'll tell you the plain reason
why I haven't asked you. I'm a man about town, not much good.
I'm afraid for anybody or anything when everybody says I am on the lookout
for an heiress, which happens not to be true. And if I married
you, everybody would say, ah, there I told you so. Now,
I wouldn't mind that for myself. I'm a man and I could snap
my fingers at them, but i'd mind it for you, persis, for
I'm enough in love with you to be very, very jealous, indeed,
for your honor. I couldn't bear to think people should say, there's that
pretty American girl, Persius Ramonette. That was you know, she'd thrown herself
away upon that good for nothing irishman Justin o'byron, a regular fortune hunter who
married her for her money. So for your sake, Persus, i'd rather
not ask you. I'd rather leave you for some better man to marry.
But I wouldn't Pursus cried aloud. Oh, sir, Justin, you must
believe me, You must remember at that precise moment, Missus Harrison put her
head out of the carriage window and called out, rather loudly, why justin
what's keeping you? Though? Horses will catch their deaths of cold, and
they were clipped this morning. Come back at once, my dear boy.
Besides, you know lay common answers, all right, Norah, her brother
answered, I won't be a minute. We can't get them to answer this
precious bell. I believe it don't ring, but I'll try again anyhow,
And half forgetting that his own words weren't strictly true, for he hadn't yet
tried. He pressed the knob with a vengeance. Is that your room with
the light burning, Miss Ramonette, He went on in a fairly loud official
voice, as a servant came to answer the one with the balcony? I
mean quite panish, isn't it reminds one of Romeo and Juliette. But most
convenient for a burglary too, such nice low rails. Mind you take good
care of the remnette rubies. I don't want to take care of them,
Pursus answered, wiping her dim eyes hastily with her lace pocket handkerchief. If
they make you feel as you say, said, Justin, I don't mind
if they go. Let the burglar take them. And even as she spoke,
the McLear footman, immutable sphinx like opened the door for her. Purceus
sat long in her own room that night. Before she began undressing, her
head was full of Sir Justin and these mysterious hints of his. At last,
however, she took her rubies off and a pretty silk bodis I don't
care for them at all, she thought, with a gulp, if they
keep from me the love of the man I'd like to marry. It was
late before she fell asleep, and when she did, her rest was troubled.
She dreamt the great deal in her dreams, Sir Justin and dance music,
and the rubies and burglars were incongruously mingled. To make up for it,
she slept late next morning, and Lady mc clure let her sleep on,
thinking she was probably wearied out with much dancing the previous evening, as
though any amount of excitement could ever weary a pretty American. About ten o'clock,
she woke up with a start. A weak feeling oppressed her that somebody
had come in during the night and stolen her rubies. She rose hastily and
went to her dressing table to look for them. The case was there,
all right. She opened it and looked at it, Oh, prophetic soul,
The rubies were gone, and the box was empty. Now, Perces
had honestly said that night before the burglar might take her rubies if he chose,
and she wouldn't mind the loss of them. But that was last night,
and the rubies hadn't then as yet been taken. This morning, somehow
things seemed quite different. It would be rough on us all, especially on
politicians, if we must always be bound by what we said yesterday. Perces
was an American, and no American is insensible to the charms of precious stones.
It is a savage taste which European immigrants seem to have inherited obliquely from
their red Indian predecessors. She rushed over to the bell and rang it with
the feminine violence Lady Maclear's made answered the summons as usual. She was a
clever, demure looking girl this made of Lady McLear's, And when Perces cried
to her wildly sent for the police at once, and tell Sir Everett,
my jewels are stolen. She answered, yes, Miss, with such sober
acquiescence that Persus, who was American and therefore a bundle of nerves, turned
round and stared her as an incomprehensible mystery. No Mahatma could have been more
unmoved. She seemed quite to expect those rubies would be stolen, and to
take no more notice of the incident than if Perceus had told her she wanted
hot water. Lady mc clure indeed greatly prided herself on the cultivated imperturbability of
Bertha's She regarded it as the fine flower of English domestic service, where perces
was American and saw things otherwise to her. The calm repose with which Bertha
answered, yes, miss, certainly, Miss, I'll go and tell sir,
Everard, seemed nothing short of exasperating. Pertha went off with the news,
closing the door quite softly, and a few minutes later Lady mc clere
herself appeared in the Californian's room to console her visitor under this severe domestic affliction.
