Speaker 1: 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 lackeredemicion, 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.
Speaker 2: Lady mc clure.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: In point of.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Is a woman.
Speaker 1: Well, I'm glad you do, but it's good bye tonight,
Sir Justin, for I go next week to Paris.
Speaker 2: Even in the gloom of.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: No, you don't mean that.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Won't do for me. You must tell me what you
mean by it.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Think you like me.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: She stopped short.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Flirting with you. But Purchase, I have cared a great
deal about.
Speaker 1: 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?
Speaker 2: Though?
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: All right, Norah, her brother.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: No Mahatma could have been more unmoved.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: After breakfast, she rose and put.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: There was a.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Well, you may like them that way in.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: And advised that.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: That was useless. Sir Everett feared.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: The detective pricked up his ears.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: He turned round softly.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Such things often happen.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Perceus answered him, never a word.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: The manner born, and had never acquired.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: It was Lady McLear's turn to fare up.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Your ladyship's just.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: The girl shall not be searched, she put in, growing hot.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Now this is a criminal case.
Speaker 1: I'm here to discharge a public duty.
Speaker 2: I don't mind in the.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: With a cool smile.
Speaker 1: 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?
Speaker 2: Undress? Who came back with her in the carriage? To
all these.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Sir Justin met her in the row one day.
Speaker 1: 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?
Speaker 2: I read.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Could have choked her?
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Why to be cut?
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: He asked to say miss Remanette.
Speaker 1: 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.
Speaker 2: Pursy stood there all dazed.
Speaker 1: I I don't understand, she cried, with a swimming brain.
Speaker 2: Who on earth are you talking about?
Speaker 1: 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