CHAPTER IV.
MILLIE STEVENS.
After questioning the two men whom he had found in the stable, Nickwalked toward the house.
On the way he met Horace Richmond.
"Mrs. Stevens has gone home," said Horace. "She would not remain fordinner, although she has such a long ride before her. She seems terriblydistressed by this strange affair."
"What did your uncle say to her?"
"Not much," was the reply; "and I was a good deal surprised. He beggedher not to be nervous about it, and talked very pleasantly to her, buthe steered clear of the matter of the jewels.
"I don't understand it. I thought he would insist upon what he calls arestitution of the property."
"Perhaps, after all," said Nick, "he isn't so far off his base on theghost question as you think he is."
"Don't you deceive yourself about that. He is just as sure that hisaunt's spirit removed those jewels as you are that that house is restingon its foundations.
"And I wouldn't try to shake his belief just now," continued Horace,seriously. "Simply say nothing about the affair this evening. Talk aboutsomething else to him. Stay with us as long as you can, and quietly lookthe ground over. Then tell me privately what you think."
This advice seemed good to Nick. He passed a quiet evening in the house,and nobody but Mrs. Pond referred to the robberies. Horace managed toquiet her quickly.
But the next morning after breakfast she came to Nick with a very longface.
"My father has been talking to me," she said, "and I'm going to losethose jewels surely, unless you do something and do it very quickly. Idon't care for their value, but they're mine by right, and I mean tokeep them if I can. But, of course, I can't bear to make my father'slife miserable. It will probably end by my compelling my husband to letme give them up."
Nick had his doubts about the possibility of such a thing, and they weremade certainties very soon afterward.
Mr. Pond arrived unexpectedly. When the story was told him, he "dancedthe war-dance," as our young friend Patsy might have expressed it.
"You don't seem to realize the importance of this matter," he exclaimed."Why, it's a million-dollar robbery, that's what it is! If we give upthe jewels, the colonel will give us their value. By jingo, he'll haveto.
"Well, what's that but the theft of a million from him?"
Nick was compelled to confess that it was just that, and nothing else.
"And who'll reap the proceeds?" continued Pond. "Why, the Stevenses, ofcourse. Nobody else gets anything out of it. They're playing on thecolonel's superstitions for a million dollar stake.
"Now, Mr. Carter, you go ahead and work this thing out. Catch the thief.Don't let the colonel get you out of the way. If there's a question ofmoney, I'm good for the best fee you can name."
Nick's first move that day was to go to Mrs. Stevens' house.
She lived well on her small income. It was a nice old country-house,with grounds of considerable extent, and a stable in which two goodhorses were kept.
Nick rode over there on one of Colonel Richmond's fine saddle-horses.
As the detective rode up the winding, shaded walk toward the house, henoticed a man-servant just ahead of him.
This servant had a newspaper and some letters in his hand. He seemed tohave come from the village post-office.
Leaning over the railing of the veranda, as if waiting for this servant,was one of the handsomest girls Nick had ever seen. She was a beauty ofthe dashing, dark-eyed type--a girl of courage and strong will.
The servant gave her the letters just as Nick came in sight. He not onlygave her those he had been carrying in his hand, but he drew one fromhis pocket with a motion that suggested secrecy.
Nick rode up to the veranda, introduced himself, and asked to see Mrs.Stevens.
"Let James take your horse," said the girl. "Come into the house, if youplease. I will speak to my mother."
Nick went into the cool and pretty parlor. Miss Stevens left the roomfor a moment, and then returned with her mother.
The detective spoke of the occurrences of the day before, and requestedpermission to see the room in which the jewelry had so mysteriouslyappeared.
While they were talking thus, it happened that Miss Stevens drew herhandkerchief from her pocket, and as she did so two little pieces ofpaper fell to the floor.
"So she's read that letter, and torn it up so soon," was Nick's silentcomment.
Almost immediately Miss Stevens said:
"There's the mail on the table, mother. I forgot to give it to you.There are several letters."
Mrs. Stevens glanced at the addresses.
"They are all for me," she said. "Was there nothing for you?"
"No, indeed," cried the girl. "There's nobody who writes letters tome."
"Lies to her mother, does she?" said Nick to himself. "Well, it beginsto look bad for her."