She found Percy's sitting up in the bed in a pretty French dressing jacket
pale blue with the reverse of fawn color reading a book of verses. Why
my, dear Lady mc clure exclaimed, then you've found them again. I
suppose Twith had told us you'd lost your lovely rubies, so I have,
Dear Lady mc clure, pursus answered, wiping her eyes. They are gone.
They've been stolen. I've forgot to lock my door when I came home
last night and the window was open. Somebody must have come in this way
or that and taken them. But whenever I'm in trouble, I'd try a
dose of Browning. He's splendid for the nerves. He's so consoling, you
know. He brings one to anchor. She breakfasted in bed. She wouldn't
leave the room, she declared, till the police arrived. After breakfast,
she rose and put on a dainty Parisian morning wrap. Americans have always such
pretty bedroom things for these informal receptions, and sat up in a state to
await the police officer. Sir Everett, himself, much disturbed that such a
mishap should have happened in his house, went round in person to fetch the
official. While he was gone, Lady mc clear made a thorough search of
the room, but couldn't find a trace of the missing rubies. Are you
sure you put them in the case, dear, She asked for the honor
of the household, and Percy's answered quite confident, Lady mc clear, I
always put them the moment I take them off, and when I came to
look for them this morning, the case was empty. The they were very
valuable, I believe, Lady mc clear said, inquiringly. Six thousand pounds
was the figure in your money, I guess Persus answered ruefully. I don't
know if you call that a lot of money in England, but we do
in America. There was a moment's pause, and then Percys spoke again.
Lady mc clear, She said, abruptly, do you consider that maid of
yours a Christian woman? Lady mc clear was startled. That was hardly the
light in which she was accustomed to regard the lower classes. Well, I
don't know about that, she said, slowly. That's a great deal,
you know, dear, to assert about anybody, especially once made. But
I should think she was honest, quite decidedly honest. Well that's the same
thing about, isn't it. Pursus answered, much relieved. I am glad
you think that so, for I was almost half afraid of her. She's
too quite for my taste, somehow, so silent, you know, and
inscrutable. Oh my dear, her hostess cried, don't blame her for silence.
That's just what I like about her. It's exactly why I chose her
for such a nice, noiseless girl. Moves about the room like a cat
on tiptoe, knows her proper place, and never dreams of speaking unless she's
spoken to. Well, you may like them that way in Europe, Pursus
responded frankly, But in America we prefer them a little bit more human.
Twenty minutes later, the police officer arrived. He wasn't in you uniform.
The inspector, feeling at once the gravity of the case and recognizing that this
was a big thing in which there was glory to be won and perhaps promotion,
sent the detective at once and advised that, if possible, nothing should
be said to the household on the subject for the present till the detective had
taken a good look around the premises. That was useless. Sir Everett feared
for the lady maid knew, and the lady's maid would sure go down all
agog with the news to the servants hall immediately, however, they might try.
No harm in trying, and sooner the detective got round to the house,
of course, the better. The detective accompanied him back a keen faced,
close shaven irreproached, looking man like a vulgarized copy of mister John Morley.
He was kirk and business like. His first question was have the servants
been told about this? Lady mc clure looked inquiringly across at Bertha. She
herself had been sitting all the time with the bereaved persis to console her with
browning under this heavy affliction. No, my lady Bertha answered, ever calm,
invaluable Servant Bertha, I didn't mention it to anybody downstairs, on purpose,
thinking perhaps it might be decided to search the servant's boxes. The detective
pricked up his ears. He was engaged already in glancing casually round the room.
He moved about it now like a conjurer, with quiet steps and slow.
He doesn't get on one's nerves. Purses remarked approvingly in an undertone to
her friend. Then she added aloud, what's your name? Please? Mister
officer. The detective was lifting a lace handkerchief on the dressing table at the
side. He turned round softly. Gregory, madam, he answered, hardly,
glancing at the girl and going on with his occupation, the same as
the powders persist, interposed with a shudder. I used to take them when
I was a child. I never could bear them. We are useful as
remedies, the detective replied, with a quiet smile, But nobody likes us,
and he relapsed contentedly into his work, once more, searching round the
apartment. The first thing we have to do, he said, with a
calm air of superiority, standing now by the window with one hand in his
pocket, is to satisfy ourselves whether or not there has really at all been
a robbery. You must look through the room well and see you haven't left
rubies lying about loose somewhere. Such things often happen. We are constantly called
in to investigate a case when it's only a matter of ladies carelessness. At
this purse is flared up. Our daughter of the Great Republic isn't accustomed to
be doubted like a mere European woman. I am quite sure I took them
off, she said, and put them back in the jewel case. Of
that, I am just confident there isn't a doubt possible. Mister Gregory redoubled
his search in all likely and unlikely places. I should say that settles the
matter, he answered, blandly. Our experience is that whenever a lady's perfectly
certain, beyond the possibility of doubt, she put a thing away safely,
it's absolutely sure to turn up where she says she didn't put it. Perceus
answered him, never a word. Her manners had not that repourse that stamps
the caste of ver De. Ver So, to prevent an outbreak, she
took refuge in Browning. Mister Greggory, nothing abashed, searched the room thoroughly,
up and down, without the faintest regard to Percys's feelings. He was
a detective, he said, and his business was first of all to unmasked
crime, irrespective of circumstances. Lady mac clear stood by meanwhile, with the
imperturbable Bertha, Mister Greggory investigated every hole and cranny. Like a man who
wishes to let the world see for itself, he performs a disagreeable duty with
unflinching thoroughness. When he had finished, he turned to lady mc clure,
and now, if you please, he said, blandly, we will proceed
to investigate the servants boxes. Lady mc clere looked at her maid, Bertha.
She said, go downstairs and see that none of the other servants come
up meanwhile to their bedrooms. Lady mc clure was not quite to the manner
born, and had never acquired the hateful aristocratic habit of calling women servants by
their surnames only. But the detective interposed, no, no, he said,
sharply, this young woman had better stop here, with miss Ramnette strictly
under her eye, till I have searched the boxes, for if I find
nothing there, it may perhaps be my disagreeable duty by and by to call
in a female detective to search her. It was Lady McLear's turn to fare
up. Now, why this is my own maid, she said, in
a chilly tone, and I have every confidence in her. Very sorry about
that, my lady, Mister Greggory responded in a most official voice. But
our experience teaches us that if there's a person in the case whom nobody ever
dreams of, suspecting that's the person one who has committed the robbery. Why
you'll be suspecting myself next, Lady mc clar cried with some disgust. Your
Ladyship's just the last person in the world I should think of suspecting. The
detective answered with a differential bow, which, after this previous speech was to
say the least of its equivocal pursus, began to get annoyed. She didn't
like half the look of what the girl, Bertha herself, but still she
was there as Lady mc clure's guests, and she couldn't expose her hostess to
discomfort on her own account. The girl shall not be searched, she put
in, growing hot. I don't care as cent whether I loose the wretched
stones or not. Compared to human dignity, what are they worth? Not
five minutes consideration? They are worth just seven years. Mister Greggory answered with
a professional definiteness. And as to searching, why that's out of your hands.
Now this is a criminal case. I'm here to discharge a public duty.
I don't mind in the least being searched, Bertha put in obligingly,
with an air of indifference. You can search me if you like, when
you've got a warrant for it. The detective looked up sharply, so also
did Perces. This already acquaintance with liberty of the subject in criminal cases impressed
her unfavorably. Ah, we will see about that, mister Gregory answered with
a cool smile. Meanwhile, Lady mc clear, I'll have a look at
the boxes. The search, strictly illegal, brought out nothing. Mister Gregory
returned to Percis's bedroom disconsolate. You can leave the room, he said to
Bertha, and Bertha glided out. I have set another man outside to keep
a constant eye on her. He added an explanation. By this time Perces
had almost made her mind up as to who was the culprit, which she
said nothing over it for lady maclaar's sake to the detective. As for that
immovable official, he began asking questions, some of them Percy's thought almost bothering
on personal Where had she been last night? Was she sure she had really
worn the rubies? How did she come home? Was she certain she took
them off? Did the maid help her undress? Who came back with her
in the carriage to all these questions rapidly fired off with cross examining acuteness.
Pursus answered in the direct American fashion, she was sure she had the rubies
on when she came back home to Hampstead, because Sir Justin o'beyen, who
came back with her in his sister's carriage, had noticed them the last thing,
and had told her to do care of them. At mention of that
name, the detective smiled meaningly. A meaning smile is a stalking traitor.
Detective. Oh, Sir Justin o'beyroen, he repeated, with quite self constraint.
He came back with you in the carriage then, and did he sit
the same side with you? Lady mclere grew indignant. That was mister Gregory's
cue. Really, sir, she said angrily, if you are going to
suspect gentlemen in Sir Justin's position, we shall none of us be safe from
you the law, Mister Gregory replied, with an air of profound difference,
is no respector of persons, but it ought to be of characters. Lady
mcleure cried warmly, what's the good of having a blameless character? I should
like you to know if, if, if, it doesn't allow you to
commit a robbery with impunity, the detective interposed, finishing his sentence in his
own way. Well, well, that's true, that's perfectly true. But
Sir Justin's character, you see, can hardly be called blameless. He's a
gentleman, Persus cried, with flashing eyes, turning round upon the officer.