Miss Stevens did not notice the bits of paper on the floor, and Nick byclever work succeeded in getting possession of them.
Then, by Mrs. Stevens' permission, he went to look at the room alreadyreferred to.
No sooner was he there than he got rid of the lady upon some plausibleexcuse, and so had an opportunity of examining the bits of paper.
They were ordinary letter paper impossible to trace.
One bit was blank on both sides. The other bore some queer little marks,but no writing. To Nick the marks were quite clear. They were the dotsand dashes of the Morse telegraphic alphabet. They represented theletters n, t, b, e, t, r, a, written very small on a narrow scrap, notmore than an inch long.
"Don't betray," muttered Nick. "Worse and worse. Miss Stevens willevidently bear watching."
As to the room, his inspection of it was of little use. He had notexpected much. He had come to see Miss Stevens, principally, and in hercase the investigation had certainly begun better than he could havereasonably expected. She was engaged in some secret affair. Sheconcealed letters from her mother. She had bribed one of the servants.This last fact was proven by the manner in which the letter had beendelivered to her.
As he was turning these matters over in his mind, Mrs. Stevens and herdaughter entered the room.
"What have you discovered, Mr. Carter?" asked the girl. "You must knowthat my mother has told me all about this strange affair, and I amdeeply interested."
"I have learned nothing," said Nick, "except that this room can beeasily entered, even when the doors are locked.
"Take this door leading to the rear room, for instance. The key was onthis side, it is true, but it turns very easily. A person with a pair ofnippers could get in without trouble, and lock the door afterward.
"I can't tell from the appearance of the key whether or not this wasdone, but I think it probable."
"You mean that somebody came in here while mother was at lunch, and putthe jewels where they were found?"
"Exactly."
"But who could it have been?"
"I don't know," answered Nick, frankly.
"And how do you explain the presence of that other pin in the box?"asked Mrs. Stevens.
"There is an explanation," said Nick; "but I prefer not to give it now."
"As you please," responded the lady, haughtily. "I can only say that Itrust you will find this thief speedily, and end this annoyance to whichwe are being subjected."
"I don't think it ought to be hard for a person of your abilities," saidMiss Stevens. "I have already solved the puzzle."
"And who is the guilty person?" asked Nick, with a smile.
"Colonel Richmond, of course."
"Why should he do this?"
"Because he's crazy. That's reason enough."
"I'd like to hear you explain your theory a little further."
"Why, Mr. Carter, I'm surprised at you. Is there any motive for thisso-called crime? No. Then it must be a crazy person's work. Is theremore than one lunatic among us? Certainly not. So, as two and two makefour, and the sun doesn't rise in the west, Col
onel Richmond is theman. What kind of a detective do you think I'd make?"
"There isn't any one alive who could compare with you," said Nick.
"You're joking."
"No; I'm serious. There are plenty of detectives who can reason up tothe wrong man, but none, I'm sure, who can do it so quickly as you can."
Mrs. Stevens laughed at her daughter's discomfiture, and the girl joinedheartily.
"Supposing for a moment that your theory is true," continued Nick. "Howdo you suppose that Colonel Richmond managed to get the jewels overhere?"
The girl became serious in a moment.
"This is a very delicate subject," she said. "I hate to cast suspicionupon any one."
"You refer to the new servant, of course."
"Well, we know nothing about the girl," said Mrs. Stevens, "and, ofcourse, when anything so strange happens in the house we naturally thinkof her. She brought good references, and she certainly looks honest."
"Did she have an opportunity to put the jewels into this room?"
"As to that, I have talked it over with my daughter, and it seems justpossible that the girl could have done it. I thought at first that itwas not."
"Of course, it was possible," exclaimed Miss Stevens. "She could haverun up the back stairs at any time."
She proceeded to explain this theory, until it seemed quite plausible.
And yet all the time she was filling the detective's mind with theblackest suspicions against herself.
Here was the case: The plotters were trying to work on ColonelRichmond's superstitions.
A celebrated detective had been called in. If he succeeded, theplotters failed, and the Stevenses lost the jewels.
What more natural than that the criminals should wish to throw thedetective on a wrong scent? Was it not to be expected that they shouldpitch upon this new servant as the best person with whom to deceiveNick.
Altogether, Miss Stevens was making out a very strong case againstherself.