And he's quite incapable of such a mean and despicable crime as you dare to
suspect him of. Oh I see, the officer answered, like one to
whom a welcome ray of light breaks suddenly through a great darkness. Sir Justin's
a friend of yours. Did you come into the porch with you? He
did, Persus answered, flushing crimson. And if you have had the insolence
to bring a charge against him, calm yourself, madam, the detective replied,
coolly, I do nothing of the sort. At this state of the
proceedings, it's possible there may have been no robbery in case at all.
You must keep our minds open for the present to every possible alternative. It's
a delicate matter to hint at. But before we go any further, do
you think, perhaps, sir justin may have carried the rubies away by mistake,
entangled the misclothes, say, for example, his court sleep. It
was a loophole of escape, but Purss didn't jump at it. He had
never the opportunity, she answered with a flash. And I know quite well
they were there on my neck when he left me. For the last thing
he said to me was looking up at this very window. That balconies awfully
convenient for a burglary. Mind, you take good care of the remnant rubies.
And I remembered what he said when I took them off last night,
and that's what made me so sure I really had them. And you slept
with the window open. The detective went on, still smiling to himself.
Well here we have all the materials to be sure for our first class mystery.
For some more days, nothing further turned up of importance about the Great
Ruby robbery. It got into the papers, of course, as everything does
nowadays, and all London was talking of it. Purces found herself quite famous
as the American lady who had lost her jewels. People pointed her out in
the park, people stared at her heart through their opera glasses at the theater.
Indeed, the possession of the celebrated remnant rubies had never made her half
so conspicuous in the world as the loss of them made her. It was
almost worth. But while losing them, Perces thought to be so much made
off as she was in society. In consequence, all the world knows a
young lady must be somebody when she can offer a reward of five hundred pounds
for the recovery of jew jaws valued at six thousand. Sir Justin met her
in the row one day. Then you don't go to Paris for a while
yet, until you get them back, he inquired, very low, and
Perces answered blushing, No, Sir Justin, not yet, and I'm almost
glad of it. No, you don't mean that, the young man cried
with perfect boyish Ardor well, I confess, miss Ramonette. The first thing
I thought myself when I read it in the Times was just the very same.
Then, after all, she won't go yet to Paris. Pursus looked
at him from her pony with American frankness, and I, she said,
coouring I found anchor in Browning for what do you think I read and learned
to rate a true man's heart far above Rubi's. The book opened at the
very place, and there I found anchor. But when Sir Justin went round
to his rooms that same evening, his servant said to him, a gentleman
was inquiring for you here this afternoon, Sir, A close shaving gentlemen,
not very proposing. And it seemed to me somehow, Sir, as if
fear he was trying to pump me. Sir Justin's face was grave. He
went to his bedroom at once he knew what the man wanted, and he
turned straight to his wardrobe, looking hard at the dress coat he had worn
on the eventful evening. Things may cling to a sleep, don't you know,
or be entangled in a cuff, or get casually into a pocket,
or some one may put them there. For the next ten days or so,
mister Gregory was busy, constantly busy. Without doubt, he was the
most active and energetic of detectives. He carried out so fully his own official
principle of suspecting everybody from China to Peru, that at last poor Purses got
fairly mazed with his web of possibilities. Nobody was safe from his cultivated and
highly trained suspicion. Not Sir Everett in his studio, nor Lady mc clear
in a boudoir, nor the butler in his pantry, nor Sir Justin o'beyen
in his rooms. In Saint James's. Gregory kept an open mind against everybody
and everything. He even doubted the parrot, and had views as to the
intervention of rats and terriers. Purces got rather tired at last of his perverse
ingenity, especially as she had a very shrewd idea herself who had stolen the
rubies. When he suggested various doubts, however, which seemed remotely to implicate
Sir Justin's honesty, the sensitive American girl felt it go on her nerves and
refused to listen to him, though mister Gregory never ceased to enforce upon her
by precept an example, his own pet doctrine that the last person on earth
one would likely to suspect is always the one who turns out to have done
it. A morning or two later, Purces looked out of her window as
she was dressing her hair. She dressed it herself now, though she was
an American heiress and therefore of course the laziest of her kind, for she
had taken an unaccountable dislike somehow to the quiet girl Bertha. On this particular
morning. However, when Perces looked out, she saw Bertha engaged in her
clothes and apparently very intimate conversation with the Hamstead postman. This sight disturbed the
unstable equilibrium in her equanimity not a little. Why should Bertha go to the
door to the postman at all? Surely it has no part the duty of
Lady McClure's maid to take in the letters, and why should she want to
go prying in the question of who wrote to Miss Ramonette. For Persis intensely
conscious herself that a note from Sir Justin lay on the top of the posts
man's bundle. She recognized it at once, even at that distance below,
by the peculiar shape of the broad, rough envelope. Jump to the natural
feminine conclusion that Bertha must needs be influenced by some abstrusive motive, of which
she herself. Persis was, to say, the very least a component element.
We are all prone to see everything from a personal standpoint. Indeed,
the one quality which makes a man or a woman into a possible novelist,
good, bad, or indifferent is just the special power of throwing himself or
herself into a great many people's personalities alternately. And this is a power possessed
on average by not one in a thousand men or not one in ten thousand
women. Pursus rang the bell violently. Bertha came up, all smiles.
Did you want anything, Miss Persus could have choked her, Yes, she
answered, plainly, taking the bull by the hauns. I want to know
what you were doing down there, prying into other people's letter with the postman.
Bertha looked up at her, ever blind, she answered at once,
without a second's hesitation, The postman's my young man, miss, and we
hoped before very long now to be married. Odious thing, Persus thought,
a glib lie, always ready on the tip of her tongue for every emergency.
But Bertha's full heart was beating violently, beating with love and hope,
and deferred anxiety. A little later in the day, Persus mentioned the incident
casually to Lady mc clure, mainly in order to satisfy herself that the girl
had been lying. Lady mc clure, however, gave a qualified assent.
I believe she is engaged to the postman, she said, I think I
have heard so, though I make it a rule, you see, my
dear, to know as little as I can of these people's love affairs.
We are so very uninteresting. But Bertha certainly told me she wouldn't leave me
to get married for an indefinite period. That was only ten days ago.
She said her young man wasn't yet in a position to make a home for
her. Perhaps, Pursus suggested grimly, something has occurred meanwhile to better hear
her position. Such strange things crop up. She may have come into a
fortune, perhaps so, Lady mc clure replied languidly. The subject bored her.
Though if so, it must really have been very sudden. For I
think it was morning before you lost your jewels, she told me so.
Pursus thought that awed, but she made no comment. Before dinner that evening,
she burst suddenly into Lady mc clure's room. For a minute, Bertha
was dressing her lady's hair. Friends were coming to dine. Among them,
Sir Justin, how did these pearls go with my complexion? Lady mc clear,
Pursus asked rather anxiously, for she specially wished to look her best that
evening for one of the party. Oh charming, Her hostess reply answered with
a society smile. Never saw anything suit you better pursus except my poor rubies,
persus cried rather ruefully for the colored gee jaws are dear to say,
the savage and the woman. I wish I could get them back. I
wonder that man Gregory hasn't succeeded in finding them. Oh my dear lady mc
clear, drawled out, You may be sure by this time they are safe
at Amsterdam. That's the only place in Europe now to look for them?
Why to Amsterdam, my lady Bertha interspersed suddenly with a quick sight glance at
purses. Lady mac clear threw her head back in surprise at so unwonted an
intrusion. What do you want to know that for child, she asked,
somewhat curtly. Why to be cut? Of course, all the diamond cutters
in the world are concentrated in Amsterdam, and the first thing a thief does
when he steals big jewels is to send them across and have them cut in
new shapes so they can't be identified. I shouldn't have thought, so Bertha
put in calmly, they'd have known who to send them to. Lady mc
clear turned to her sharply. Why these things, she said, with a
calm air of knowledge, are always done by experienced thieves who know the ropes
well and are in league with the receivers the whole world over. But Gregory
has his eye on Amsterdam. I'm sure, and we'll soon hear something.
Yes, my lady, Bertha answered in her acquiscent tone, and relapsed into
silence. Four days later, about nine at night, that hard worked man,
the posty on the beat, stood loitering outside Sir Everett mc clure's house,
openly defining the rules of the department in close conference with Bertha. Well,
any news, Bertha asked, trembling over with excitement, for she was
a very different person outside with her lover, from the demure and imperturbable model
maid who waited on my lady. Why, yes, the posty answered,
with a low laugh of triumph, A letter from Amsterdam, and I think
we have fixed it. Bertha almost flung herself upon him. Oh Harry,
she cried, all eagerness. This is too good to be true. Then
in just one other month, we can really get married. There was a
minute's pause, inarticulately filled by the sounds of unrepresentable through the art of the
type founder. Then Harry spoke again. It's an awful lot of money,
he said, musing a regular fortune. And what's more, Bertha, if
it hadn't been for your cleverness, we never should have got it. Pertha
pressed his hand affectionately. Even lady's maid are human. Well, if I
hadn't been so much in love with you, she answered frankly, I don't
think I could have ever had the wit to manage it. But oh,
Harry, love makes one do or try anything. If Perces had heard those
singular words, she would have felt no doubt was any longer possible. Next
morning, at ten o'clock, a policeman came round post haste to Sir Everard's.
He asked to say Miss Remanette. When Perces came down in a morning
wrap, he had put a brief message from the headquarters to give her.
Your jewels have found, miss Will you step round and identify them? Perss
drove back with him, all trembling. Lady mc clure accompanied her at the
police station. They left their cab and entered the anteroom. A little group
had assembled there. The first person Purses distinctly made out in it was Sir
Justin. A great terror seized her. Gregory had so poisoned her mind by
this time with suspicion of everybody and everything she had came across, that she
was afraid of her own shadow. But the next moment she saw clearly he
wasn't there as prisoner, or even as witness, merely as spectator. She
acknowledged him with a hasty bow and cast her eye round again. The next
person she definitely distinguished was Bertha, as calm and cool as ever, but
in the very center of the group, occupying as it were, the place
of honor, which naturally belongs to the prisoner on all similar occasions. Perces
was not surprised at that she had known it all along. She glanced meaningly
at Gregory, who stood a little behind, looking by no means triumphant.
Perceus found his dejection odd, but he was a proud detective, and perhaps
some one else had affected the capture. These are your jewels, I believe,
the inspector said, holding them up, and Perces admitted it. This
is a painful case. The inspector bent on a very painful case. We
grieved to have discovered such a clue against one of our own men. But
as he owns it to himself and intends to throw himself on the mercy of
the court, it's no use talking about it. He won't tempt to defend
it. Indeed, with such evidence, I think he's doing what's best and
wisest. Pursy stood there all dazed. I I don't understand, she cried,
with a swimming brain. Who on earth are you talking about? The
inspector pointed mutely with one hand at Gregory, and for the first time Perseus
saw he was guarded. She clapped her hand to her head. In a
moment, it all broke in upon her. When she had called in the
police. The rubies had never been stolen at all. It was Gregory who
stole them. She understood it now at once the real facts came back to
her. She had taken her necklet off at night, laid it carelessly down
on the dressing table too full of sir Justin, covered it accidentally with her
lace, pocket hand kerchief, and straightway forgotten all about it. Next day
she missed it and jumped at conclusions. When Gregory came, he spied the
rubies as khans under the corner of the handkerchief. Of course, being a
woman, she had naturally looked everywhere except in the place where she had laid
them, and knowing it was a safe case, he had quickly pocketed them
before her very eyes. All unsuspected. He felt sure nobody could accuse him
of a robbery which was committed before he came, and which he had himself
been called in to investigate. The worst of it is, the inspector went
on, he had bown a very ingenious case against Sir Justin o'byron, whom
we were on the very point of arresting today if this young woman hadn't come
in in the eleventh hower, in the very nick of time and earned the
reward by giving us the clue that led to the discovery and the recovery of
jewels. They were brought over this morning by an Amsterdam detective. Pursus looked
hard at Bertha. Bertha answered her, Look, my young man was the
postman, miss, she explained quite simply. And after what my lady said,
I put him up to watch mister Gregory's delivery for the letter from Amsterdam.
I had suspected him from the very first, and when the letter came,
we had him arrested at once and found out who were the people in
Amsterdam who had the rubies. Pursus gasped with astonishment. Her brain was reeling,
but Gregory, in the background put in one last word. Well,
I was right after all, he said, with professional pride. I told
you the very last person you dream of suspecting was sure to be the one
that actually did it. Lady o'byron's rubies were very much admired at Monte Carlo
last season. Mister Gregory had found permanent employment for the next seven years at
her Majesty's quarries on the Isle of Portland. Bertha and her postman have retired
to Canada with five hundred pounds to buy a farm, and everybody says,
Sir Justin o'byron has beaten the record, after all, even for Irish baronets,
by making a marriage at once of money and affection. The End of
the Great Ruby Robbery by Grant Allan